title: Equatorial Guinea

text: The current president of Equatorial Guinea is Teodoro Obiang. The 1982 constitution of Equatorial Guinea gives him extensive powers, including naming and dismissing members of the cabinet, making laws by decree, dissolving the Chamber of Representatives, negotiating and ratifying treaties and serving as commander in chief of the armed forces. Prime Minister Francisco Pascual Obama Asue was appointed by Obiang and operates under powers delegated by the President.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: During the four decades of his rule, Obiang has shown little tolerance for opposition. While the country is nominally a multiparty democracy, its elections have generally been considered a sham. According to Human Rights Watch, the dictatorship of President Obiang used an oil boom to entrench and enrich itself further at the expense of the country's people. Since August 1979 some 12 real and perceived unsuccessful coup attempts have occurred.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: According to a March 2004 BBC profile, politics within the country were dominated by tensions between Obiang's son, Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, and other close relatives with powerful positions in the security forces. The tension may be rooted in a power shift arising from the dramatic increase in oil production which has occurred since 1997.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: In 2004 a plane load of suspected mercenaries was intercepted in Zimbabwe while allegedly on the way to overthrow Obiang. A November 2004 report named Mark Thatcher as a financial backer of the 2004 Equatorial Guinea coup d'état attempt organized by Simon Mann. Various accounts also named the United Kingdom's MI6, the United States' CIA, and Spain as tacit supporters of the coup attempt. Nevertheless, the Amnesty International report released in June 2005


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: on the ensuing trial of those allegedly involved highlighted the prosecution's failure to produce conclusive evidence that a coup attempt had actually taken place. Simon Mann was released from prison on 3 November 2009 for humanitarian reasons.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: Since 2005, Military Professional Resources Inc., a US-based international private military company, has worked in Equatorial Guinea to train police forces in appropriate human rights practices. In 2006, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice hailed Obiang as a "good friend" despite repeated criticism of his human rights and civil liberties record. The US Agency for International Development entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Obiang, in April 2006, to establish a social development Fund in the country, implementing projects in the areas of health, education, women's affairs and the environment.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: In 2006, Obiang signed an anti-torture decree banning all forms of abuse and improper treatment in Equatorial Guinea, and commissioned the renovation and modernization of Black Beach prison in 2007 to ensure the humane treatment of prisoners. However, human rights abuses have continued. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International among other non-governmental organizations have documented severe human rights abuses in prisons, including torture, beatings, unexplained deaths and illegal detention.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: In their most recently publishing findings (2020), Transparency International awarded Equatorial Guinea a total score of 16 on their Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI). CPI ranks countries by their perceived level of public corruption where zero is very corrupt and 100 is extremely clean. Equatorial Guinea was the 174th lowest scoring nation out of a total of 180 countries. Freedom House, a pro-democracy and human rights NGO, described Obiang as one of the world's "most kleptocratic living autocrats", and complained about the US government welcoming his administration and buying oil from it.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: Obiang was re-elected to serve an additional term in 2009 in an election the African Union deemed "in line with electoral law". Obiang re-appointed Prime Minister Ignacio Milam Tang in 2010.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: In November 2011, a new constitution was approved. The vote on the constitution was taken though neither the text or its content was revealed to the public before the vote. Under the new constitution the president was limited to a maximum of two seven-year terms and would be both the head of state and head of the government, therefore eliminating the prime minister. The new constitution also introduced the figure of a vice president and called for the creation of a 70-member senate with 55 senators elected by the people and the 15 remaining designated by the president. Surprisingly, in the following cabinet reshuffle it was announced that there would be two vice-presidents in clear violation of the constitution that was just taking effect.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: In October 2012, during an interview with Christiane Amanpour on CNN, Obiang was asked whether he would step down at the end of the current term (2009–2016) since the new constitution limited the number of terms to two and he has been reelected at least 4 times. Obiang answered he refused to step aside because the new constitution was not retroactive and the two-term limit would only become applicable from 2016.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: The elections on 26 May 2013 combined the senate, lower house and mayoral contests all in a single package. Like all previous elections, this was denounced by the opposition and it too was won by Obiang's PDGE. During the electoral contest, the ruling party hosted internal elections which were later scrapped as none of the president's favorite candidates led the internal lists. Ultimately, the ruling party and the satellites of the ruling coalition decided to run not based on the candidates but based on the party. This created a situation where during the election the ruling party's coalition did not provide the names of their candidates so effectively individuals were not running for office, instead, the party was the one running for office.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: The May 2013 elections were marked by a series of events including the popular protest planned by a group of activists from the MPP (Movement of Popular Protest) which included several social and political groups. The MPP called for a peaceful protest at the Plaza de la Mujer square on 15 May. MPP coordinator Enrique Nsolo Nzo was arrested and official state media portrayed him as planning to destabilize the country and depose the president. However, despite speaking under duress and with clear signs of torture, Nsolo said that they had planned a peaceful protest and had indeed obtained all the legal authorizations required to carry out the peaceful protest. In addition to that, he firmly stated that he was not affiliated with any political party. The Plaza de la Mujer square in Malabo was occupied by the police from 13 May and it has been heavily guarded ever since. The government embarked on a censorship program that affected social sites including Facebook and other websites that were critical to the government of Equatorial Guinea. The censorship was implemented by redirecting online searches to the official government website.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: Shortly after the elections, opposition party CPDS announced that they were going to protest peacefully against the 26 May elections on 25 June. Interior minister Clemente Engonga refused to authorise the protest on the grounds that it could "destabilize" the country and CPDS decided to go forward, claiming constitutional right. On the night of 24 June, the CPDS headquarters in Malabo were surrounded by heavily armed police officers to keep those inside from leaving and thus effectively blocking the protest. Several leading members of CPDS were detained in Malabo and others in Bata were kept from boarding several local flights to Malabo.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: In 2016 Obiang was reelected for an additional seven-year term, in an election which, according to Freedom House, was plagued by police violence, detentions and torture against opposition factions.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: President Obiang's Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea holds 99 of the 100 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and all of those in the Senate. The opposition is almost non-existent in the country and is organized from Spain mainly within the social-democratic Convergence for Social Democracy. Most of the media are under state control; the private television channels, those of the Asonga group, belong to the president's family.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: The Armed Forces of Equatorial Guinea consists of approximately 2,500 service members. The army has almost 1,400 soldiers, the police 400 paramilitary men, the navy 200 service members, and the air force about 120 members. There is also a gendarmerie, but the number of members is unknown. The Gendarmerie is a new branch of the service in which training and education is being supported by the French Military Cooperation in Equatorial Guinea.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: Equatorial Guinea is on the west coast of Central Africa. The country consists of a mainland territory, Río Muni, which is bordered by Cameroon to the north and Gabon to the east and south, and five small islands, Bioko, Corisco, Annobón, Elobey Chico (Small Elobey), and Elobey Grande (Great Elobey). Bioko, the site of the capital, Malabo, lies about off the coast of Cameroon. Annobón Island is about west-south-west of Cape Lopez in Gabon. Corisco and the two Elobey islands are in Corisco Bay, on the border of Río Muni and Gabon.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: Equatorial Guinea lies between latitudes 4°N and 2°S, and longitudes 5° and 12°E. Despite its name, no part of the country's territory lies on the equator—it is in the northern hemisphere, except for the insular Annobón Province, which is about south of the equator.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: Equatorial Guinea has a tropical climate with distinct wet and dry seasons. From June to August, Río Muni is dry and Bioko wet; from December to February, the reverse occurs. In between there is gradual transition. Rain or mist occurs daily on Annobón, where a cloudless day has never been registered. The temperature at Malabo, Bioko, ranges from to , though on the southern Moka Plateau normal high temperatures are only . In Río Muni, the average temperature is about . Annual rainfall varies from at Malabo to at Ureka, Bioko, but Río Muni is somewhat drier.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: Equatorial Guinea spans several ecoregions. Río Muni region lies within the Atlantic Equatorial coastal forests ecoregion except for patches of Central African mangroves on the coast, especially in the Muni River estuary. The Cross-Sanaga-Bioko coastal forests ecoregion covers most of Bioko and the adjacent portions of Cameroon and Nigeria on the African mainland, and the Mount Cameroon and Bioko montane forests ecoregion covers the highlands of Bioko and nearby Mount Cameroon. The São Tomé, Príncipe, and Annobón moist lowland forests ecoregion covers all of Annobón, as well as São Tomé and Príncipe.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: The country had a 2018 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 7.99/10, ranking it 30th globally out of 172 countries.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: Equatorial Guinea is home to gorillas, chimpanzees, various monkeys, leopards, buffalo, antelope, elephants, hippopotamuses, crocodiles, and various snakes, including pythons.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: Equatorial Guinea is divided into eight provinces. The newest province is Djibloho, created in 2017 with its headquarters at Ciudad de la Paz, the country's future capital. The eight provinces are as follows (numbers correspond to those on the map; provincial capitals appear in parentheses):


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: Before independence Equatorial Guinea exported cocoa, coffee and timber, mostly to its colonial ruler, Spain, but also to Germany and the UK. On 1 January 1985, the country became the first non-Francophone African member of the franc zone, adopting the CFA franc as its currency. The national currency, the ekwele, had previously been linked to the Spanish peseta.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: The discovery of large oil reserves in 1996 and its subsequent exploitation contributed to a dramatic increase in government revenue. , Equatorial Guinea is the third-largest oil producer in Sub-Saharan Africa. Its oil production has risen to , up from 220,000 only two years earlier. Oil companies operating in Equatorial Guinea include ExxonMobil, Marathon Oil, Kosmos Energy and Chevron.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: Forestry, farming, and fishing are also major components of GDP. Subsistence farming predominates. The deterioration of the rural economy under successive brutal regimes has diminished any potential for agriculture-led growth. Agriculture is the country's main source of employment, providing income for 57% of rural households and employment for 52% of the workforce.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: In July 2004, the United States Senate published an investigation into Riggs Bank, a Washington-based bank into which most of Equatorial Guinea's oil revenues were paid until recently, and which also banked for Chile's Augusto Pinochet. The Senate report showed at least $35 million siphoned off by Obiang, his family and regime senior officials. The president has denied any wrongdoing. Riggs Bank in February 2005 paid $9 million in restitution for Pinochet's banking, no restitution was made with regard to Equatorial Guinea.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: From 2000 to 2010, Equatorial Guinea had the highest average annual increase in GDP (Gross Domestic Product), 17%.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: Equatorial Guinea is a member of the Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa (OHADA). Equatorial Guinea is also a member of the Central African Monetary and Economic Union (CEMAC), a subregion that comprises more than 50 million people. Equatorial Guinea tried to be validated as an Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI)–compliant country, working toward transparency in reporting of oil revenues and prudent use of natural resource wealth. The country obtained candidate status on 22 February 2008. It was then required to meet a number of obligations to do so, including committing to working with civil society and companies on EITI implementation, appointing a senior individual to lead on EITI implementation, and publishing a fully costed Work Plan with measurable targets, a timetable for implementation and an assessment of capacity constraints. However, when Equatorial Guinea applied to extend the deadline for completing EITI validation, the EITI Board did not agree to the extension.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: According to the World Bank, Equatorial Guinea has the highest GNI (Gross National Income) per capita of any African country, 83 times larger than the GNI per capita of Burundi, the poorest country.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: Yet despite its impressive GNI figure, Equatorial Guinea is plagued by extreme poverty brought about by Wealth Inequality. Its Gini coefficient of 65.0 is the highest in the entire world.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: The economy of Equatorial Guinea was expected to grow about 2.6% in 2021, a projection based on the successful completion of a large gas project and the recovery of the world economy by the second half of the year. But the country is expected to return to recession in 2022, with a real GDP decline of about 4.4%.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: According to the 2016 United Nations Human Development Report, Equatorial Guinea had a gross domestic product per capita of $21,517, one of the highest levels of wealth in Africa. However, it is one of the most unequal countries in the world according to the Gini index, with 70 percent of the population living on one dollar a day. The country ranks 145th out of 189 on the United Nations Human Development Index in 2019.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: Hydrocarbons account for 97% of the state's exports and it is a member of the African Petroleum Producers Organization. in 2020, it faces its eighth year of recession, due in part to endemic corruption.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: Due to the large oil industry in the country, internationally recognized carriers fly to Malabo International Airport which, in May 2014, had several direct connections to Europe and West Africa. There are three airports in Equatorial Guinea—Malabo International Airport, Bata Airport and the new Annobón Airport on the island of Annobón. Malabo International Airport is the only international airport.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: Every airline registered in Equatorial Guinea appears on the list of air carriers prohibited in the European Union (EU) which means that they are banned from operating services of any kind within the EU. However, freight carriers provide service from European cities to the capital.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: The majority of the people of Equatorial Guinea are of Bantu origin. The largest ethnic group, the Fang, is indigenous to the mainland, but substantial migration to Bioko Island since the 20th century means the Fang population exceeds that of the earlier Bubi inhabitants. The Fang constitute 80% of the population and comprise around 67 clans. Those in the northern part of Río Muni speak Fang-Ntumu, while those in the south speak Fang-Okah; the two dialects have differences but are mutually intelligible. Dialects of Fang are also spoken in parts of neighboring Cameroon (Bulu) and Gabon. These dialects, while still intelligible, are more distinct. The Bubi, who constitute 15% of the population, are indigenous to Bioko Island. The traditional demarcation line between Fang and 'Beach' (inland) ethnic groups was the village of Niefang (limit of the Fang), east of Bata.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: Coastal ethnic groups, sometimes referred to as Ndowe or "Playeros" ("Beach People" in Spanish): Combes, Bujebas, Balengues, and Bengas on the mainland and small islands, and Fernandinos, a Krio community on Bioko Island together comprise 5% of the population. Europeans (largely of Spanish or Portuguese descent, some with partial African ancestry) also live in the country, but most ethnic Spaniards left after independence.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: A growing number of foreigners from neighboring Cameroon, Nigeria, and Gabon have immigrated to the country. According to the "Encyclopedia of the Stateless Nations" (2002) 7% of Bioko islanders were Igbo, an ethnic group from southeastern Nigeria. Equatorial Guinea received Asians and native Africans from other countries as workers on cocoa and coffee plantations. Other black Africans came from Liberia, Angola, and Mozambique. Most of the Asian population is Chinese, with small numbers of Indians.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: Equatorial Guinea has also been a destination for fortune-seeking European immigrants from Britain, France and Germany. Israelis and Moroccans also live and work here. Oil extraction since the 1990s has contributed to a doubling of the population in Malabo. After independence, thousands of Equatorial Guineans went to Spain. Another 100,000 Equatorial Guineans went to Cameroon, Gabon, and Nigeria because of the dictatorship of Francisco Macías Nguema. Some Equatorial Guinean communities are also found in Latin America, the United States, Portugal, and France.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: Since its independence in 1968, Equatorial Guinea main official language is Spanish (the local variant is Equatoguinean Spanish), which acts as a lingua franca among its different ethnic groups. In 1970, during Macías' rule, Spanish was replaced by Fang, the language of its majority ethnic group, to which Macías belonged. That decision was reverted in 1979 after Macías' fall. Spanish remained as its lone official language until 1998, when French was added as its second one, as it had previously joined the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC), whose founding members are French-speaking nations, two of them (Cameroon and Gabon) surrounding its continental region. Portuguese was adopted as its third official language in 2010. Spanish has been an official language since 1844. It is still the language of education and administration. 67.6% of Equatorial Guineans can speak it, especially those living in the capital, Malabo. French was only made official in order to join the Francophonie and it is not locally spoken, except in some border towns.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: Aboriginal languages are recognised as integral parts of the "national culture" (Constitutional Law No. 1/1998 21 January). Indigenous languages (some of them creoles) include Fang, Bube, Benga, Ndowe, Balengue, Bujeba, Bissio, Gumu, Igbo, Pichinglis, Fa d'Ambô and the nearly extinct Baseke. Most African ethnic groups speak Bantu languages.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: Fa d'Ambô, a Portuguese creole, has vigorous use in Annobón Province, in Malabo (the capital), and among some speakers in Equatorial Guinea's mainland. Many residents of Bioko can also speak Spanish, particularly in the capital, and the local trade language Pichinglis, an English-based creole. Spanish is not spoken much in Annobón. In government and education Spanish is used. Noncreolized Portuguese is used as liturgical language by local Catholics. The Annobonese ethnic community tried to gain membership in the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP). The government financed an Instituto Internacional da Língua Portuguesa (IILP) sociolinguistic study in Annobón. It documented strong links with the Portuguese creole populations in São Tomé and Príncipe, Cape Verde and Guinea-Bissau.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: Due to historical and cultural ties, in 2010 the legislature amended article four of the Constitution of Equatorial Guinea, to establish Portuguese as an official language of the Republic. This was an effort by the government to improve its communications, trade, and bilateral relations with Portuguese-speaking countries. It also recognises long historical ties with Portugal, and with Portuguese-speaking peoples of Brazil, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Cape Verde.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: Some of the motivations for Equatorial Guinea's pursuit of membership in the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) included access to several professional and academic exchange programmes and facilitated cross-border circulation of citizens. The adoption of Portuguese as an official language was the primary requirement to apply for CPLP acceptance. In addition, the country was told it must adopt political reforms allowing effective democracy and respect for human rights. The national parliament discussed this law in October 2011.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: In February 2012, Equatorial Guinea's foreign minister signed an agreement with the IILP on the promotion of Portuguese in the country.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: In July 2012, the CPLP refused Equatorial Guinea full membership, primarily because of its continued serious violations of human rights. The government responded by legalising political parties, declaring a moratorium on the death penalty, and starting a dialog with all political factions. Additionally, the IILP secured land from the government for the construction of Portuguese language cultural centres in Bata and Malabo. At its tenth summit in Dili in July 2014, Equatorial Guinea was admitted as a CPLP member. Abolition of the death penalty and the promotion of Portuguese as an official language were preconditions of the approval.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: The principal religion in Equatorial Guinea is Christianity, the faith of 93% of the population. Roman Catholics make up the majority (88%), while a minority are Protestants (5%). 2% of the population follows Islam (mainly Sunni). The remaining 5% practise Animism, Baháʼí, and other beliefs.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: Equatorial Guinea's innovative malaria programs in the early 21st century achieved success in reducing malaria infection, disease, and mortality. Their program consists of twice-yearly indoor residual spraying (IRS), the introduction of artemisinin combination treatment (ACTs), the use of intermittent preventive treatment in pregnant women (IPTp), and the introduction of very high coverage with long-lasting insecticide-treated mosquito nets (LLINs). Their efforts resulted in a reduction in all-cause under-five mortality from 152 to 55 deaths per 1,000 live births (down 64%), a sharp drop that coincided with the launch of the program.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: Among sub-Saharan African countries, Equatorial Guinea has one of the highest literacy rates. According to The World Factbook - Central Intelligence Agency as of 2015, 95.3% of the population age 15 and over can read and write in Equatorial Guinea were respectively literate. Under Francisco Macias, education was neglected, and few children received any type of education. Under President Obiang, the illiteracy rate dropped from 73% to 13%, and the number of primary school students rose from 65,000 in 1986 to more than 100,000 in 1994. Education is free and compulsory for children between the ages of 6 and 14.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: The Equatorial Guinea government has partnered with Hess Corporation and The Academy for Educational Development (AED) to establish a $20 million education program for primary school teachers to teach modern child development techniques. There are now 51 model schools whose active pedagogy will be a national reform.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: In recent years, with change in the economic and political climate and government social agendas, several cultural dispersion and literacy organizations have been founded, chiefly with the financial support of the Spanish government. The country has one university, the Universidad Nacional de Guinea Ecuatorial (UNGE), with a campus in Malabo and a Faculty of Medicine located in Bata on the mainland. In 2009 the university produced the first 110 national doctors. The Bata Medical School is supported principally by the government of Cuba and staffed by Cuban medical educators and physicians.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: In June 1984, the First Hispanic-African Cultural Congress was convened to explore the cultural identity of Equatorial Guinea. The congress constituted the center of integration and the marriage of the Hispanic culture with African cultures.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: Equatorial Guinea currently has no UNESCO World Heritage Site or tentative sites for the World Heritage List. The country also has no documented heritage listed in the Memory of the World Programme of UNESCO nor any intangible cultural heritage listed in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: Tourist attractions are the colonial quarter in Malabo, the southern part of the island Bioko where you can hike to the Iladyi cascades and to remote beaches to watch nesting turtles, Bata with its shoreline Paseo Maritimo and the tower of liberty, Mongomo with its basilica (the second largest Catholic church in Africa) and the new planned and built capital Ciudad de la Paz.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: The principal means of communication within Equatorial Guinea are 3 state-operated FM radio stations. BBC World Service, Radio France Internationale and Gabon-based Africa No 1 broadcast on FM in Malabo. There is also an independent radio option called Radio Macuto, the voice of the voiceless. Radio Macuto is a web-based radio and news source known for publishing news that call out Obiang's regime and call for the mobilisation of the ecuatoguinean community to exercise freedom of speech and engage in politics. There are also five shortwave radio stations. Television Nacional, the television network, is state operated. The international TV programme RTVGE is available via satellites in Africa, Europa, and the Americas and worldwide via Internet. There are two newspapers and two magazines.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: Equatorial Guinea ranks at position 161 out of 179 countries in the 2012 Reporters Without Borders press freedom index. The watchdog says the national broadcaster obeys the orders of the information ministry. Most of the media companies practice self-censorship, and are banned by law from criticising public figures. The state-owned media and the main private radio station are under the directorship of the president's son, Teodor Obiang.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: Landline telephone penetration is low, with only two lines available for every 100 persons. There is one GSM mobile telephone operator, with coverage of Malabo, Bata, and several mainland cities. , approximately 40% of the population subscribed to mobile telephone services. The only telephone provider in Equatorial Guinea is Orange.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: There is little popular music coming out of Equatorial Guinea. Pan-African styles like soukous and makossa are popular, as are reggae and rock and roll. Acoustic guitar bands based on a Spanish model are the country's best-known indigenous popular tradition.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: In 2014 the South African-Dutch-Equatorial Guinean drama film "Where the Road Runs Out" was shot in the country. There is also the documentary "The Writer From a Country Without Bookstores", that has still to be internationally premiered. It focuses on one of Equatorial Guinea's most translated writers Juan Tomás Ávila Laurel. It is the first feature film openly critical of Obiang's regime.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: Equatorial Guinea was chosen to co-host the 2012 African Cup of Nations in partnership with Gabon, and hosted the 2015 edition. The country was also chosen to host the 2008 Women's African Football Championship, which they won. The women's national team qualified for the 2011 World Cup in Germany.


title: Equatorial Guinea

text: Equatorial Guinea is famous for the swimmers Eric Moussambani, nicknamed "Eric the Eel", and Paula Barila Bolopa, "Paula the Crawler", who attended the 2000 Summer Olympics.


title: America Chavez

text: America Chavez is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Joe Casey and Nick Dragotta, Chavez was the second character to use the moniker Miss America, after Madeline Joyce. Chavez first appeared in "Vengeance" #1 (September 2011) before joining the Young Avengers and later starring in her own ongoing series, "America", in March 2017 by writer Gabby Rivera.


title: America Chavez

text: America Chavez has been described as one of Marvel's most notable and powerful female heroes, being labelled as the publisher's first Latin-American LGBTQ+ character to star in a comic book series as the eponymous character.


title: America Chavez

text: The character made her live-action debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" (2022), portrayed by Xochitl Gomez.


title: America Chavez

text: America Chavez first appeared in the 2011 limited series "Vengeance" by Joe Casey and Nick Dragotta. Chavez later appears in the 2013 "Young Avengers" series by Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie and in the 2015 series "A-Force" by G. Willow Wilson, Marguerite Bennett and Jorge Molina. Beginning in October 2015, Chavez has appeared in "Ultimates" by Al Ewing and Kenneth Rocafort as part of the All-New, All-Different Marvel initiative. At the 2016 New York Comic Con, Marvel announced that Chavez would receive her first solo series—simply titled "America", with various critics praising the creation of a comic book series with Chavez as the titular character. That series, written by Latin-American novelist Gabby Rivera, launched in March 2017 and was canceled in April 2018. In August 2018, Chavez joined the West Coast Avengers in a series by writer Kelly Thompson and artist Stefano Caselli.


title: America Chavez

text: America Chavez believed she was raised by her mothers in the Utopian Parallel, a reality that is out of time and in the presence of the being known as the Demiurge, whose presence she credited with imbuing her with superpowers. In her memory, when Chavez was approximately six years old, the Utopian Parallel was threatened by destruction. Chavez's mothers sacrificed themselves to seal the black holes, resulting in their particles being scattered across the Multiverse itself. Wanting to prove herself as a hero and knowing Utopia didn't require salvation, Chavez ran away from her home and her responsibilities. She traveled across different realities, eventually adopted the moniker of Miss America, and began covertly acting as a superhero.


title: America Chavez

text: Chavez eventually joined the Teen Brigade and served as co-leader with Ultimate Nullifier. With the Teen Brigade, she freed the In-Betweener from the government confinement center, "Groom Lake Adjacent" in Nevada. With information from the In-Betweener, The Teen Brigade set out to prevent the Young Masters Evil from disrupting a delicate balance between chaos and order. To stop the Young Masters from recruiting Kid Loki, Chavez broke into the Metropolitan Museum of Art, but Loki used the Screaming Idol to send her to the Sixth Dimension. There she fought Tiboro, and was later rescued by the Last Defenders, She-Hulk, and Daimon Hellstrom, under the direction of the In-Betweener. She rejoined her teammates in Latveria where they fought the Braak'nhüd, Young Masters and Doctor Doom. The battle was ended when Ultimate Nullifier shot the In-Betweener. While the smoke cleared, the Teen Brigade covertly departed. Chavez would later part ways with the Teen Brigade due to "musical differences".


title: America Chavez

text: After leaving the Teen Brigade, Chavez eventually traveled to Earth-212 and was later approached by the teenage trickster Loki. He pretends to try to persuade Chavez into killing Wiccan for the good of the Multiverse. Disgusted with the proposition, Chavez fights with Loki and decides to protect Wiccan. On Earth-616, Chavez stopped Loki from magically attacking Wiccan in his home. Hulkling intervened, but America and Loki quickly fled with little explanation. Chavez later rescued Hulkling, Wiccan, and Loki from the Mother, an inter-dimensional parasite awoken by one of Loki's spells. They all escape aboard Marvel Boy's ship, and aided them in the final face-off with Mother's forces in Central Park. Later, in "Young Avengers" #15, she reveals offhandedly to the team that she is not interested in men, and writes off her one-time kiss with the male teen superhero Ultimate Nullifier as experimentation. She later begins dating Lisa, an EMT, and dances with her to "close a hole in the universe." She also had a crush on Lady Katherine of Bishop, an alternate version of Kate Bishop, and they have a close relationship.


title: America Chavez

text: During the 2015 "Secret Wars" storyline, Chavez appears as a member of the A-Force, an all-female team of Avengers. Her fans formed a gang called La Chiquitas and changed their hair to Chavez symbols, including fan Sydney Walker. When the island nation of Arcadia is attacked by a megalodon, Chavez throws the shark across the Shield, the wall that separates Arcadia's borders, thus breaking the laws of King Doom. She is subsequently arrested and sentenced to spend the rest of her life protecting the Shield.


title: America Chavez

text: After the events of "Secret Wars", Chavez joined the newly formed Ultimates team after being invited by Blue Marvel. Chavez also attends Sotomayor University as a student, where she also shares a class with former Young Avenger teammate Prodigy.


title: America Chavez

text: In the series "America Chavez: Made in the USA", what Chavez knew about her background was called into question. Her previously unknown sister, Catalina, forced her to remember that her mothers were not aliens, but human doctors Amalia and Elena Chavez. The doctors took their daughters to a private island called the Utopian Parallel to attempt to cure the disease Edges Syndrome, but discovered their benefactor had evil plans for all the girls brought there. Chavez gained her superpowers across experiments conducted on her as a child, when she was exposed to extra-dimensional energies. The doctors sacrificed themselves to free America and Catalina, but only America escaped. Catalina suggests that America made up the alien universe story as a coping mechanism.


title: America Chavez

text: America Chavez possesses superhuman physical abilities, such as superhuman strength, speed, and durability, and has the power of flight. Her invulnerability allows her to be bullet-proof and flame retardant. Chavez also has the power to kick open star-shaped holes in reality, allowing her and her teammates to travel through the multiverse and into other realities. Chavez is also able to use her powers to travel through time. She can move at superhuman speeds, since she is able to catch up to and nearly exceed the speed of light as observed by Spectrum in her light form. Chavez has developed the ability to make an enemy burst into tiny star fragments with a punch. In moments of extreme duress, she has been shown to project a large star that releases a powerful energy blast, capable of injuring the likes of Captain Marvel. She has the power of "cosmic awareness" that allows her to have a metaphysical insight in space and time. America Chavez does not age at a normal rate due to her increased lifespan. She is also a trained hand-to-hand combatant thanks to her powers and experience in street fighting.


title: America Chavez

text: Michele Kirichanskaya of "ComicsVerse" referred to America Chavez as "one of Marvel's most high-profile LGBTQIA+ heroes," writing, "From the very beginning, America’s story is infused with normalization of the LGBTQIA+ community, from being raised by two mothers, to her own identity as a lesbian. When it comes to LGBTQIA+ characters in fiction, their storylines often follow the same “coming out” narrative; they focus on the major angst of accepting their orientation and society’s hostile reactions to it. While these storylines are important, especially to readers who are personally dealing with those situations, sometimes we simply want the same fun and dynamic adventures that straight characters automatically get. We want stories filled with laughter and romance and badassery, like America’s." Carlos Gomez of "Daily Trojan" asserted, "America’s character is fascinating because she is relatively new, making her first comic-book appearance in 2011 and growing in popularity since. Part of this has to do with her being an LGBTQ+ woman of color, an often underrepresented demographic. Past that, however, Chavez is a unique and compelling character. Despite being a badass in every sense of the word, she struggles to deal with severe childhood trauma. The stories Marvel could tell with her are countless, and, hopefully, they are already setting up for that." Catrina Dennis of "Remezcla" found that Gabby Rivera succeeded to represent the Latinx community across Chavez and praised the character, stating, "America’s journey is likely far from over; she has already proven herself a formidable ally in team-ups, and thanks to her unique power over time and space, she can seamlessly appear in almost any storyline. Nevertheless, we will miss her comic series – not only because it was one of the few Big 2 titles with a Latin woman lead (who also happened to be LGBTQ+) but because the point of view that America holds is one of that’s particularly unique within the endless pages of Marvel comics. The series let fans in on how that affected the seemingly unmovable heroine, humanizing her beyond the gruff exterior that effectively makes her far too cool for any team she happens to join." Nivea Serrao of "Entertainment Weekly" called America Chavez a "fan favorite" following her appearance in "Young Avengers".


title: America Chavez

text: Jason Wiese of "Cinema Blend" described America Chavez as a "teenage Latina and LGBTQ+ icon," asserting, "In only so much time since her debut, America Chavez is known as one of the more important newer Marvel characters in Marvel Comics for her cultural representation. Despite extra-dimensional origins, when she first came to Earth-616, she was taken in by a Puerto Rican family who informed her ethnic identity. Yet, she represents more than just race." Kelly Knox of "IGN" referred to America Chavez as "headstrong, tough, and fiercely independent," and called her a "team player and natural leader," writing, "She is power, she is grace, she will kick you in… to another dimension! America Chavez is a no-nonsense heavy-hitter that you definitely want on your side." Gavia Baker-Whitelaw of "The Daily Dot" stated America Chavez gained a "cult following" after her reappearance in "New Avengers"," asserting, "She’s a super-strong badass with the ability to fly and travel to other dimensions—not to mention she has one of the most cosplay-able costumes in the Marvel universe. She’s also bisexual, making her the first LGBTQ Latin superhero to get her own solo comic, the excellent 2017 series "America"." Nicole Chavez of "CNN" wrote, "Punch-throwing across dimensions wasn’t enough for her. America Chavez is shattering barriers in the comics universe and beyond. She is the first lesbian Latina superhero with her own Marvel Comics series. [...] She isn't the typical heroine, and she isn't the Latina you usually see on screen." Abraham Riesman of "Vulture" said, "For all too long, the geek world was denied something it deserved — nay, needed: a comics series starring America Chavez. The character, introduced in 2011, is one of a kind: an ornery, queer Latina from another universe who can punch through dimensions. She gained a rabid following after co-starring in the incredible early-2010s "Young Avengers" title, but her owners at Marvel Comics only recently wised up and gave her her own, the simply titled "America"."


title: America Chavez

text: Dana Forsythe of "Paste" described America Chavez as a "popular hero," asserting, "America Chavez is a relatively new character, first created by Joe Casey and Nick Dragotta in the pages of Marvel’s 2011 series Vengeance. (For comparison, Doctor Strange and his apprentice Wong debuted in the pages of Strange Tales #110 all the way back in 1951.) But that hasn’t stopped her from rapidly becoming a fan favorite within the broader Marvel Comics universe." Matthew Aguilar of "Comicbook.com" referred to America Chavez as a "fan favorite," writing, "Marvel has introduced several amazing characters over the years, and one of the more recent examples is America Chavez." Timothy Donohoo of "CBR.com" said, "America has been a part of predominantly critically well-received books, including the aforementioned "Young Avengers" and appearances in Kate Bishop's "Hawkeye" title. While she has had loud detractors, it bears repeating that she also rapidly amassed a relatively large and vocal fanbase. Her woes, in part, can be attributed to increased profile coinciding with a time when comics fans have increasingly dug in about "politics" in comics and a particular contingent reacting with venom to what they insist is "forced diversity." As a character, America's usually shown as a somewhat stony individual, being more observant than obnoxious and talkative. These qualities made her a strong figure within the Young Avengers, standing alongside the similarly star-spangled Patriot. Working alongside older heroes like Carol Danvers in the book "The Ultimates", her admiration and respect for them was ironically seen as a legacy character done right. Her costume, much like Kamala Khan's, is also a great blend of stylish and superheroic, perfect for a modern multiversal Marvel heroine." May Rude of "Out" asserted, "Chavez rose to popularity as a part of the Young Avengers team of teen superheroes, before later starring in her own comic series by Gabby Rivera. She’s long been a fan favorite, especially among queer people and Latin fans."


title: America Chavez

text: Brian Truitt of "USA Today" stated America Chavez is one of the characters "who deserve their own movie," saying, "this Latin-American teen lesbian superheroine could be a more groundbreaking choice. She’s bulletproof and super-strong, isn’t big on old-school good guys, and takes no guff. "Miss America" just sounds like a great movie title — or maybe she takes over the star-spangled shield if Marvel needs a new Captain America one day." Zack Krajnyak of "Screen Rant" referred to the potential inclusion of Chavez in the MCU as "incredibly significant," stating that the addition of Miss America a "significant milestone" due to Chavez being a Latin-American LGBTQ character, and stated, "Many have hoped that America Chavez will play a large part in the MCU's future - and with the rumored inclusion of fellow Young Avengers Wiccan in "WandaVision" and Kate Bishop in "Hawkeye", using the character as deep connective tissue seems increasingly likely. Should she truly make her entrance in "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness", much will be resting on America Chavez's shoulders. But if she is anything like her on-page counterpart, this multiverse-traversing powerhouse will light up the screen and then some." Sarah Brown of "Collider" called America Chavez one of the superheroes "that need to join the MCU," writing, "America Chavez is a popular member of the Young Avengers roster and her superhero alter-ego Miss America can currently be seen fighting baddies with her superhuman strength and speed alongside Squirrel Girl, Quake, Patriot, and others in the Marvel Rising animated series. With the speculation that Katherine Langford unnamed character in "Avengers: Endgame" will turn out to be Kate Bishop, we suspect that the rest of her Young Avenger teammates won’t be far behind. Her ability to travel between realities means there could be any number of ways for Miss America to found her way to the MCU." Michele Kirichanskaya of "The Mary Sue" stated America Chavez should be one of the characters the MCU should introduce, saying, "As Marvel’s first queer Latin superhero to star in her own series, America Chavez symbolizes long-needed representation for various members of the comic book-loving community. An out and proud Latina lesbian superhero, America Chavez has received an outstanding amount of love and support for her character, including acclaimed author Gabby Rivera, who was Marvel’s first Latin LGBTQ+ author, as well the writer for America Chavez’s comics book series, America."


title: America Chavez

text: According to Diamond Comic Distributors, "America" #1 was the 37th best selling comic book in March 2017. "America" #1 was the 343rd best selling comic book in 2017.


title: America Chavez

text: Kat Vendetti of "ComicsVerse" gave "America" #1 a score of 95%, asserting, ""America" #1 is full of heart from start to finish. This creative team gives us an America Chavez who is multitudinous and recognizable, and her debut issue is a lively and promising start. This is the comic we’ve all been waiting for. "America" #1 lives up to all it promised: an unapologetically queer Latina superhero punching a star-shaped hole into a universe where she shines like the star she has always been. Matthew Aguilar of "Comicbook.com" gave "America" #1 a grade of 4 out of 5 stars, asserting, "At last! Everyone's favorite no-nonsense powerhouse, America Chavez, gets her own series! Written by critically-acclaimed YA novelist Gabby Rivera (Juliet Takes A Breath) and drawn by all-star artist Joe Quinones (Howard the Duck), Marvel Comics' brand new "America" series shines a solo spotlight on the high-octane and hard-hitting adventures of the one and only America Chavez! America has always been uncontestably awesome, and as the newly appointed leader of the Ultimates, she's now officially claimed her place as the preeminent butt-kicker of the Marvel Universe! But while leading a team of heroes and punching out big bads is great and all, it doesn't really leave much time for self-discovery… So what's a super-powered teenager do when she's looking for a little fulfillment? She goes to college!" Jesse Schedeen of "IGN" gave the first comic book 8.5 out of 10, saying, "If there were any doubts that Miss America truly needed her own comic, "America" #1 should put them to rest. This new series features an engaging take on the adventurous America Chavez, one that emphasizes goofy humor and grounded character drama over superheroics. Anyone who enjoys "The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl" or "Hawkeye" will feel right at home here."


title: America Chavez

text: According to data combined from all direct market distributors, "America Chavez: Made in the USA" #1 was the 88th best selling comic book in March 2021. According to Diamond Comic Distributors, "America Chavez: Made in the USA" #1 was the 450th best selling comic book in 2021.


title: America Chavez

text: Joe Grunenwald of "Comics Beat" stated, "As far as debuts go, "America Chavez: Made in the USA" #1 is damn near flawless. A strong script from an up-and-coming talent combine with strong line art and colors (and, of course, the always-solid work of letterer Travis Lanham) for an incredibly satisfying and enjoyable reading experience. If the remaining issues of this five-issue miniseries can keep up this level of quality we may be looking at an early contender for one of the best Big 2 books of the year." Robert Reed of "Newsarama" wrote, "The draw to "America Chavez: Made in the USA" is the character herself, and her past, which hasn't always been rendered with real detail. The team of Vasquez, Gómez, Aburtov, and Lanham creates an intimate look at America's first night with her found family, and sets the foundation for what should be an emotional rollercoaster of a limited series." Sam Stone of "CBR.com" called "America Chavez: Made in the USA" #1 a "solid opening issue," saying, "Presented, more or less, as a fresh jumping-on point for readers that may not be all that familiar with America Chavez, the opening issue to the character's new comic book miniseries balances action and introspection with a story that examines the superhero's past as it forges her future. Vasquez's scripting especially excels when it delves into her protagonist's psyche, with the present-day sequences more effective than the flashback's retread of her origins. Vasquez finds an effective creative partner in Gomez, bringing the power and responsibility close to home, with the young hero's fight only poised to become more personal as the miniseries continues."


title: America Chavez

text: In a possible future depicted in the second volume of the "Hawkeye" series, an adult America Chavez is a member of S.H.I.E.L.D., and has taken on the mantle of Captain America.


title: Patrick Dempsey

text: Patrick Galen Dempsey (born January 13, 1966) is an American actor and race car driver. He is best known for his role as neurosurgeon Derek "McDreamy" Shepherd in "Grey's Anatomy". He had early success as an actor, starring in a number of films in the 1980s, including "Can't Buy Me Love" (1987) and "Loverboy" (1989).


title: Patrick Dempsey

text: In the 1990s, he mostly appeared in smaller roles in film, such as "Outbreak" (1995) and television. Dempsey was also in "Scream 3" (2000) where he played the role of Detective Mark Kincaid.


title: Patrick Dempsey

text: He was successful in landing a lead role in "Sweet Home Alabama" (2002), a surprise box office hit. He has since starred in other films, including "Brother Bear 2" (2006), "Enchanted" (2007), "Made of Honor" (2008), "Valentine's Day" (2010), "Flypaper" (2011), "Freedom Writers" (2007), "" (2011), and "Bridget Jones's Baby" (2016).


title: Patrick Dempsey

text: Dempsey, who maintains a sports car and vintage car collection, also enjoys auto racing in his spare time. He has competed in pro-am events such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Rolex 24 at Daytona sports car race, and Ensenada SCORE Baja 1000 off-road race. Prior to the 2013 24 Hours of Le Mans, Dempsey declared that he would "walk away" from acting if he could and dedicate himself full-time to motorsports.


title: Patrick Dempsey

text: Dempsey was born in Lewiston, Maine, and grew up in the nearby towns of Turner and Buckfield. He has two older sisters and a half-brother, Shane Wray. His mother, Amanda (née Casson), was a school secretary, and his father, William, was an insurance salesman.


title: Patrick Dempsey

text: He attended Buckfield High School and St. Dominic Regional High School, and after moving to Houston attended Willowridge High School.


title: Patrick Dempsey

text: In his youth, Dempsey participated in juggling competitions. In 1981, he achieved second place at the International Jugglers' Association Championship in the Juniors category, just behind Anthony Gatto, who is considered to be the best technical juggler of all time.


title: Patrick Dempsey

text: Dempsey was diagnosed with dyslexia at age 12. He told Barbara Walters on her 2008 Oscar special that he thinks dyslexia made him what he is today. "It's given me a perspective of — you have to keep working," Dempsey told Walters. "I have never given up."


title: Patrick Dempsey

text: An invitation to audition for a role in the stage production of "Torch Song Trilogy" led to Patrick Dempsey's discovery as an actor. His audition was successful and he spent the following four months touring with the company in Philadelphia. He followed this with another tour, "Brighton Beach Memoirs", in the lead role, which was directed by Gene Saks. Dempsey has also made notable appearances in the stage productions of "On Golden Pond", with the Maine Acting Company, and as Timmy (the Martin Sheen role) in a 1990 off-Broadway revival of "The Subject Was Roses" co-starring with John Mahoney and Dana Ivey at the Roundabout Theatre in New York.


title: Patrick Dempsey

text: Dempsey's first major feature film role was at age 21 with Beverly D'Angelo in the film "In The Mood", the actual World War II story about Ellsworth Wisecarver whose relationships with older married women created a national uproar. He then co-starred in the third installment of the comedy classic "", alongside Sally Kellerman in 1987. This was followed by the teen comedy "Can't Buy Me Love" in 1987 with actress Amanda Peterson and "Some Girls" with Jennifer Connelly in 1988. In 1989, Dempsey had the lead role in the films "Loverboy" with actress Kirstie Alley and "Happy Together" with actress Helen Slater.


title: Patrick Dempsey

text: Dempsey made several featured appearances in television in the 1990s; he was cast several times in pilots that were not picked up for a full season, including lead roles in the TV versions of the films "The Player" and "About A Boy". He received positive reviews, however, as he portrayed real-life mob boss, Meyer Lansky in 1991 when "Mobsters" was put on the screen. His first major television role was a three-episode stint as Will Truman's closeted sportscaster boyfriend on "Will & Grace". He appeared in four episodes of "Once & Again" as Aaron Brooks, the schizophrenic brother of Lily (Sela Ward). Dempsey received an Emmy nomination in 2001 as Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for the role of Aaron. In 1993, he played a young John F. Kennedy in the two-part TV mini-series "". In 2000, he played Detective Kincaid in "Scream 3".


title: Patrick Dempsey

text: Dempsey had a high-profile role as the fiancé of Reese Witherspoon's character in "Sweet Home Alabama" (2002). In 2004, he co-starred in the highly acclaimed HBO production "Iron Jawed Angels", opposite Hilary Swank and Anjelica Huston. He also appeared as special guest star in "The Practice" for its three-episode finale season (8x13-8x15).


title: Patrick Dempsey

text: In 2007, Dempsey starred in the Disney film "Enchanted", and the Paramount Pictures film "Freedom Writers", where he reunited with his "Iron Jawed Angels" co-star Hilary Swank. He also voiced the character Kenai in "Brother Bear" sequel "Brother Bear 2", replacing Joaquin Phoenix. Dempsey's most recent roles include the 2008 film "Made of Honor" as Tom, and the 2010 romantic comedy "Valentine's Day"; the latter film follows five interconnecting stories about Los Angelinos anticipating (or in some cases dreading) the holiday of love.


title: Patrick Dempsey

text: Universal Pictures acquired the rights to the prize-winning novel "The Art of Racing in the Rain" in July 2009, for Dempsey to star in. The film instead starred Milo Ventimiglia. He starred as Dylan Gould in "" (2011).


title: Patrick Dempsey

text: Dempsey has received significant public attention for his role as Dr. Derek "McDreamy" Shepherd in the medical drama "Grey's Anatomy" opposite Ellen Pompeo. Before landing the role, Dempsey auditioned for the role of Dr. Chase on another medical show, "House". He also appeared in two episodes of the later "Grey""'s" spinoff "Private Practice", playing the same character of Dr. Shepherd. The relationship his character had with Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) on screen has received a lot of praise and positive reactions.


title: Patrick Dempsey

text: In January 2014, he signed a two-year contract to remain on "Grey's Anatomy", then in its tenth season, that would ensure his participation for potential 11th and 12th seasons.


title: Patrick Dempsey

text: Dempsey was nominated for Best Actor – Television Series Drama at the 2006 Golden Globe Awards for the role. His success on the show has led to his becoming a spokesman for Mazda and State Farm Insurance. BuddyTV ranked him #1 on its list of "TV's Sexiest Men of 2011."


title: Patrick Dempsey

text: In November 2020, Dempsey appeared as Derek Shepherd at the start of the series' 17th season for the first time since the character had died in April 2015.


title: Patrick Dempsey

text: Following his departure from "Grey's Anatomy", Dempsey was working on two small-screen projects: a drama "The Limit" for SundanceTV and a travelogue spy thriller called "Fodors". He said:


title: Patrick Dempsey

text: In 2016, Dempsey starred in the Universal Pictures film "Bridget Jones's Baby" with Renée Zellweger and Colin Firth, and in 2018 he appeared on Epix television miniseries "The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair".


title: Patrick Dempsey

text: On February 4, 2020, Dempsey signed on to star as the lead of a CBS political drama pilot "Ways & Means", where he would portray a Congressional leader. Initially planned to be considered for the 2020-21 televisions season, the pilot was rolled into consideration for the following season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. CBS ultimately passed on the finished pilot in May 2021. In January 2021, it was announced that Dempsey would reprise his role in the "Enchanted" sequel, "Disenchanted", which began production in spring of that year. The film was released on Disney+ in late 2022.


title: Patrick Dempsey

text: In 2014, Dempsey told Reuters in the Hockenheimring support paddock at the German Grand Prix that motor racing was not just a hobby, and had become as much a part of who he is as acting. He said, "It's all-consuming in many ways. I couldn't imagine not racing right now. It really keeps me motivated. It's all I think about on a daily basis."


title: Patrick Dempsey

text: Dempsey, who maintains an extensive sports and vintage car collection, has enjoyed auto racing in his spare time for several years. Before the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2013, he said that he would like to compete full-time, telling Eurosport:


title: Patrick Dempsey

text: I would like to make that [motorsports] a complete priority and just focus on this full-time. If I could just walk away from acting, I think I could do that very easily, and just focus on the driving, I would love that more than anything else.


title: Patrick Dempsey

text: He has competed in prestigious pro-am events such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Rolex 24 at Daytona sports car race, and Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 off-road race. He was a co-owner of the Vision Racing IndyCar Series team and current owner of Dempsey Racing, which is presently racing two Porsche 911 GT America's in the Tudor United Sports Car Series. He participated in this series as often as his schedule allowed, although insurance restrictions kept him from driving competitively while also filming a motion picture. In 2009, he raced a Team Seattle Advanced Engineering Ferrari F430 GT in the 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans's GT2 class and finished ninth in class.


title: Patrick Dempsey

text: Dempsey announced he would race the 2011 Rolex 24 at Daytona along with other races throughout the season in a Mazda RX-8.


title: Patrick Dempsey

text: Dempsey finished in third place in the GT Class of the Rolex 24 at Daytona. In 2012, Dempsey competed in the Grand-Am Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge behind the wheel of an Aston Martin Racing-Multimatic Motorsports Aston Martin Vantage GT4, which, after five successful racing seasons in Europe, was to make its debut on American tracks. He formed the Dempsey Racing team to compete in the American Le Mans Series. The team fielded a full-time Oreca FLM09 in the Prototype Challenge class as well as a Lola B12/80 coupe in the Prototype 2 class from Laguna Seca onward.


title: Patrick Dempsey

text: After debuting at the 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans, Dempsey returned to France four years later and competed in a Porsche 997 GT3 RSR at the 2013 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race. Dempsey and his co-drivers finished 29th overall and fourth in-class.


title: Patrick Dempsey

text: In 2015, Dempsey focused on participating in the FIA World Endurance Championship with his own Dempsey Racing-Proton team in the GTE-Am class in a Porsche 997 GT3 RSR, teamed with Patrick Long and Marco Seefried. He told Porsche Newsroom: "Not much changes in my TV work, but everything changes constantly in motor racing – every lap, every bend and every moment."


title: Patrick Dempsey

text: He has been the face of L'Oreal and Versace and was featured in ads for Serengeti sunglasses. In November 2008, he launched an Avon fragrance named Unscripted. In June 2009, Women's Wear Daily reported the launch of a second Avon fragrance named Patrick Dempsey 2. The fragrance was recognized as the "Men's Private Label/Direct Sell" for the 2010 FiFi Awards. On September 29, 2012, Mexican cable company Cablemás, Megacable and Mexico city's Cablevisión launched an advertising campaign featuring Dempsey as the love interest of a domestic worker who comes across his profile on an online dating site.


title: Patrick Dempsey

text: Starting in 2013, Patrick Dempsey became the face of Silhouette, promoting eyewear fashion from Austria. From January 2017 Dempsey appears for Vodafone Italy and he appears in some Italian spots about it. In 2018, Bleusalt, a Malibu-based fashion brand launched a clothing line designed by the actor.


title: Patrick Dempsey

text: In January 2013, Dempsey announced that his company (Global Baristas) had secured the winning bid to purchase Seattle-based Tully's Coffee, which had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in October. Dempsey's bid of $9.15M was enough to secure Tully's over the bids of six others, including Starbucks. Dempsey's company will control 47 Tully's locations in the Seattle area, but not the online business, which had been purchased by Green Mountain Coffee Roasters in 2009.


title: Patrick Dempsey

text: Following a legal dispute with investor group Global Baristas, Dempsey left the group, in effect officially leaving his managerial positions with Tully's. Dempsey filed a lawsuit on behalf of Global Baristas, claiming Michael Avenatti borrowed $2 million against Tully's assets without informing Dempsey, rather than fully financing the coffee chain as was promised, calling the 15 percent interest rate on the loan "exorbitant" and sued for Avenatti to fund Tully's operations and meet its working capital needs, as well as for any damages owed the company. Soon after, Dempsey's lawyer's office issued a statement saying the partnership was dissolved and that Dempsey wished the lawyer and the company "all the best". Avenatti has stated the dispute was a "misunderstanding" and will continue operating with other investors and new management.


title: Patrick Dempsey

text: In 1997, Dempsey's mother, Amanda, was diagnosed with cancer which subsequently relapsed five times. On March 24, 2014, she died in Lewiston, Maine, aged 79. In response to his mother's bouts with cancer, Dempsey helped start the Patrick Dempsey Center at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston. In October 2009, when Dempsey introduced the first Dempsey Challenge, registration was closed after reaching the goal of 3,500 cyclists, runners and walkers. The event raised more than $1 million for the cancer center. His mother was in the crowd as Dempsey finished his ride. The Challenge has since become an annual October event presented by Amgen in the Lewiston–Auburn area. On May 28, 2017, Dempsey received an honorary doctorate from Bates College in his hometown, Lewiston, Maine, for his philanthropy in the town and funding of "the Dempsey Center — just blocks from the Bates campus."


title: Patrick Dempsey

text: Dempsey was awarded an honorary doctorate by Bowdoin College in 2013 for his philanthropic work. His "Grey's Anatomy" character Derek Shepherd had been written as a Bowdoin graduate after an alumnus led a petition signed by over 450 students to "adopt" the character as an alumnus.


title: Patrick Dempsey

text: Dempsey was diagnosed with dyslexia at age 12. As a result, it is necessary for him to memorize all his lines to perform, even for auditions where he is unlikely to get the part.


title: Patrick Dempsey

text: "Entertainment Weekly" put Dempsey's hair on its end-of-the-decade "best-of" list, saying, "What made "Grey's Anatomy" a mega-medi-hit? It could have something to do with creator Shonda Rhimes' scalpel-sharp writing… or McDreamy's impossibly luxurious man hair. Just saying." In 2005, "People" magazine ranked him second in its annual list of "Sexiest Men Alive" and again in 2006.


title: Patrick Dempsey

text: Dempsey has been married twice. On August 24, 1987, he married his manager, actress and acting coach, Rochelle "Rocky" Parker, when he was 21 and she 48. She appeared with Dempsey in the film "In the Mood". While it has been reported that Dempsey married his best friend's mother, he has said that he became best friends with Parker's son only after he became romantically involved with Parker. The couple divorced on April 26, 1994. She died in 2014.


title: Patrick Dempsey

text: On July 31, 1999, Dempsey married Jillian Fink. The couple have three children. In January 2015, Fink filed for divorce, but the couple reconciled later in the year. They called off their divorce on November 12, 2016.


title: Patrick Dempsey

text: Dempsey is a supporter of Scottish football club Rangers F.C. because of his Scottish connection through his step-grandfather.


title: Frédéric Chopin

text: Frédéric François Chopin (born Fryderyk Franciszek Chopin; 1 March 181017 October 1849) was a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist of the Romantic period, who wrote primarily for solo piano. He has maintained worldwide renown as a leading musician of his era, one whose "poetic genius was based on a professional technique that was without equal in his generation".


title: Frédéric Chopin

text: Chopin was born in Żelazowa Wola in the Duchy of Warsaw and grew up in Warsaw, which in 1815 became part of Congress Poland. A child prodigy, he completed his musical education and composed his earlier works in Warsaw before leaving Poland at the age of 20, less than a month before the outbreak of the November 1830 Uprising. At 21, he settled in Paris. Thereafterin the last 18 years of his lifehe gave only 30 public performances, preferring the more intimate atmosphere of the salon. He supported himself by selling his compositions and by giving piano lessons, for which he was in high demand. Chopin formed a friendship with Franz Liszt and was admired by many of his other musical contemporaries, including Robert Schumann.


title: Frédéric Chopin

text: After a failed engagement to Maria Wodzińska from 1836 to 1837, he maintained an often troubled relationship with the French writer Aurore Dupin (known by her pen name George Sand). A brief and unhappy visit to Mallorca with Sand in 1838–39 would prove one of his most productive periods of composition. In his final years, he was supported financially by his admirer Jane Stirling, who also arranged for him to visit Scotland in 1848. For most of his life, Chopin was in poor health. He died in Paris in 1849 at the age of 39, probably of pericarditis aggravated by tuberculosis.


title: Frédéric Chopin

text: All of Chopin's compositions include the piano. Most are for solo piano, though he also wrote two piano concertos, a few chamber pieces, and some 19 songs set to Polish lyrics. His piano writing was technically demanding and expanded the limits of the instrument, his own performances noted for their nuance and sensitivity. His major piano works also include mazurkas, waltzes, nocturnes, polonaises, the instrumental "ballade" (which Chopin created as an instrumental genre), études, impromptus, scherzi, preludes, and sonatas, some published only posthumously. Among the influences on his style of composition were Polish folk music, the classical tradition of J. S. Bach, Mozart, and Schubert, and the atmosphere of the Paris salons, of which he was a frequent guest. His innovations in style, harmony, and musical form, and his association of music with nationalism, were influential throughout and after the late Romantic period.


title: Frédéric Chopin

text: Chopin's music, his status as one of music's earliest celebrities, his indirect association with political insurrection, his high-profile love life, and his early death have made him a leading symbol of the Romantic era. His works remain popular, and he has been the subject of numerous films and biographies of varying historical fidelity. Among his many memorials is the Fryderyk Chopin Institute, which was created by the Parliament of Poland to research and promote his life and works. It hosts the International Chopin Piano Competition, a prestigious competition devoted entirely to his works.


title: Frédéric Chopin

text: Fryderyk Chopin was born in Żelazowa Wola, 46 kilometres () west of Warsaw, in what was then the Duchy of Warsaw, a Polish state established by Napoleon. The parish baptismal record, which is dated 23 April 1810, gives his birthday as 22 February 1810, and cites his given names in the Latin form (in Polish, he was ). However, the composer and his family used the birthdate 1 March, which is now generally accepted as the correct date.


title: Frédéric Chopin

text: His father, Nicolas Chopin, was a Frenchman from Lorraine who had emigrated to Poland in 1787 at the age of sixteen. He married Justyna Krzyżanowska, a poor relative of the Skarbeks, one of the families for whom he worked. Chopin was baptised in the same church where his parents had married, in Brochów. His eighteen-year-old godfather, for whom he was named, was Fryderyk Skarbek, a pupil of Nicolas Chopin. Chopin was the second child of Nicholas and Justyna and their only son; he had an elder sister, Ludwika (1807–1855), and two younger sisters, Izabela (1811–1881) and Emilia (1812–1827), whose death at the age of 14 was probably from tuberculosis. Nicolas Chopin was devoted to his adopted homeland, and insisted on the use of the Polish language in the household.


title: Frédéric Chopin

text: In October 1810, six months after Chopin's birth, the family moved to Warsaw, where his father acquired a post teaching French at the Warsaw Lyceum, then housed in the Saxon Palace. Chopin lived with his family in the Palace grounds. The father played the flute and violin; the mother played the piano and gave lessons to boys in the boarding house that the Chopins kept. Chopin was of slight build, and even in early childhood was prone to illnesses.


title: Frédéric Chopin

text: Chopin may have had some piano instruction from his mother, but his first professional music tutor, from 1816 to 1821, was the Czech pianist Wojciech Żywny. His elder sister Ludwika also took lessons from Żywny, and occasionally played duets with her brother. It quickly became apparent that he was a child prodigy. By the age of seven he had begun giving public concerts, and in 1817 he composed two polonaises, in G minor and B-flat major. His next work, a polonaise in A-flat major of 1821, dedicated to Żywny, is his earliest surviving musical manuscript.


title: Frédéric Chopin

text: In 1817 the Saxon Palace was requisitioned by Warsaw's Russian governor for military use, and the Warsaw Lyceum was reestablished in the Kazimierz Palace (today the rectorate of Warsaw University). Chopin and his family moved to a building, which still survives, adjacent to the Kazimierz Palace. During this period, he was sometimes invited to the Belweder Palace as playmate to the son of the ruler of Russian Poland, Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich of Russia; he played the piano for Konstantin Pavlovich and composed a march for him. Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz, in his dramatic eclogue, "" ("Our Discourses", 1818), attested to "little Chopin's" popularity.


title: Frédéric Chopin

text: From September 1823 to 1826, Chopin attended the Warsaw Lyceum, where he received organ lessons from the Czech musician Wilhelm Würfel during his first year. In the autumn of 1826 he began a three-year course under the Silesian composer Józef Elsner at the Warsaw Conservatory, studying music theory, figured bass, and composition. Throughout this period he continued to compose and to give recitals in concerts and salons in Warsaw. He was engaged by the inventors of the "aeolomelodicon" (a combination of piano and mechanical organ), and on this instrument in May 1825 he performed his own improvisation and part of a concerto by Moscheles. The success of this concert led to an invitation to give a recital on a similar instrument (the "aeolopantaleon") before Tsar Alexander I, who was visiting Warsaw; the Tsar presented him with a diamond ring. At a subsequent aeolopantaleon concert on 10 June 1825, Chopin performed his Rondo Op. 1. This was the first of his works to be commercially published and earned him his first mention in the foreign press, when the Leipzig "Allgemeine Musikalische Zeitung" praised his "wealth of musical ideas".


title: Frédéric Chopin

text: From 1824 until 1828 Chopin spent his vacations away from Warsaw, at a number of locations. In 1824 and 1825, at Szafarnia, he was a guest of Dominik Dziewanowski, the father of a schoolmate. Here, for the first time, he encountered Polish rural folk music. His letters home from Szafarnia (to which he gave the title "The Szafarnia Courier"), written in a very modern and lively Polish, amused his family with their spoofing of the Warsaw newspapers and demonstrated the youngster's literary gift.


title: Frédéric Chopin

text: In 1827, soon after the death of Chopin's youngest sister Emilia, the family moved from the Warsaw University building, adjacent to the Kazimierz Palace, to lodgings just across the street from the university, in the south annex of the Krasiński Palace on Krakowskie Przedmieście, where Chopin lived until he left Warsaw in 1830. Here his parents continued running their boarding house for male students. Four boarders at his parents' apartments became Chopin's intimates: Tytus Woyciechowski, Jan Nepomucen Białobłocki, Jan Matuszyński, and Julian Fontana. The latter two would become part of his Paris milieu.


title: Frédéric Chopin

text: Chopin was friendly with members of Warsaw's young artistic and intellectual world, including Fontana, Józef Bohdan Zaleski, and Stefan Witwicki. Chopin's final Conservatory report (July 1829) read: "Chopin F., third-year student, exceptional talent, musical genius." In 1829 the artist Ambroży Mieroszewski executed a set of portraits of Chopin family members, including the first known portrait of the composer.


title: Frédéric Chopin

text: Letters from Chopin to Woyciechowski in the period 1829–30 (when Chopin was about twenty) contain apparent homoerotic references to dreams and to offered embraces.


title: Frédéric Chopin

text: According to Adam Zamoyski, such expressions "were, and to some extent still are, common currency in Polish and carry no greater implication than the 'love concluding letters today. "The spirit of the times, pervaded by the Romantic movement in art and literature, favoured extreme expression of feeling ... Whilst the possibility cannot be ruled out entirely, it is unlikely that the two were ever lovers." Chopin's biographer Alan Walker considers that, insofar as such expressions could be perceived as homosexual in nature, they would not denote more than a passing phase in Chopin's life, or be the resultin Walker's wordsof a "mental twist". The musicologist Jeffrey Kallberg notes that concepts of sexual practice and identity were very different in Chopin's time, so modern interpretation is problematic. Other writers believe that these are clear, or potential, demonstrations of homosexual impulses on Chopin's part.


title: Frédéric Chopin

text: Probably in early 1829 Chopin met the singer Konstancja Gładkowska and developed an intense affection for her, although it is not clear that he ever addressed her directly on the matter. In a letter to Woyciechowski of 3 October 1829 he refers to his "ideal, whom I have served faithfully for six months, though without ever saying a word to her about my feelings; whom I dream of, who inspired the Adagio of my Concerto". All of Chopin's biographers, following the lead of Frederick Niecks, agree that this "ideal" was Gładkowska. After what would be Chopin's farewell concert in Warsaw in October 1830, which included the concerto, played by the composer, and Gładkowska singing an aria by Gioachino Rossini, the two exchanged rings, and two weeks later she wrote in his album some affectionate lines bidding him farewell. After Chopin left Warsaw, he and Gładkowska did not meet and apparently did not correspond.


title: Frédéric Chopin

text: In September 1828 Chopin, while still a student, visited Berlin with a family friend, zoologist Feliks Jarocki, enjoying operas directed by Gaspare Spontini and attending concerts by Carl Friedrich Zelter, Felix Mendelssohn, and other celebrities. On an 1829 return trip to Berlin, he was a guest of Prince Antoni Radziwiłł, governor of the Grand Duchy of Posenhimself an accomplished composer and aspiring cellist. For the prince and his pianist daughter Wanda, he composed his Introduction and Polonaise brillante in C major for cello and piano, Op. 3.


title: Frédéric Chopin

text: Back in Warsaw that year, Chopin heard Niccolò Paganini play the violin, and composed a set of variations, . It may have been this experience that encouraged him to commence writing his first Études (1829–32), exploring the capacities of his own instrument. After completing his studies at the Warsaw Conservatory, he made his debut in Vienna. He gave two piano concerts and received many favourable reviewsin addition to some commenting (in Chopin's own words) that he was "too delicate for those accustomed to the piano-bashing of local artists". In the first of these concerts, he premiered his Variations on "Là ci darem la mano", Op. 2 (variations on a duet from Mozart's opera "Don Giovanni") for piano and orchestra. He returned to Warsaw in September 1829, where he premiered his Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor, Op. 21 on 17 March 1830.


title: Frédéric Chopin

text: Chopin's successes as a composer and performer opened the door to western Europe for him, and on 2 November 1830, he set out, in the words of Zdzisław Jachimecki, "into the wide world, with no very clearly defined aim, forever". With Woyciechowski, he headed for Austria again, intending to go on to Italy. Later that month, in Warsaw, the November 1830 Uprising broke out, and Woyciechowski returned to Poland to enlist. Chopin, now alone in Vienna, was nostalgic for his homeland, and wrote to a friend, "I curse the moment of my departure." When in September 1831 he learned, while travelling from Vienna to Paris, that the uprising had been crushed, he expressed his anguish in the pages of his private journal: "Oh God! ... You are there, and yet you do not take vengeance!". Jachimecki ascribes to these events the composer's maturing "into an inspired national bard who intuited the past, present and future of his native Poland".


title: Frédéric Chopin

text: When he left Warsaw on 2 November 1830, Chopin had intended to go to Italy, but violent unrest there made that a dangerous destination. His next choice was Paris; difficulties obtaining a visa from Russian authorities resulted in his obtaining transit permission from the French. In later years he would quote the passport's endorsement "" ("In transit to London via Paris"), joking that he was in the city "only in passing". Chopin arrived in Paris on 5 October 1831; he would never return to Poland, thus becoming one of many expatriates of the Polish Great Emigration. In France, he used the French versions of his given names, and after receiving French citizenship in 1835, he travelled on a French passport. However, Chopin remained close to his fellow Poles in exile as friends and confidants and he never felt fully comfortable speaking French. Chopin's biographer Adam Zamoyski writes that he never considered himself to be French, despite his father's French origins, and always saw himself as a Pole.


title: Frédéric Chopin

text: In Paris, Chopin encountered artists and other distinguished figures and found many opportunities to exercise his talents and achieve celebrity. During his years in Paris, he was to become acquainted with, among many others, Hector Berlioz, Franz Liszt, Ferdinand Hiller, Heinrich Heine, Eugène Delacroix, Alfred de Vigny, and Friedrich Kalkbrenner, who introduced him to the piano manufacturer Camille Pleyel. This was the beginning of a long and close association between the composer and Pleyel's instruments. Chopin was also acquainted with the poet Adam Mickiewicz, principal of the Polish Literary Society, some of whose verses he set as songs. He also was more than once guest of Marquis Astolphe de Custine, one of his fervent admirers, playing his works in Custine's salon.


title: Frédéric Chopin

text: Two Polish friends in Paris were also to play important roles in Chopin's life there. A fellow student at the Warsaw Conservatory, Julian Fontana, had originally tried unsuccessfully to establish himself in England; Fontana was to become, in the words of the music historian Jim Samson, Chopin's "general factotum and copyist". Albert Grzymała, who in Paris became a wealthy financier and society figure, often acted as Chopin's adviser and, in Zamoyski's words, "gradually began to fill the role of elder brother in [his] life".


title: Frédéric Chopin

text: On 7 December 1831, Chopin received the first major endorsement from an outstanding contemporary when Robert Schumann, reviewing the Op. 2 Variations in the (his first published article on music), declared: "Hats off, gentlemen! A genius." On 25 February 1832 Chopin gave a debut Paris concert in the "salons de MM Pleyel" at 9 rue Cadet, which drew universal admiration. The critic François-Joseph Fétis wrote in the "Revue et gazette musicale": "Here is a young man who ... taking no model, has found, if not a complete renewal of piano music, ... an abundance of original ideas of a kind to be found nowhere else ..." After this concert, Chopin realised that his essentially intimate keyboard technique was not optimal for large concert spaces. Later that year he was introduced to the wealthy Rothschild banking family, whose patronage also opened doors for him to other private salons (social gatherings of the aristocracy and artistic and literary elite). By the end of 1832 Chopin had established himself among the Parisian musical elite and had earned the respect of his peers such as Hiller, Liszt, and Berlioz. He no longer depended financially upon his father, and in the winter of 1832, he began earning a handsome income from publishing his works and teaching piano to affluent students from all over Europe. This freed him from the strains of public concert-giving, which he disliked.


title: Frédéric Chopin

text: Chopin seldom performed publicly in Paris. In later years he generally gave a single annual concert at the Salle Pleyel, a venue that seated three hundred. He played more frequently at salons but preferred playing at his own Paris apartment for small groups of friends. The musicologist Arthur Hedley has observed that "As a pianist Chopin was unique in acquiring a reputation of the highest order on the basis of a minimum of public appearancesfew more than thirty in the course of his lifetime." The list of musicians who took part in some of his concerts indicates the richness of Parisian artistic life during this period. Examples include a concert on 23 March 1833, in which Chopin, Liszt, and Hiller performed (on pianos) a concerto by J. S. Bach for three keyboards; and, on 3 March 1838, a concert in which Chopin, his pupil Adolphe Gutmann, Charles-Valentin Alkan, and Alkan's teacher Joseph Zimmermann performed Alkan's arrangement, for eight hands, of two movements from Beethoven's 7th symphony. Chopin was also involved in the composition of Liszt's "Hexameron"; he wrote the sixth (and final) variation on Bellini's theme. Chopin's music soon found success with publishers, and in 1833 he contracted with Maurice Schlesinger, who arranged for it to be published not only in France but, through his family connections, also in Germany and England.


title: Frédéric Chopin

text: In the spring of 1834, Chopin attended the Lower Rhenish Music Festival in Aix-la-Chapelle with Hiller, and it was there that Chopin met Felix Mendelssohn. After the festival, the three visited Düsseldorf, where Mendelssohn had been appointed musical director. They spent what Mendelssohn described as "a very agreeable day", playing and discussing music at his piano, and met Friedrich Wilhelm Schadow, director of the Academy of Art, and some of his eminent pupils such as Lessing, Bendemann, Hildebrandt and Sohn. In 1835 Chopin went to Carlsbad, where he spent time with his parents; it was the last time he would see them. On his way back to Paris, he met old friends from Warsaw, the Wodzińskis. He had made the acquaintance of their daughter Maria in Poland five years earlier when she was eleven. This meeting prompted him to stay for two weeks in Dresden, when he had previously intended to return to Paris via Leipzig. The sixteen-year-old girl's portrait of the composer has been considered, along with Delacroix's, as among the best likenesses of Chopin.


title: Frédéric Chopin

text: In October he finally reached Leipzig, where he met Schumann, Clara Wieck, and Mendelssohn, who organised for him a performance of his own oratorio "St. Paul", and who considered him "a perfect musician". In July 1836 Chopin travelled to Marienbad and Dresden to be with the Wodziński family, and in September he proposed to Maria, whose mother Countess Wodzińska approved in principle. Chopin went on to Leipzig, where he presented Schumann with his G minor Ballade. At the end of 1836, he sent Maria an album in which his sister Ludwika had inscribed seven of his songs, and his 1835 Nocturne in C-sharp minor, Op. 27, No. 1. The anodyne thanks he received from Maria proved to be the last letter he was to have from her. Chopin placed the letters he had received from Maria and her mother into a large envelope, wrote on it the words "My sorrow" (), and to the end of his life retained in a desk drawer this keepsake of the second love of his life.


title: Frédéric Chopin

text: Although it is not known exactly when Chopin first met Franz Liszt after arriving in Paris, on 12 December 1831 he mentioned in a letter to his friend Woyciechowski that "I have met Rossini, Cherubini, Baillot, etc.also Kalkbrenner. You would not believe how curious I was about Herz, Liszt, Hiller, etc." Liszt was in attendance at Chopin's Parisian debut on 26 February 1832 at the Salle Pleyel, which led him to remark: "The most vigorous applause seemed not to suffice to our enthusiasm in the presence of this talented musician, who revealed a new phase of poetic sentiment combined with such happy innovation in the form of his art."


title: Frédéric Chopin

text: The two became friends, and for many years lived close to each other in Paris, Chopin at 38 Rue de la Chaussée-d'Antin, and Liszt at the Hôtel de France on the Rue Laffitte, a few blocks away. They performed together on seven occasions between 1833 and 1841. The first, on 2 April 1833, was at a benefit concert organised by Hector Berlioz for his bankrupt Shakespearean actress wife Harriet Smithson, during which they played George Onslow's "Sonata in F minor" for piano duet. Later joint appearances included a benefit concert for the Benevolent Association of Polish Ladies in Paris. Their last appearance together in public was for a charity concert conducted for the Beethoven Monument in Bonn, held at the Salle Pleyel and the Paris Conservatory on 25 and 26 April 1841.


title: Frédéric Chopin

text: Although the two displayed great respect and admiration for each other, their friendship was uneasy and had some qualities of a love–hate relationship. Harold C. Schonberg believes that Chopin displayed a "tinge of jealousy and spite" towards Liszt's virtuosity on the piano, and others have also argued that he had become enchanted with Liszt's theatricality, showmanship, and success. Liszt was the dedicatee of Chopin's Op. 10 Études, and his performance of them prompted the composer to write to Hiller, "I should like to rob him of the way he plays my studies." However, Chopin expressed annoyance in 1843 when Liszt performed one of his nocturnes with the addition of numerous intricate embellishments, at which Chopin remarked that he should play the music as written or not play it at all, forcing an apology. Most biographers of Chopin state that after this the two had little to do with each other, although in his letters dated as late as 1848 he still referred to him as "my friend Liszt". Some commentators point to events in the two men's romantic lives which led to a rift between them; there are claims that Liszt had displayed jealousy of his mistress Marie d'Agoult's obsession with Chopin, while others believe that Chopin had become concerned about Liszt's growing relationship with George Sand.


title: Frédéric Chopin

text: In 1836, at a party hosted by Marie d'Agoult, Chopin met the French author George Sand (born [Amantine] Aurore [Lucile] Dupin). Short (under five feet, or 152 cm), dark, big-eyed and a cigar smoker, she initially repelled Chopin, who remarked, "What an unattractive person "la Sand" is. Is she really a woman?" However, by early 1837 Maria Wodzińska's mother had made it clear to Chopin in correspondence that a marriage with her daughter was unlikely to proceed. It is thought that she was influenced by his poor health and possibly also by rumours about his associations with women such as d'Agoult and Sand. Chopin finally placed the letters from Maria and her mother in a package on which he wrote, in Polish, "My Sorrow". Sand, in a letter to Grzymała of June 1838, admitted strong feelings for the composer and debated whether to abandon a current affair in order to begin a relationship with Chopin; she asked Grzymała to assess Chopin's relationship with Maria Wodzińska, without realising that the affair, at least from Maria's side, was over.


title: Frédéric Chopin

text: In June 1837 Chopin visited London incognito in the company of the piano manufacturer Camille Pleyel, where he played at a musical soirée at the house of English piano maker James Broadwood. On his return to Paris his association with Sand began in earnest, and by the end of June 1838 they had become lovers. Sand, who was six years older than the composer and had had a series of lovers, wrote at this time: "I must say I was confused and amazed at the effect this little creature had on me ... I have still not recovered from my astonishment, and if I were a proud person I should be feeling humiliated at having been carried away ..." The two spent a miserable winter on Majorca (8 November 1838 to 13 February 1839), where, together with Sand's two children, they had journeyed in the hope of improving Chopin's health and that of Sand's 15-year-old son Maurice, and also to escape the threats of Sand's former lover Félicien Mallefille. After discovering that the couple were not married, the deeply traditional Catholic people of Majorca became inhospitable, making accommodation difficult to find. This compelled the group to take lodgings in a former Carthusian monastery in Valldemossa, which gave little shelter from the cold winter weather.


title: Frédéric Chopin

text: On 3 December 1838, Chopin complained about his bad health and the incompetence of the doctors in Majorca, commenting: "Three doctors have visited me ... The first said I was dead; the second said I was dying; and the third said I was about to die." He also had problems having his Pleyel piano sent to him, having to rely in the meantime on a piano made in Palma by Juan Bauza. The Pleyel piano finally arrived from Paris in December, just shortly before Chopin and Sand left the island. Chopin wrote to Pleyel in January 1839: "I am sending you my Preludes [Op. 28]. I finished them on your little piano, which arrived in the best possible condition in spite of the sea, the bad weather and the Palma customs." Chopin was also able to undertake work while in Majorca on his Ballade No. 2, Op. 38; on two Polonaises, Op. 40; and on the Scherzo No. 3, Op. 39.


title: Frédéric Chopin

text: Although this period had been productive, the bad weather had such a detrimental effect on Chopin's health that Sand determined to leave the island. To avoid further customs duties, Sand sold the piano to a local French couple, the Canuts. The group travelled first to Barcelona, then to Marseilles, where they stayed for a few months while Chopin convalesced. While in Marseilles, Chopin made a rare appearance at the organ during a requiem mass for the tenor Adolphe Nourrit on 24 April 1839, playing a transcription of Franz Schubert's "lied" (D. 444). In May 1839 they headed to Sand's estate at Nohant for the summer, where they spent most of the following summers until 1846. In autumn they returned to Paris, where Chopin's apartment at 5 rue Tronchet was close to Sand's rented accommodation on the rue Pigalle. He frequently visited Sand in the evenings, but both retained some independence. (In 1842 he and Sand moved to the Square d'Orléans, living in adjacent buildings.)


title: Frédéric Chopin

text: On 26 July 1840 Chopin and Sand were present at the dress rehearsal of Berlioz's "Grande symphonie funèbre et triomphale", composed to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the July Revolution. Chopin was reportedly unimpressed with the composition. During the summers at Nohant, particularly in the years 1839–43, Chopin found quiet, productive days during which he composed many works, including his Polonaise in A-flat major, Op. 53. Among the visitors to Nohant were Delacroix and the mezzo-soprano Pauline Viardot, whom Chopin had advised on piano technique and composition. Delacroix gives an account of staying at Nohant in a letter of 7 June 1842:


title: Frédéric Chopin

text: The hosts could not be more pleasant in entertaining me. When we are not all together at dinner, lunch, playing billiards, or walking, each of us stays in his room, reading or lounging around on a couch. Sometimes, through the window which opens on the garden, a gust of music wafts up from Chopin at work. All this mingles with the songs of nightingales and the fragrance of roses.


title: Frédéric Chopin

text: From 1842 onwards, Chopin showed signs of serious illness. After a solo recital in Paris on 21 February 1842, he wrote to Grzymała: "I have to lie in bed all day long, my mouth and tonsils are aching so much." He was forced by illness to decline a written invitation from Alkan to participate in a repeat performance of the Beethoven 7th Symphony arrangement at Érard's on 1 March 1843. Late in 1844, Charles Hallé visited Chopin and found him "hardly able to move, bent like a half-opened penknife and evidently in great pain", although his spirits returned when he started to play the piano for his visitor. Chopin's health continued to deteriorate, particularly from this time onwards. Modern research suggests that apart from any other illnesses, he may also have suffered from temporal lobe epilepsy.


title: Frédéric Chopin

text: Chopin's output as a composer throughout this period declined in quantity year by year. Whereas in 1841 he had written a dozen works, only six were written in 1842 and six shorter pieces in 1843. In 1844 he wrote only the Op. 58 sonata. 1845 saw the completion of three mazurkas (Op. 59). Although these works were more refined than many of his earlier compositions, Zamoyski concludes that "his powers of concentration were failing and his inspiration was beset by anguish, both emotional and intellectual". Chopin's relations with Sand were soured in 1846 by problems involving her daughter Solange and Solange's fiancé, the young fortune-hunting sculptor Auguste Clésinger. The composer frequently took Solange's side in quarrels with her mother; he also faced jealousy from Sand's son Maurice. Moreover, Chopin was indifferent to Sand's radical political pursuits, including her enthusiasm for the February Revolution of 1848.