Summaries
Geography & TravelHealth & MedicineLifestyles & Social IssuesLiteratureMoneyPhilosophy & ReligionPolitics, Law & GovernmentScienceSports & RecreationTechnologyVisual ArtsWorld History
Disney Company summary
Disney Company, U.S.
Harry Belafonte summary
Harry Belafonte, orig.
Nat King Cole summary
Nat King Cole, orig.
Jerry Lee Lewis summary
Jerry Lee Lewis, (born Sept. 29, 1935, Ferriday, La., U.S.—died...
Jean-Luc Godard summary
Jean-Luc Godard, (born Dec. 3, 1930, Paris, France—died Sept....
Sir Peter Brook summary
Sir Peter Brook, (born March 21, 1925, London, Eng.—died July...
avocado summary
avocado, Fruit of Persea americana, of the laurel family, a...
Sidney Poitier summary
Sidney Poitier, (born Feb. 20, 1927, Miami, Fla., U.S.—died...
Stephen Sondheim summary
Stephen Sondheim, (born March 22, 1930, New York, N.Y., U.S.—died...
coffee summary
coffee, Either of two species of tropical evergreen plants of...
instrumentation summary
instrumentation, also called orchestration , In music, the art...
Native American music summary
Native American music, Music of the indigenous peoples of the...
Rabindranath Tagore summary
Rabindranath Tagore, (born May 7, 1861, Calcutta, India—died...
Western music summary
Western music, Music produced in Europe as well as the music...
Kate Winslet summary
Kate Winslet, (born Oct. 5, 1975, Reading, Berkshire, Eng.),...
La Bohème summary
La Bohème, Opera in four acts by Giacomo Puccini (Italian libretto...
The Mikado summary
The Mikado, in full The Mikado; or, The Town of Titipu , Operetta...
history of film summary
history of film, also called history of the motion picture ,...
Jean-Paul Belmondo summary
Jean-Paul Belmondo, (born April 9, 1933, Neuilly-sur-Seine,...
Frank Tashlin summary
Frank Tashlin, byname of Francis Fredrick von Taschlein , (born...
Mark Robson summary
Mark Robson, (born December 4, 1913, Montreal, Quebec, Canada—died...
the Rolling Stones summary
the Rolling Stones, British musical group.
corn summary
corn, or maize , Cereal plant (Zea mays) of the grass family...
wasabi summary
wasabi, Japanese horseradish plant (Eutrema japonicum) and a...
Academy Awards summary
Academy Awards, Annual awards of merit in the U.S.
accordion summary
accordion, Portable musical instrument that uses a hand-pumped...
acting summary
acting, Art of representing a character on a stage or before...
John Adams summary
John Adams, (born Feb. 15, 1947, Worcester, Mass., U.S.), U.S.
aerobatics summary
aerobatics, Sport of performing maneuvers such as rolls, loops,...
James Agee summary
James Agee, (born Nov. 27, 1909, Knoxville, Tenn., U.S.—died...
alcoholic beverage summary
alcoholic beverage, Any fermented liquor, such as wine, beer,...
Robert Aldrich summary
Robert Aldrich, (born Aug. 9, 1918, Cranston, R.I., U.S.—died...
Steve Allen summary
Steve Allen, orig.
Woody Allen summary
Woody Allen, orig.
almond summary
almond, Tree (Prunus dulcis) in the rose family, native to South...
Robert Altman summary
Robert Altman, (born Feb. 20, 1925, Kansas City, Mo., U.S.—died...
ABC summary
ABC, in full American Broadcasting Co. , Major U.S.
America’s Cup summary
America’s Cup, Most prestigious trophy in international yachting...
amphitheater summary
amphitheater, Freestanding, open-air round or oval structure...
Laurie Anderson summary
Laurie Anderson, (born June 5, 1947, Wayne, Ill., U.S.), U.S.
Julie Andrews summary
Julie Andrews, in full Dame Julie Andrews , orig.
Maya Angelou summary
Maya Angelou, orig.
animation summary
animation, Process of giving the illusion of movement to drawings,...
Michelangelo Antonioni summary
Michelangelo Antonioni, (born Sept. 29, 1912, Ferrara, Italy—died...
apple summary
apple, Fruit of the genus Malus, in the rose family, the most...
aquavit summary
aquavit, (from Latin aqua vitae, “water of life”) Scandinavian...
archery summary
archery, Sport of shooting with bow and arrow.
Philip Danforth Armour summary
Philip Danforth Armour, (born May 16, 1832, Stockbridge, N.Y.,...
Louis Armstrong summary
Louis Armstrong, (born Aug. 4, 1901, New Orleans, La., U.S.—died...
Art Ensemble of Chicago summary
Art Ensemble of Chicago, U.S.
athletics summary
athletics, or track and field also track-and-field games , Variety...
Australian rules football summary
Australian rules football, Variety of football played between...
auteur theory summary
auteur theory, Theory that holds that a film’s director is its...
Milton Babbitt summary
Milton Babbitt, (born May 10, 1916, Philadelphia, Pa., U.S.—died...
Wilhelm Friedemann Bach summary
Wilhelm Friedemann Bach, (born Nov. 22, 1710, Weimar, Saxe-Weimar—died...
Joan Baez summary
Joan Baez, (born Jan. 9, 1941, Staten Island, New York, N.Y.,...
Amitabh Bachchan summary
Amitabh Bachchan, (born Oct. 11, 1942, Allahabad, India), Indian...
Bill Cosby summary
Bill Cosby, in full William Henry Cosby, Jr. , (born July 12,...
Johann Sebastian Bach summary
Johann Sebastian Bach, (born March 21, 1685, Eisenach, Thuringia,...
Ludwig van Beethoven summary
Ludwig van Beethoven, (baptized Dec. 17, 1770, Bonn, archbishopric...
John Boorman summary
John Boorman, (born Jan. 18, 1933, Shepperton, Middlesex, Eng.),...
chess summary
chess, Checkerboard game for two players, each of whom moves...
Glenn Close summary
Glenn Close, (born March 19, 1947, Greenwich, Conn., U.S.),...
Francis Ford Coppola summary
Francis Ford Coppola, (born April 7, 1939, Detroit, Mich., U.S.),...
Tom Cruise summary
Tom Cruise, orig.
Robert De Niro summary
Robert De Niro, (born Aug. 17, 1943, New York, N.Y., U.S.),...
Dame Judi Dench summary
Dame Judi Dench, (born Dec. 9, 1934, York, Yorkshire, Eng.),...
Kirk Douglas summary
Kirk Douglas, orig.
Michael Douglas summary
Michael Douglas, (born Sept. 25, 1944, New Brunswick, N.J.,...
Clint Eastwood summary
Clint Eastwood, (born May 31, 1930, San Francisco, Calif., U.S.),...
Europe summary
Europe, Second smallest continent on Earth.
Jane Fonda summary
Jane Fonda, (born Dec. 21, 1937, New York, N.Y., U.S.), U.S.
Harrison Ford summary
Harrison Ford, (born July 13, 1942, Chicago, Ill., U.S.), U.S.
France summary
France, officially French Republic , Country, northwestern Europe.
Tom Hanks summary
Tom Hanks, orig.
Sir Alfred Hitchcock summary
Sir Alfred Hitchcock, (born Aug. 13, 1899, London, Eng.—died...
Dustin Hoffman summary
Dustin Hoffman, (born Aug. 8, 1937, Los Angeles, Calif., U.S.),...
Sir Anthony Hopkins summary
Sir Anthony Hopkins, (born Dec. 31, 1937, Port Talbot, West...
Glenda Jackson summary
Glenda Jackson, (born May 9, 1936, Birkenhead, Cheshire, Eng.),...
James Earl Jones summary
James Earl Jones, (born Jan. 17, 1931, Arkabutla, Miss., U.S.),...
David Letterman summary
David Letterman, (born April 12, 1947, Indianapolis, Ind., U.S.),...
James Levine summary
James Levine, (born June 23, 1943, Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.—died...
David Lynch summary
David Lynch, (born Jan. 20, 1946, Missoula, Mont., U.S.), U.S.
Madonna summary
Madonna, orig.
David (Alan) Mamet summary
David (Alan) Mamet, (born Nov. 30, 1947, Chicago, Ill., U.S.),...
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart summary
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, orig.
Pablo Picasso summary
Pablo Picasso, (born Oct. 25, 1881, Málaga, Spain—died April...
Susan Sarandon summary
Susan Sarandon, orig.
the Supremes summary
the Supremes, U.S.
Giuseppe Verdi summary
Giuseppe Verdi, (born Oct. 9/10, 1813, Roncole, near Busseto,...
Ken Burns summary
Ken Burns, (born July 29, 1953, Brooklyn, N.Y., U.S.), U.S.
Spike Lee summary
Spike Lee, orig.
Warren Beatty summary
Warren Beatty, orig.
Catherine Deneuve summary
Catherine Deneuve, orig.
Diane Keaton summary
Diane Keaton, orig.
Steve Martin summary
Steve Martin, (born Aug. 14, 1945, Waco, Tex., U.S.), U.S.
Carl Reiner summary
Carl Reiner, (born March 20, 1922, Bronx, New York, N.Y., U.S.—died...
(Charles) Robert Redford (Jr.) summary
(Charles) Robert Redford (Jr.), (born Aug. 18, 1936, Santa Monica,...
Vanessa Redgrave summary
Vanessa Redgrave, (born Jan. 30, 1937, London, Eng.), British...
Julia Roberts summary
Julia Roberts, (born Oct. 28, 1967, Smyrna, Ga., U.S.), U.S.
Leonardo DiCaprio summary
Leonardo DiCaprio, (born Nov. 11, 1974, Los Angeles, Calif.,...
Shirley MacLaine summary
Shirley MacLaine, orig.
John Cleese summary
John Cleese, (born Oct. 27, 1939, Weston-super-Mare, Somerset,...
Al(fredo James) Pacino summary
Al(fredo James) Pacino, (born April 25, 1940, New York, N.Y.,...
Ron Howard summary
Ron Howard, (born March 1, 1954, Duncan, Okla., U.S.), U.S.
Johnny Depp summary
Johnny Depp, orig.
Mel Gibson summary
Mel Gibson, (born Jan. 3, 1956, Peekskill, N.Y, U.S.), U.S.-born...
Sean (Justin) Penn summary
Sean (Justin) Penn, (born Aug. 17, 1960, Santa Monica, Calif.,...
Jessica Lange summary
Jessica Lange, (born April 20, 1949, Cloquet, Minn., U.S.),...
George Clooney summary
George Clooney, (born May 6, 1961, Lexington, Ky., U.S.), U.S.
Brad Pitt summary
Brad Pitt, (born Dec. 18, 1963, Shawnee, Okla., U.S.), U.S.
Angelina Jolie summary
Angelina Jolie, orig.
Jay Leno summary
Jay Leno, orig.
Carol Burnett summary
Carol Burnett, (born April 26, 1933, San Antonio, Texas, U.S.),...
David Cronenberg summary
David Cronenberg, (born May 15, 1943, Toronto, Ont., Can.),...
Matt Damon summary
Matt Damon, (born Oct. 8, 1970, Cambridge, Mass., U.S.), U.S.
Roman Polanski summary
Roman Polanski, orig.
Arnold Schwarzenegger summary
Arnold Schwarzenegger, (born July 30, 1947, Thal, near Graz,...
Martin Scorsese summary
Martin Scorsese, (born Nov. 17, 1942, Queens, N.Y., U.S.), U.S.
John Sayles summary
John Sayles, (born Sept. 28, 1950, Schenectady, N.Y., U.S.),...
Sean Connery summary
Sean Connery, in full Sir Sean Connery , orig.
Léon Bakst summary
Léon Bakst, orig.
George Balanchine summary
George Balanchine, orig.
ballade summary
ballade , One of several formes fixes in French lyric poetry...
Béla Bartók summary
Béla Bartók, (born March 25, 1881, Nagyszentmiklós, Hung., Austria-Hungary—died...
Count Basie summary
Count Basie, orig.
Alban Berg summary
Alban Berg, (born Feb. 9, 1885, Vienna, Austria-Hungary—died...
Hector Berlioz summary
Hector Berlioz, (born Dec. 11, 1803, La Côte-Saint-André, France—died...
Sarah Bernhardt summary
Sarah Bernhardt, orig.
Galli Bibiena family summary
Galli Bibiena family, Eighteenth-century Italian architects...
Georges Bizet summary
Georges Bizet, orig.
Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson summary
Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, (born Dec. 8, 1832, Kvikne, Nor.—died...
Luigi Boccherini summary
Luigi Boccherini, (born Feb. 19, 1743, Lucca—died May 28, 1805,...
Pierre Boulez summary
Pierre Boulez, (born March 26, 1925, Montbrison, France), French...
David Bowie summary
David Bowie, orig.
Bertolt Brecht summary
Bertolt Brecht, orig.
Anton Bruckner summary
Anton Bruckner, (born Sept. 4, 1824, Ansfelden, Austria—died...
Luis Buñuel summary
Luis Buñuel, (born Feb. 22, 1900, Calanda, Spain—died July 29,...
Burgundy summary
Burgundy, French Bourgogne , Historical and governmental region,...
cabaret summary
cabaret , Restaurant that serves liquor and offers light musical...
Pedro Calderón de la Barca summary
Pedro Calderón de la Barca, (born Jan. 17, 1600, Madrid, Spain—died...
canasta summary
canasta , Form of rummy, using two full decks, in which players...
carillon summary
carillon , Musical instrument consisting of at least 23 cast...
John Cassavetes summary
John Cassavetes, (born Dec. 9, 1929, New York, N.Y., U.S.—died...
Benvenuto Cellini summary
Benvenuto Cellini, (born , Nov. 1, 1500, Florence—died Feb....
Marc Chagall summary
Marc Chagall, (born July 7, 1887, Vitebsk, Belorussia, Russian...
Feodor Chaliapin summary
Feodor Chaliapin, or Fyodor Shalyapin , (born Feb. 13, 1873,...
Frédéric Chopin summary
Frédéric Chopin, orig.
Jean Cocteau summary
Jean Cocteau, (born July 5, 1889, Maisons-Laffitte, near Paris,...
Claudette Colbert summary
Claudette Colbert, orig.
commedia dell’arte summary
commedia dell’arte , Italian theatrical form that flourished...
concerto summary
concerto , Musical composition for solo instrument and orchestra.
Aaron Copland summary
Aaron Copland, (born Nov. 14, 1900, Brooklyn, N.Y., U.S.—died...
George Cukor summary
George Cukor, (born July 7, 1899, New York, N.Y., U.S.—died...
Michael Curtiz summary
Michael Curtiz, orig.
Honoré Daumier summary
Honoré Daumier, (born Feb. 20/26, 1808, Marseille, Fr.—died...
Vittorio De Sica summary
Vittorio De Sica, (born July 7, 1902, Sora, Italy—died Nov....
Claude Debussy summary
Claude Debussy, (born Aug. 22, 1862, Saint-Germain-en-Laye,...
Cecil B. DeMille summary
Cecil B.
Sergey Diaghilev summary
Sergey Diaghilev, (born March 31, 1872, Novgorod province, Russia—died...
Marlene Dietrich summary
Marlene Dietrich, orig.
Stanley Donen summary
Stanley Donen, (born April 13, 1924, Columbia, S.C., U.S.—died...
Gaetano Donizetti summary
Gaetano Donizetti, (born Nov. 29, 1797, Bergamo, Cisalpine Republic—died...
Eleonora Duse summary
Eleonora Duse, (born Oct. 3, 1858, near or in Vigevano, Lombardy,...
Antonín Dvořák summary
Antonín Dvořák, (born Sept. 8, 1841, Nelahozeves, Bohemia, Austrian...
Bob Dylan summary
Bob Dylan, orig.
Wyatt Earp summary
Wyatt Earp, (born March 19, 1848, Monmouth, Ill., U.S.—died...
Sergey Eisenstein summary
Sergey Eisenstein, (born Jan. 22, 1898, Riga, Latvia—died Feb....
William Faulkner summary
William Faulkner, orig.
film noir summary
film noir , (French: “dark film”) Film genre that offers dark...
flamenco summary
flamenco , Form of song, dance, and instrumental (mostly guitar)...
Michel Fokine summary
Michel Fokine, orig.
Bob Fosse summary
Bob Fosse, orig.
César Franck summary
César Franck, (born Dec. 10, 1822, Liège, Neth.—died Nov. 8,...
fugue summary
fugue , Musical composition characterized by systematic imitation...
Théophile Gautier summary
Théophile Gautier, (born Aug. 31, 1811, Tarbes, France—died...
Theodor Seuss Geisel summary
Theodor Seuss Geisel, known as Dr.
Carlo Gesualdo, prince of Venosa summary
Carlo Gesualdo, prince of Venosa, (born March 8, 1566, Venosa...
Christoph Willibald Gluck summary
Christoph Willibald Gluck, later Ritter (knight) von Gluck ,...
Charles Gounod summary
Charles Gounod, (born June 17, 1818, Paris, Fr.—died Oct. 18,...
Günter Grass summary
Günter Grass, (born Oct. 16, 1927, Danzig—died April 13, 2015,...
Sir Alec Guinness summary
Sir Alec Guinness, (born April 2, 1914, London, Eng.—died Aug....
Peter Handke summary
Peter Handke, (born Dec. 6, 1942, Griffen, Austria), Austrian...
Joseph Haydn summary
Joseph Haydn, (born March 31, 1732, Rohrau, Austria—died May...
Werner Herzog summary
Werner Herzog, orig.
Hugo von Hofmannsthal summary
Hugo von Hofmannsthal, (born Feb. 1, 1874, Vienna, Austria—died...
John Huston summary
John Huston, (born Aug. 5, 1906, Nevada, Mo., U.S—died Aug....
Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race summary
Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, U.S.
jai alai summary
jai alai , (Basque: “merry festival”) Court game resembling...
Rūmī summary
Rūmī , in full Jalāl al-Dīn al-Rūmī byname Mawlānā (Arabic: “Our...
kabuki summary
kabuki , Popular Japanese entertainment that combines music,...
Elia Kazan summary
Elia Kazan, orig.
Stanley Kubrick summary
Stanley Kubrick, (born July 26, 1928, New York, N.Y., U.S.—died...
Kurosawa Akira summary
Kurosawa Akira, (born March 23, 1910, Tokyo, Japan—died Sept....
leitmotif summary
leitmotif , In music, a melodic idea associated with a character...
lied summary
lied , German song, particularly an art song for voice and piano...
Franz Liszt summary
Franz Liszt, Hungarian Ferenc Liszt , (born Oct. 22, 1811, Raiding,...
Ernst Lubitsch summary
Ernst Lubitsch, (born Jan. 29, 1892, Berlin, Ger.—died Nov....
Bela Lugosi summary
Bela Lugosi, orig.
Sidney Lumet summary
Sidney Lumet, (born June 25, 1924, Philadelphia, Pa., U.S.—died...
Jimmie Lunceford summary
Jimmie Lunceford, orig.
William Macready summary
William Macready, (born March 3, 1793, London, Eng.—died April...
Mah-jongg summary
Mah-jongg , Game of Chinese origin usually played by four persons...
Rouben Mamoulian summary
Rouben Mamoulian, (born Oct. 8, 1897, Tiflis, Georgia, Russian...
Pietro Metastasio summary
Pietro Metastasio, orig.
minnesinger summary
minnesinger , (from German, Minne: “love”) Any of certain German...
Claudio Monteverdi summary
Claudio Monteverdi, (baptized May 15, 1567, Cremona, Duchy of...
F.W. Murnau summary
F.W.
Modest Mussorgsky summary
Modest Mussorgsky, (born March 21, 1839, Karevo, Russia—died...
Vaslav Nijinsky summary
Vaslav Nijinsky, orig.
nouvelle cuisine summary
nouvelle cuisine , Style in international cuisine developed...
Rudolf Nureyev summary
Rudolf Nureyev, (born March 17, 1938, Irkutsk, Russia, U.S.S.R.—died...
Laurence Olivier, Baron Olivier summary
Laurence Olivier, Baron Olivier, (born May 22, 1907, Dorking,...
pageant summary
pageant , Large-scale, spectacular theatrical production or...
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina summary
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, (born c. 1525, Palestrina,...
Anna Pavlova summary
Anna Pavlova, (born Feb. 12, 1881, St.
Sam Peckinpah summary
Sam Peckinpah, (born Feb. 21, 1925, Fresno, Calif., U.S.—died...
Jules Perrot summary
Jules Perrot, (born Aug. 18, 1810, Lyon, France—died Aug. 24,...
philately summary
philately , Collection and study of postage stamps.
Philips Electronics NV summary
Philips Electronics NV, in full Royal Philips Electronics NV...
pipa summary
pipa , or p’i-p’a , Short-necked Chinese lute.
pinochle summary
pinochle , Card game.
Sergey Prokofiev summary
Sergey Prokofiev, (born April 23, 1891, Sontsovka, Ukraine,...
Giacomo Puccini summary
Giacomo Puccini, (born Dec. 22, 1858, Lucca, Tuscany—died Nov....
Henry Purcell summary
Henry Purcell, (born c. 1659, London, Eng.—died Nov. 21, 1695,...
Sergey Rachmaninoff summary
Sergey Rachmaninoff, (born April 1, 1873, Oneg, near Semyonovo,...
Jean-Philippe Rameau summary
Jean-Philippe Rameau, (baptized Sept. 25, 1683, Dijon, France—died...
Maurice Ravel summary
Maurice Ravel, (born March 7, 1875, Ciboure, France—died Dec....
reggae summary
reggae , Jamaican popular music and dance style.
Steve Reich summary
Steve Reich, orig.
Alain Resnais summary
Alain Resnais, (born June 3, 1922, Vannes, France—died March...
rhythm and blues summary
rhythm and blues (R&B), Any of several closely related musical...
Eric Rohmer summary
Eric Rohmer, orig.
roulette summary
roulette , Gambling game.
Erik Satie summary
Erik Satie, orig.
Domenico Scarlatti summary
Domenico Scarlatti, (born Oct. 26, 1685, Naples—died July 23,...
Arnold Schoenberg summary
Arnold Schoenberg, (born Sept. 13, 1874, Vienna, Austro-Hungarian...
Franz Schubert summary
Franz Schubert, (born Jan. 31, 1797, Himmelpfortgrund, near...
shogi summary
shogi , Strategic board game for two players that evolved in...
Dmitry Shostakovich summary
Dmitry Shostakovich, (born Sept. 25, 1906, St.
Jean Sibelius summary
Jean Sibelius, orig.
Konstantin Stanislavsky summary
Konstantin Stanislavsky, orig.
Karlheinz Stockhausen summary
Karlheinz Stockhausen, (born Aug. 22, 1928, Mödrath, near Cologne,...
Preston Sturges summary
Preston Sturges, orig.
tarot summary
tarot , Sets of cards used in fortune-telling and in certain...
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky summary
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, (born May 7, 1840, Votkinsk, Russia—died...
Georg Philipp Telemann summary
Georg Philipp Telemann, (born March 14, 1681, Magdeburg, Brandenburg—died...
Tour de France summary
Tour de France , World’s most prestigious and difficult bicycle...
François Truffaut summary
François Truffaut, (born Feb. 6, 1932, Paris, France—died Oct....
Agrippina Vaganova summary
Agrippina Vaganova, (born July 6, 1879, St.
Rudy Vallee summary
Rudy Vallee, orig.
Sir John Vanbrugh summary
Sir John Vanbrugh, (baptized Jan. 24, 1664, London, Eng.—died...
Gil Vicente summary
Gil Vicente, (born c. 1465, Portugal—died 1536/37), Portuguese...
Gore Vidal summary
Gore Vidal, orig.
King Vidor summary
King Vidor, (born Feb. 8, 1894, Galveston, Texas, U.S.—died...
Heitor Villa-Lobos summary
Heitor Villa-Lobos, (born March 5, 1887, Rio de Janeiro, Braz.—died...
Antonio Vivaldi summary
Antonio Vivaldi, (born March 4, 1678, Venice, Republic of Venice—died...
Richard Wagner summary
Richard Wagner, (born May 22, 1813, Leipzig, Ger.—died Feb....
Carl Maria von Weber summary
Carl Maria von Weber, (born Nov. 18, 1786, Eutin, Holstein—died...
Anton Webern summary
Anton Webern, (born Dec. 3, 1883, Vienna—died Sept. 15, 1945,...
Kurt Weill summary
Kurt Weill, (born March 2, 1900, Dessau, Ger.—died April 3,...
whiskey summary
whiskey, or whisky , Any of several distilled liquors made from...
zarzuela summary
zarzuela , Spanish musical play consisting of spoken dialogue,...
Fred Zinnemann summary
Fred Zinnemann, (born April 29, 1907, Vienna, Austria—died March...
Zhang Yimou summary
Zhang Yimou , (born Nov. 14, 1950/51, Xi’an, China), Chinese...
Studs Terkel summary
Studs Terkel, orig.
Otto Preminger summary
Otto Preminger, (born Dec. 5, 1906, Vienna, Austria—died April...
Anna Sokolow summary
Anna Sokolow, (born Feb. 9, 1910, Hartford, Conn., U.S.—died...
Wynton Marsalis summary
Wynton Marsalis, (born Oct. 18, 1961, New Orleans, La., U.S.),...
Fluxus summary
Fluxus , International avant-garde group of artists founded...
Julian Schnabel summary
Julian Schnabel, (born Oct. 26, 1951, New York, N.Y., U.S.),...
banana summary
banana, Fruit of the genus Musa (family Musaceae), a gigantic...
bean summary
bean, Seed or pod of certain leguminous plants (see legume).
Toni Morrison summary
Toni Morrison, orig.
Willie Nelson summary
Willie Nelson, (born April 29, 1933, Fort Worth, Texas, U.S.),...
James Stewart summary
James Stewart, byname Jimmy Stewart , (born May 20, 1908, Indiana,...
Aretha Franklin summary
Aretha Franklin, (born March 25, 1942, Memphis, Tenn., U.S.—died...
Miloš Forman summary
Miloš Forman, (born Feb. 18, 1932, Čáslav, Czech. [now in Czech...
Jerry Lewis summary
Jerry Lewis, orig.
Sam Shepard summary
Sam Shepard, orig.
exercise summary
exercise, Training of the body to improve health and fitness.
wine summary
wine, Alcoholic beverage made from the fermented juice of grapes.
Chuck Berry summary
Chuck Berry, orig.
comic strip summary
comic strip, Series of drawings that read as a narrative, arranged...
John Hurt summary
John Hurt, (born Jan. 22, 1940, Shirebrook, Derbyshire, Eng.—died...
Mike Nichols summary
Mike Nichols, orig.
Abbas Kiarostami summary
Abbas Kiarostami, (born June 22, 1940, Tehrān, Iran—died July...
mountaineering summary
mountaineering, or mountain climbing , Sport of attaining, or...
baking summary
baking, Process of cooking by dry heat, especially in an oven.
Ha Jin summary
Ha Jin, pseudonym of Xuefei Jin , (born Feb. 21, 1956, Jinzhou,...
Muddy Waters summary
Muddy Waters, orig.
Time Warner Inc. summary
Time Warner Inc., Largest media and entertainment conglomerate...
Meryl Streep summary
Meryl Streep, orig.
Shirley Temple summary
Shirley Temple, later Shirley Temple Black , (born April 23,...
Vincente Minnelli summary
Vincente Minnelli, (born Feb. 28, 1903, Chicago, Ill., U.S.—died...
Pete Seeger summary
Pete Seeger, (born May 3, 1919, New York, N.Y., U.S.—died Jan....
Peter O’Toole summary
Peter O’Toole, (born Aug. 2, 1932, Connemara, County Galway,...
Dave Brubeck summary
Dave Brubeck, orig.
Denzel Washington summary
Denzel Washington, (born Dec. 28, 1954, Mount Vernon, N.Y.,...
Eric Cantona summary
Eric Cantona, (born May 24, 1966, Marseille, France), French...
Rudolph Valentino summary
Rudolph Valentino, orig.
Ray Bradbury summary
Ray Bradbury, (born Aug. 22, 1920, Waukegan, Ill., U.S.—died...
Marilyn Monroe summary
Marilyn Monroe, orig.
Steven Spielberg summary
Steven Spielberg, (born Dec. 18, 1946, Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.),...
Oprah Winfrey summary
Oprah Winfrey, (born Jan. 29, 1954, Kosciusko, Miss., U.S.),...
Miles Davis summary
Miles Davis, (born May 26, 1926, Alton, Ill., U.S.—died Sept....
Hoagy Carmichael summary
Hoagy Carmichael, orig.
bridge summary
bridge, Card game similar to whist.
chamber music summary
chamber music, Music composed for small instrumental ensembles...
rock music summary
rock music, or rock and roll , Musical style that arose in the...
Dame Elizabeth Taylor summary
Dame Elizabeth Taylor, (born Feb. 27, 1932, London, Eng.—died...
opera summary
opera, Entirely musical drama consisting of vocal pieces with...
boxing summary
boxing, Sport involving attack and defense with the fists.
gardening summary
gardening, Laying out and tending of a garden.
stringed instrument summary
stringed instrument, Any musical instrument that produces sound...
sugar summary
sugar, Any of numerous sweet, colourless organic compounds that...
symphony summary
symphony, Long musical composition for orchestra, usually in...
poker summary
poker, Any of several card games in which a player bets that...
percussion instrument summary
percussion instrument, A musical instrument that is struck (or...
stagecraft summary
stagecraft, Technical aspects of a theatrical production, which...
theatre summary
theatre, Live performance of dramatic actions in order to tell...
theatre summary
theatre, Building or space in which performances are given before...
puppetry summary
puppetry, Art of creating and manipulating puppets in a theatrical...
Blake Edwards summary
Blake Edwards, orig.
motion picture summary
motion picture, or movie , Series of still photographs on film,...
rugby summary
rugby, Football sport made up of two variant codes—rugby union...
jazz summary
jazz, Musical form, often improvisational, developed by African...
horsemanship summary
horsemanship, Art of training, riding, and handling horses.
cricket summary
cricket, (from Middle French criquet, “goal stake”) Game played...
Lon Chaney summary
Lon Chaney, in full Alonso Chaney , (born April 1, 1883, Colorado...
Lon Chaney summary
Lon Chaney, in full Alonso Chaney , (born April 1, 1883, Colorado...
dance summary
dance, Form of expression that uses bodily movements that are...
distilled liquor summary
distilled liquor, Alcoholic beverage obtained by distillation...
folk music summary
folk music, Music held to be typical of a nation or ethnic group,...
food preservation summary
food preservation, Any method by which food is protected against...
electronic music summary
electronic music, Any music involving electronic processing...
golf summary
golf, Game in which a player using special clubs attempts to...
circus summary
circus, Entertainment or spectacle featuring animal acts and...
bowling summary
bowling, Game in which a heavy ball is rolled down a long, narrow...
bullfighting summary
bullfighting, Spanish corrida de toros , Spectacle, popular...
onion summary
onion, Herbaceous biennial plant (Allium cepa) of the family...
Gene Krupa summary
Gene Krupa, (born Jan. 15, 1909, Chicago, Ill., U.S.—died Oct....
William Wellman summary
William Wellman, (born Feb. 29, 1896, Brookline, Mass, U.S.—died...
Michael Jackson summary
Michael Jackson, (born Aug. 29, 1958, Gary, Ind., U.S.—died...
Paul Newman summary
Paul Newman, (born Jan. 26, 1925, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.—died...
Sydney Opera House summary
Sydney Opera House, Performing-arts centre on the harbour in...
famine summary
famine, Extreme and protracted shortage of food, resulting in...
Merce Cunningham summary
Merce Cunningham, (born April 16, 1919, Centralia, Wash., U.S.—died...
football summary
football, or association football or soccer , Game in which...
rice summary
rice, Edible starchy cereal grain and the annual grass (Oryza...
tomato summary
tomato, Any fruit of the numerous cultivated varieties of Solanum...
Charlton Heston summary
Charlton Heston, orig.
Gordon Craig summary
Gordon Craig, (born Jan. 16, 1872, Stevenage, Hertfordshire,...
Harold Pinter summary
Harold Pinter, (born Oct. 10, 1930, London, Eng.—died Dec. 24,...
Motorola, Inc. summary
Motorola, Inc., U.S.
Andrew Lloyd Webber summary
Andrew Lloyd Webber, later Baron Lloyd-Webber , (born March...
Ingmar Bergman summary
Ingmar Bergman, (born July 14, 1918, Uppsala, Swed.—died July...
Arthur C. Clarke summary
Arthur C.
truffle summary
truffle, Edible underground fungus in the genus Tuber (order...
Jack Nicholson summary
Jack Nicholson, (born April 22, 1937, Neptune, N.J., U.S.),...
Al Gore summary
Al Gore, in full Albert Arnold Gore, Jr. , (born March 31, 1948,...
mode summary
mode, In music, any of a variety of concepts used to classify...
sun dance summary
sun dance, Most important religious ritual of the Plains Indians...
Fletcher Henderson summary
Fletcher Henderson, orig. James Fletcher Henderson , (born...
Glenn Miller summary
Glenn Miller, (born March 1, 1904, Clarinda, Iowa, U.S.—died...
James Brown summary
James Brown, (born May 3, 1933, Barnwell, S.C., U.S.—died Dec....
Sir Peter Maxwell Davies summary
Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, (born Sept. 8, 1934, Manchester, Eng.),...
Benny Goodman summary
Benny Goodman, orig.
baseball summary
baseball, Game played with a bat and ball between two teams...
handball summary
handball, Any of a variety games in which a small rubber ball...
Motown summary
Motown, U.S.
Bruce Lee summary
Bruce Lee, orig.
falconry summary
falconry, Sport of employing falcons or other hawks in hunting...
Olympic Games summary
Olympic Games, Sports festival.
Walt Disney summary
Walt Disney, (born Dec. 5, 1901, Chicago, Ill., U.S.—died Dec....
curling summary
curling, Game in which two teams of four players each slide...
figure skating summary
figure skating, Sport in which ice skaters, singly or in pairs,...
George Lucas summary
George Lucas, (born May 14, 1944, Modesto, Calif., U.S.), Film...
basketball summary
basketball, Court game between two teams of five players.
Beatles summary
Beatles, British rock group that came to personify the counterculture...
Bob Marley summary
Bob Marley, orig.
buzkashi summary
buzkashi, (Persian: “goat dragging”) An equestrian game in which...
camel racing summary
camel racing, Sport of running camels at speed, with a rider...
foxhunting summary
foxhunting, Chase of a fox by horsemen with a pack of hounds.
Lionel Hampton summary
Lionel Hampton, (born April 20, 1908, Louisville, Ky., U.S.—died...
Arthur Miller summary
Arthur Miller, (born Oct. 17, 1915, New York, N.Y., U.S.—died...
table tennis summary
table tennis, or (trademark) Ping-Pong , Game similar to lawn...
Noh theatre summary
Noh theatre, or No theatre , Classic Japanese theatrical form.
Julia Child summary
Julia Child, orig.
Marlon Brando summary
Marlon Brando, (born April 3, 1924, Omaha, Neb., U.S.—died July...
Grace Kelly summary
Grace Kelly, later Princess Grace of Monaco , (born Nov. 12,...
Prince summary
Prince, orig.
go summary
go, Chinese weiqi or wei-ch’i Korean baduk , Game that involves...
Masters Tournament summary
Masters Tournament, Invitational golf competition held annually...
Fred Astaire summary
Fred Astaire, orig.
Lucille Ball summary
Lucille Ball, (born Aug. 6, 1911, Celoron, near Jamestown, N.Y.,...
Tallulah Bankhead summary
Tallulah Bankhead, (born Jan. 31, 1902, Huntsville, Ala., U.S.—died...
Robert Benchley summary
Robert Benchley, (born Sept. 15, 1889, Worcester, Mass., U.S.—died...
Alan Bennett summary
Alan Bennett, (born May 9, 1934, Leeds, Yorkshire, Eng.), British...
Ingrid Bergman summary
Ingrid Bergman, (born Aug. 29, 1915, Stockholm, Swed.—died Aug....
Busby Berkeley summary
Busby Berkeley, orig.
Leonard Bernstein summary
Leonard Bernstein, (born Aug. 25, 1918, Lawrence, Mass., U.S.—died...
Eubie Blake summary
Eubie Blake, orig.
Humphrey Bogart summary
Humphrey Bogart, (born Dec. 25, 1899, New York, N.Y., U.S.—died...
Edwin Booth summary
Edwin Booth, (born Nov. 13, 1833, near Belair, Md., U.S.—died...
John Wilkes Booth summary
John Wilkes Booth, (born May 10, 1838, near Bel Air, Md., U.S.—died...
Johannes Brahms summary
Johannes Brahms, (born May 7, 1833, Hamburg—died April 3, 1897,...
Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten of Aldeburgh summary
Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten of Aldeburgh, (born Nov. 22,...
Richard Burton summary
Richard Burton, orig.
William Byrd summary
William Byrd, (born 1543, Lincoln, Lincolnshire?, Eng.—died...
James Cagney summary
James Cagney, (born July 17, 1899, New York, N.Y., U.S.—died...
Frank Capra summary
Frank Capra, (born May 18, 1897, near Palermo, Sicily, Italy—died...
Charlie Chaplin summary
Charlie Chaplin, in full Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin , (born...
Thomas Chatterton summary
Thomas Chatterton, (born Nov. 20, 1752, Bristol, Gloucestershire,...
René Clair summary
René Clair, orig.
Kurt Cobain summary
Kurt Cobain, (born Feb. 20, 1967, Aberdeen, Wash., U.S.—died...
William F. Cody summary
William F.
John Coltrane summary
John Coltrane, (born Sept. 23, 1926, Hamlet, N.C., U.S.—died...
William Congreve summary
William Congreve, (born Jan. 24, 1670, Bardsey, near Leeds,...
Arcangelo Corelli summary
Arcangelo Corelli, (born Feb. 17, 1653, Fusignano, near Imola,...
Roger Corman summary
Roger Corman, (born April 5, 1926, Detroit, Mich., U.S.), U.S.
Bette Davis summary
Bette Davis, in full Ruth Elizabeth Davis , (born April 5, 1908,...
James Dean summary
James Dean, (born Feb. 8, 1931, Marion, Ind., U.S.—died Sept....
Tommy Dorsey summary
Tommy Dorsey, orig.
John Dryden summary
John Dryden, (born Aug. 9, 1631, Aldwinkle, Northamptonshire,...
Faye Dunaway summary
Faye Dunaway, (born Jan. 14, 1941, Bascom, Fla., U.S.), U.S.
Isadora Duncan summary
Isadora Duncan, orig.
Duke Ellington summary
Duke Ellington, orig.
Oliver Evans summary
Oliver Evans, (born Sept. 13, 1755, near Newport, Del.—died...
Federico Fellini summary
Federico Fellini, (born Jan. 20, 1920, Rimini, Italy—died Oct....
W.C. Fields summary
W.C.
Errol Flynn summary
Errol Flynn, (born June 20, 1909, Hobart, Tas., Austl.—died...
Henry Fonda summary
Henry Fonda, (born May 16, 1905, Grand Island, Neb., U.S.—died...
gridiron football summary
gridiron football, Game played, predominantly in the U.S.
John Ford summary
John Ford, orig.
Clark Gable summary
Clark Gable, (born Feb. 1, 1901, Cadiz, Ohio, U.S.—died Nov....
Greta Garbo summary
Greta Garbo, orig.
Judy Garland summary
Judy Garland, orig.
David Garrick summary
David Garrick, (born Feb. 19, 1717, Hereford, Herefordshire,...
Marvin Gaye summary
Marvin Gaye, orig.
George Gershwin summary
George Gershwin, orig.
Stan Getz summary
Stan Getz, orig.
Dizzy Gillespie summary
Dizzy Gillespie, orig.
Martha Graham summary
Martha Graham, (born May 11, 1894, Allegheny county, Penn.,...
Cary Grant summary
Cary Grant, orig.
Woody Guthrie summary
Woody Guthrie, orig.
Bill Haley summary
Bill Haley, orig.
George Frideric Handel summary
George Frideric Handel, orig.
Jean Harlow summary
Jean Harlow, orig.
Howard Hawks summary
Howard Hawks, (born May 30, 1896, Goshen, Ind., U.S.—died Dec....
Rita Hayworth summary
Rita Hayworth, orig.
Jimi Hendrix summary
Jimi Hendrix, byname of James Marshall Hendrix , (born Nov....
Jim Henson summary
Jim Henson, in full James Maury Henson , (born Sept. 24, 1936,...
Audrey Hepburn summary
Audrey Hepburn, orig.
Katharine Hepburn summary
Katharine Hepburn, (born May 12, 1907, Hartford, Conn., U.S.—died...
William Hogarth summary
William Hogarth, (born Nov. 10, 1697, London, Eng.—died Oct....
Buddy Holly summary
Buddy Holly, orig.
Bob Hope summary
Bob Hope, orig.
Doris Humphrey summary
Doris Humphrey, (born Oct. 17, 1895, Oak Park, Ill., U.S.—died...
Sir Henry Irving summary
Sir Henry Irving, orig.
Charles E. Ives summary
Charles E.
Harry James summary
Harry James, (born March 15, 1916, Albany, Ga., U.S.—died July...
Sir Elton John summary
Sir Elton John, orig.
Robert Johnson summary
Robert Johnson, (born c. 1911, Hazlehurst, Miss., U.S.—died...
Inigo Jones summary
Inigo Jones, (born July 15, 1573, Smithfield, London, Eng.—died...
Ben Jonson summary
Ben Jonson, (born June 11?, 1572, London, Eng.—died Aug. 6,...
Janis Joplin summary
Janis Joplin, (born Jan. 19, 1943, Port Arthur, Texas, U.S.—died...
Danny Kaye summary
Danny Kaye, orig.
Edmund Kean summary
Edmund Kean, (born March 17?, 1789, London, Eng.—died May 15,...
Buster Keaton summary
Buster Keaton, orig.
Gene Kelly summary
Gene Kelly, orig.
Burt Lancaster summary
Burt Lancaster, (born Nov. 2, 1913, New York, N.Y., U.S.—died...
Fritz Lang summary
Fritz Lang, (born Dec. 5, 1890, Vienna, Austria-Hungary—died...
Sir David Lean summary
Sir David Lean, (born March 25, 1908, Croydon, Surrey, Eng.—died...
Jack Lemmon summary
Jack Lemmon, orig.
John Lennon summary
John Lennon, (born Oct. 9, 1940, Liverpool, Merseyside, Eng.—died...
Carole Lombard summary
Carole Lombard, orig.
Sir Paul McCartney summary
Sir Paul McCartney, (born June 18, 1942, Liverpool, Eng.), British...
Gustav Mahler summary
Gustav Mahler, (born July 7, 1860, Kaliště, Bohemia, Austrian...
Curtis Mayfield summary
Curtis Mayfield, (born June 3, 1942, Chicago, Ill., U.S.—died...
Felix Mendelssohn summary
Felix Mendelssohn, (born Feb. 3, 1809, Hamburg—died Nov. 4,...
Edna St. Vincent Millay summary
Edna St.
Joni Mitchell summary
Joni Mitchell, orig.
John Osborne summary
John Osborne, (born Dec. 12, 1929, London, Eng.—died Dec. 24,...
Charlie Parker summary
Charlie Parker, orig.
Dorothy Parker summary
Dorothy Parker, orig.
Arvo Pärt summary
Arvo Pärt, (born Sept. 11, 1935, Paide, Est.), Estonian composer.
Gregory Peck summary
Gregory Peck, (born April 5, 1916, La Jolla, Calif., U.S.—died...
Mary Pickford summary
Mary Pickford, orig.
Elvis Presley summary
Elvis Presley, (born Jan. 8, 1935, Tupelo, Miss., U.S.—died...
Vincent Price summary
Vincent Price, (born May 27, 1911, St.
Nicholas Ray summary
Nicholas Ray, orig.
Satyajit Ray summary
Satyajit Ray, (born May 2, 1921, Calcutta, India—died April...
Max Reinhardt summary
Max Reinhardt, orig.
Jean Renoir summary
Jean Renoir, (born Sept. 15, 1894, Paris, France—died Feb....
Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov summary
Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov, (born March 18, 1844, Tikhvin, near...
Jerome Robbins summary
Jerome Robbins, orig.
Edward G. Robinson summary
Edward G.
Jimmie Rodgers summary
Jimmie Rodgers, orig.
Gioacchino Rossini summary
Gioacchino Rossini, (born Feb. 29, 1792, Pesaro, Papal States—died...
John Schlesinger summary
John Schlesinger, (born Feb. 16, 1926, London, Eng.—died July...
Robert Schumann summary
Robert Schumann, (born June 8, 1810, Zwickau, Saxony—died July...
Ridley Scott summary
Ridley Scott, (born Nov. 30, 1937, South Shields, Durham, Eng.),...
Sarah Siddons summary
Sarah Siddons, orig.
Paul Simon summary
Paul Simon, (born Oct. 13, 1941, Newark, N.J., U.S.), U.S.
Frank Sinatra summary
Frank Sinatra, orig.
Douglas Sirk summary
Douglas Sirk, orig.
Dame Maggie Smith summary
Dame Maggie Smith, orig.
Bruce Springsteen summary
Bruce Springsteen, (born Sept. 23, 1949, Freehold, N.J., U.S.),...
John Steinbeck summary
John Steinbeck, (born Feb. 27, 1902, Salinas, Calif., U.S.—died...
Josef von Sternberg summary
Josef von Sternberg, orig.
George Stevens summary
George Stevens, (born Dec. 18, 1904, Oakland, Calif., U.S.—died...
Oliver Stone summary
Oliver Stone, (born Sept. 15, 1946, New York, N.Y., U.S.), U.S.
Sir Tom Stoppard summary
Sir Tom Stoppard, orig.
Paul Strand summary
Paul Strand, (born Oct. 16, 1890, New York, N.Y., U.S.—died...
Richard Strauss summary
Richard Strauss, (born June 11, 1864, Munich, Ger.—died Sept....
Igor Stravinsky summary
Igor Stravinsky, (born June 17, 1882, Oranienbaum, Russia—died...
Barbra Streisand summary
Barbra Streisand, orig.
Sir Arthur Sullivan summary
Sir Arthur Sullivan, (born May 13, 1842, London, Eng.—died Nov....
Ellen Terry summary
Ellen Terry, (born Feb. 27, 1847, Coventry, Warwickshire, Eng.—died...
Emma Thompson summary
Emma Thompson, (born April 15, 1959, London, Eng.), British...
Spencer Tracy summary
Spencer Tracy, (born , April 5, 1900, Milwaukee, Wis., U.S.—died...
Raoul Walsh summary
Raoul Walsh, (born March 11, 1887, New York, N.Y., U.S.—died...
John Wayne summary
John Wayne, orig.
Orson Welles summary
Orson Welles, (born May 6, 1915, Kenosha, Wis., U.S.—died Oct....
Billy Wilder summary
Billy Wilder, orig.
Hank Williams summary
Hank Williams, orig. Hiram King Williams , (born Sept. 17,...
Tennessee Williams summary
Tennessee Williams, orig.
Stevie Wonder summary
Stevie Wonder, orig.
William Wyler summary
William Wyler, (born July 1, 1902, Mulhouse, France—died July...
Neil Young summary
Neil Young, (born Nov. 12, 1945, Toronto, Ont., Can.), Canadian...
Tod Browning summary
Tod Browning, orig.
Peter Sellers summary
Peter Sellers, orig.
Rock Hudson summary
Rock Hudson, orig.
Jackie Gleason summary
Jackie Gleason, orig.
Mel Brooks summary
Mel Brooks, orig.
Tony Bennett summary
Tony Bennett, orig.
Dick Van Dyke summary
Dick Van Dyke, orig.
Lenny Bruce summary
Lenny Bruce, orig.
John Williams summary
John Williams, (born Feb. 8, 1932, New York, N.Y., U.S.), U.S.
Joel and Ethan Coen summary
Joel and Ethan Coen, (respectively, born Nov. 29, 1955, St.
chocolate summary
chocolate, Food prepared from ground roasted cacao beans.
drum summary
drum, Musical instrument, the sound of which is produced by...
grape summary
grape, Any of the 60 plant species that make up the genus Vitis...
guitar summary
guitar, Plucked stringed instrument.
ice hockey summary
ice hockey, Game played on an ice rink by two teams of six players...
lacrosse summary
lacrosse, (French: “the crosier”) Outdoor goal-scoring sport...
lemon summary
lemon, Small thorny tree or spreading bush (Citrus limon) of...
lute summary
lute, Plucked stringed instrument popular in 16th–17th-century...
lyre summary
lyre, Stringed musical instrument consisting of a resonating...
Marx Brothers summary
Marx Brothers, U.S.
musical notation summary
musical notation, Written, printed, or other visual representation...
organ summary
organ, Keyboard instrument in which pressurized air produces...
peach summary
peach, Small to medium-sized fruit tree (Prunus persica) of...
piano summary
piano, or pianoforte , Keyboard instrument with wire strings...
scale summary
scale, In music, primary pitches of a key or mode arranged within...
skydiving summary
skydiving, Sport of jumping from an airplane at a moderate altitude...
tennis summary
tennis, Game played with rackets and a light, elastic ball by...
zither summary
zither, Plucked or struck stringed instrument with a shallow...
mime and pantomime summary
mime and pantomime, Dramatic performance in which a story is...
shooting summary
shooting, Sport of gun marksmanship.
cantata summary
cantata, Work for voice or voices and instruments of the Baroque...
carol summary
carol, Popular song, usually of religious joy, associated with...
choir summary
choir, Body of singers with more than one voice to a part.
clarinet summary
clarinet, Single-reed woodwind instrument.
country music summary
country music, or country and western , Musical style that originated...
disco summary
disco, Style of dance music that arose in the mid-1970s, characterized...
Dixieland summary
Dixieland, Jazz played by a small ensemble featuring collective...
field hockey summary
field hockey, or hockey , Game played with curve-ended sticks...
flute summary
flute, Woodwind instrument in which the sound is produced by...
gospel music summary
gospel music, Form of black American music derived from Pentecostal...
Grateful Dead summary
Grateful Dead, U.S.
harness racing summary
harness racing, Horse-racing sport.
horse racing summary
horse racing, Sport of running horses at speed.
score summary
score, In music, the parts of all the instruments or singers...
sonata summary
sonata, Musical form for one or more instruments, usually consisting...
sonata form summary
sonata form, or sonata-allegro form , Form of most first movements...
song summary
song, Short and usually simple piece of music for voice, with...
soul music summary
soul music, Style of U.S.
spiritual summary
spiritual, In North American white and black folk music, an...
swing summary
swing, Jazz played with a steady beat using the harmonic structure...
tuning and temperament summary
tuning and temperament, In music, the adjustment of one sound...
xylophone summary
xylophone, Percussion instrument consisting of a set of tuned...
aria summary
aria, Solo song with instrumental accompaniment in opera, cantata,...
bagpipe summary
bagpipe, Wind instrument consisting of two or more single- or...
bassoon summary
bassoon, Principal tenor and bass instrument of the orchestral...
Beach Boys summary
Beach Boys, U.S.
gymnastics summary
gymnastics, Competitive sport in which individuals perform optional...
Kentucky Derby summary
Kentucky Derby, One of the classic U.S.
madrigal summary
madrigal, Form of vocal chamber music, usually polyphonic and...
melody summary
melody, Rhythmic succession of single tones organized as an...
minstrel summary
minstrel, Wandering musician of the Middle Ages, often of low...
motet summary
motet, Latin choral composition, generally in one movement.
music summary
music, Art concerned with combining vocal or instrumental sounds...
musical summary
musical, or musical comedy , Theatrical production that is characteristically...
oboe summary
oboe, Double-reed woodwind instrument.
polo summary
polo, Game played by teams of players on horseback.
softball summary
softball, Game resembling baseball but played on a smaller diamond...
surfing summary
surfing, Sport of riding breaking waves toward the shore, especially...
harmony summary
harmony, In music, the sound of two or more notes heard simultaneously.
heavy metal summary
heavy metal, Type of rock music marked by highly amplified,...
hymn summary
hymn, Song used in Christian worship, usually sung by the congregation...
improvisation summary
improvisation, Creation of music in real time.
rackets summary
rackets, Game for two or four players with ball and racket on...
rodeo summary
rodeo, Sport involving a series of contests derived from North...
roller-skating summary
roller-skating, Recreation and sport in which the participants...
rowing summary
rowing, Propulsion of a boat by means of oars.
squash (rackets) summary
squash (rackets), Singles or doubles game played in a four-walled...
swimming summary
swimming, In recreation and sports, the propulsion of the body...
British Invasion summary
British Invasion, Musical movement.
world music summary
world music, Musical genre incorporating diverse styles from...
NBC summary
NBC, in full National Broadcasting Co. , Major U.S.
blues summary
blues, Secular musical form incorporating a repeating harmonic...
overture summary
overture, Musical introduction to a larger, often dramatic,...
p’ansori summary
p’ansori, (Korean: “story singing”) A form of sung folk narrative.
punk summary
punk, Aggressive form of rock music that coalesced into an international...
fat summary
fat, Any organic compound of plant or animal origin that is...
sword dance summary
sword dance, Folk dance by men, with swords or two-handled blades,...
tap dance summary
tap dance, Style of American theatrical dance using precise...
Three Stooges summary
Three Stooges, U.S.
Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corp. summary
Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corp., U.S.
quilting summary
quilting, Process of stitching together two layers of fabric,...
Globe Theatre summary
Globe Theatre, London theatre in which the plays of William...
art collection summary
art collection, Works of art accumulated by an individual or...
ornamentation summary
ornamentation, In music, the addition of notes for expressive...
makeup summary
makeup, In the performing arts, material used by actors for...
minstrel show summary
minstrel show, Form of entertainment popular in the U.S.
blackjack summary
blackjack, or twenty-one , Card game whose object is to be dealt...
camping summary
camping, Recreational activity in which participants live outdoors,...
canoeing summary
canoeing, Use of a canoe or kayak for recreation or competition.
Chamberlain’s Men summary
Chamberlain’s Men, or Lord Chamberlain’s Men , English theatrical...
cockfighting summary
cockfighting, Contest in which gamecocks, often fitted with...
cribbage summary
cribbage, Card game, usually for two players, in which each...
cycling summary
cycling, Use of the bicycle in competitive sport or in recreation.
dogsled racing summary
dogsled racing, Sport of racing sleds pulled by dogs over snow-covered...
dominoes summary
dominoes, Game of several variations played with a set of flat...
drag racing summary
drag racing, Form of motor racing in which two contestants race...
judo summary
judo, Martial art that emphasizes the use of quick movement...
lottery summary
lottery, Drawing of lots in which prizes are distributed to...
motorcycle racing summary
motorcycle racing, Sport of running motorcycles on tracks, closed...
skateboarding summary
skateboarding, Form of recreation, popular among youths, in...
ski jumping summary
ski jumping, Skiing event in which contestants ski down a steep...
snowboarding summary
snowboarding, Sport of sliding downhill over snow on a snowboard,...
soaring summary
soaring, or gliding , Sport of flying a glider or sailplane.
weight lifting summary
weight lifting, Sport in which barbells are lifted competitively...
weight training summary
weight training, System of conditioning involving lifting weights,...
western summary
western, Genre of novels and short stories, motion pictures,...
wrestling summary
wrestling, Sport in which two competitors grapple with and strive...
NEC Corp. summary
NEC Corp., Major Japanese computer, electronics, and telecommunications...
billiards summary
billiards, Any of various games played on a cloth-topped, cushion-railed...
stadium summary
stadium, Enclosure that provides a broad space for sports events...
fig summary
fig, Any plant of the genus Ficus, in the mulberry family, especially...
strawberry summary
strawberry, Fruit plant of eight main species of the genus Fragaria...
tea summary
tea, Beverage produced by steeping in freshly boiled water the...
Expressionism summary
Expressionism, In the visual arts, artistic style in which the...
Grammy Awards summary
Grammy Awards, Annual awards given by the Recording Academy...
ballad summary
ballad, Form of short narrative folk song.
CBS Television Network summary
CBS Television Network, Major U.S.
conjuring summary
conjuring, Art of entertaining by giving the illusion of performing...
directing summary
directing, Art of coordinating and controlling all elements...
Romanticism summary
Romanticism, Literary, artistic, and philosophical movement...
park summary
park, Large outdoor area set aside for recreation.
planetarium summary
planetarium, Institution devoted to popular education in astronomy...
automobile racing summary
automobile racing, Sport practiced in a variety of forms on...
biathlon summary
biathlon, Winter sports event combining cross-country skiing...
bobsledding summary
bobsledding, Sport of sliding down a winding ice-covered run...
casino summary
casino, Building or room used for gambling.
checkers summary
checkers, or draughts , Board game for two players, each with...
fencing summary
fencing, Sport involving attack and defense with a light sword,...
fishing summary
fishing, or sport fishing , Sport of catching fish—freshwater...
gambling summary
gambling, Betting or staking of something of value on the outcome...
hunting summary
hunting, Pursuit of game animals, principally as sport.
matador summary
matador, In bullfighting, the principal performer, who works...
Negro leagues summary
Negro leagues, Associations of teams of black baseball players...
oratorio summary
oratorio, Large-scale musical composition on a sacred subject...
rummy summary
rummy, Family of card games.
skiing summary
skiing, Sport and mode of transportation involving moving over...
techno summary
techno, electronic dance music that first appeared in the U.S.
waterskiing summary
waterskiing, Sport of planing and jumping on water skis, broad...
whaling summary
whaling, Hunting of whales for food, oil, or both.
whist summary
whist, Card game.
restaurant summary
restaurant, Establishment where refreshments or meals are served...
soft drink summary
soft drink, Nonalcoholic beverage, usually carbonated, consisting...
spice and herb summary
spice and herb, Dried parts of various plants cultivated for...
ballet summary
ballet, Theatrical dance in which a formal academic technique...
ballroom dance summary
ballroom dance, European and American social dancing performed...
beer summary
beer, Alcoholic beverage made usually from malted barley, flavoured...
bell summary
bell, Hollow vessel, usually of metal, that produces a ringing...
candy summary
candy, Sweet sugar- or chocolate-based confection.
canning summary
canning, Method of preserving food from spoilage by storing...
choreography summary
choreography, Art of creating and arranging dances.
coin collecting summary
coin collecting, Systematic accumulation and study of coins,...
folk dance summary
folk dance, Dance that has developed without a choreographer...
ham summary
ham, Cut of meat consisting of the thigh of a hog, usually preserved...
malt summary
malt, Grain product used in beverages and foods.
modern dance summary
modern dance, Theatrical dance that developed in the U.S.
orange summary
orange, Any of several species of small trees or shrubs in the...
volleyball summary
volleyball, Game played by two teams of six players each, in...
walking summary
walking, In track and field, a form of racing in which the competitor’s...
Warner Bros. Inc. summary
Warner Bros.
gladiator summary
gladiator, (Latin: swordsman) Professional combatant in ancient...