Design.

The machine offered two modes of radiation therapy:  It also included a "Field light" mode, which allowed the patient to be correctly positioned by illuminating the treatment area with visible light.

Problem description.

The six documented accidents occurred when the high-current electron beam generated in X-ray mode was delivered directly to patients. Two software faults were to blame. One, when the operator incorrectly selected X-ray mode before quickly changing to electron mode, which allowed the electron beam to be set for X-ray mode without the X-ray target being in place. A second fault allowed the electron beam to activate during field-light mode, during which no beam scanner was active or target was in place.  Previous models had hardware interlocks to prevent such faults, but the Therac-25 had removed them, depending instead on software checks for safety.  The high-current electron beam struck the patients with approximately 100 times the intended dose of radiation, and over a narrower area, delivering a potentially lethal dose of beta radiation. The feeling was described by patient Ray Cox as "an intense electric shock", causing him to scream and run out of the treatment room. Several days later, radiation burns appeared, and the patients showed the symptoms of radiation poisoning; in three cases, the injured patients later died as a result of the overdose.

Root causes.

A commission attributed the primary cause to general poor software design and development practices rather than single-out specific coding errors. In particular, the software was designed so that it was realistically impossible to test it in a clean automated way.  Researchers who investigated the accidents found several contributing causes. These included the following institutional causes:  The researchers also found several engineering issues:  The software was written in assembly language that might require more attention for testing and good design. However the choice of language by itself is not listed as a primary cause in the report. The machine also used its own operating system.  Leveson notes that a lesson to be drawn from the incident is to not assume that reused software is safe: "A naive assumption is often made that reusing software or using commercial off-the-shelf software will increase safety because the software will have been exercised extensively. Reusing software modules does not guarantee safety in the new system to which they are transferred..." This blind faith in poorly understood software coded paradigms is known as cargo cult programming. In response to incidents like those associated with Therac-25, the IEC 62304 standard was created, which introduces development life cycle standards for medical device software and specific guidance on using software of unknown pedigree.

The Therac-25 was a computer-controlled radiation therapy machine produced by Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) in 1982 after the Therac-6 and Therac-20 units (the earlier units had been produced in partnership with CGR of France).

Therac-25 byl počítačem řízený přístroj na radioterapii. V roce 1982 jej vyvinula společnost Atomic Energy of Canada Limited jako nástupce přístrojů Therac-6 a Therac-20.


Examples.

Humanity portrayed in evolutionary context.

Desmond Morris in The Naked Ape and The Human Zoo, Robert Ardrey in African Genesis and Konrad Lorenz in On Aggression all wrote from a sociobiological perspective. They viewed the human species as an animal, subject to the evolutionary law of Survival of the fittest through adaptation to the biophysical environment.

Zoomorphic representation in Islamic art.

Islamic art provides countless examples of zoomorphism in art objects and as these objects come from an Islamic heritage, they are often removed from a religious context due to the aniconic tradition of not depicting religious figures, people, or animals. Therefore, most animal figurative representation in Islamic art comes from secular objects. The zoomorphic style allows artists to stylize animal forms and designs, a tradition that has been present as early as the seventh century after the spread of Islam beyond the Arabian Peninsula.  One example of a zoomorphic object is the incense burner of Amir Saif al-Dunya wa’l-Din ibn Muhammad al-Mawardi, today located at the Metropolitan Museum in New York"." Incense burners were common objects for zoomorphic forms that served as a container for aromatic material to be burned. This particular object comes from the Seljuq period in Iran. It is made of bronze, meaning it was a more expensive object as metalwork incense burners cost more to produce and were less common than other productions made of clay or soft stones. The work is meant to depict a lion or large cat. The artist plays with the anatomical elements of the body to fit the use for burning incense. Around the base of neck shows the area where the head is designed to be removed for the insertion of coal and incense. Throughout the body small holes were punctured for the release of the smoke. This object would have been found in a domestic space due to the animal-like imagery.  Another example of zoomorphism in Islamic art is the bird-shaped oil lamp, located at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The oil lamp would have been used as an everyday object in a domestic space as well. The handle of the lamp is depicted by the head and neck of the bird. The body takes the form of the base of the lamp where oil can be poured in the small opening. The artist uses the form of the bird to utilize the lamp either hanging or resting. There are keyholes on either side of the body for the lamp to be hung by a chain and the flat base allows for the lamp to be placed on any smooth surface. The similarities between the incense burner and the lamp demonstrate how zoomorphism was used throughout Islamic culture.  Zoomorphism appears on objects beyond household items. An example of this is the Dagger with Zoomorphic Hilt also located at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York"." The hilt or handle of the dagger merges into the shape of a dragon attacking a lion who is performing the same act onto a deer. Each attacking animal is connected by its claws and teeth to form the handle. The inclusion of Persian and Indian symbols of power was common in zoomorphic imagery on hilts of daggers. In this dagger there is a figure of a bird in front of the deer who is meant to represent the Indian deity Garuda. Due to the intricate design and craftsmanship of this dagger, it would most likely not have been used for the purposes of a weapon, but rather as a ceremonial object. Many of the weapons included in Islamic art served as symbols for power and wealth.

The word "zoomorphism" derives from the Greek ζωον ("zōon"), meaning "animal", and μορφη ("morphē"), meaning "shape" or "form". In the context of art, zoomorphism could describe art that imagines humans as non-human animals. It can also be defined as art that portrays one species of animal like another species of animal or art that uses animals as a visual motif, sometimes referred to as "animal style." In ancient Egyptian religion, deities were depicted in animal form which is an example of zoomorphism in not only art but in a religious context. It is also similar to the term therianthropy; which is the ability to shape shift into animal form, except that with zoomorphism the animal form is applied to a physical object. It means to attribute animal forms or animal characteristics to other animals, or things other than an animal; similar to but broader than anthropomorphism. Contrary to anthropomorphism, which views animal or non-animal behavior in human terms, zoomorphism is the tendency of viewing human behavior in terms of the behavior of animals. It is also used in literature to portray the act of humans or objects with animalistic behavior or features. The use of zoomorphism served as a decorative element to objects that are typically quite simple in shape and design.

Zoomorfismus (z řeckého "zōon morphē", což znamená "zvířecí tvar") znamená myšlenkový a umělecký postup, při němž jsou nelidským objektům či bytostem přisuzovány zvířecí (živočišné) vlastnosti. V umění jde především zobrazování lidí v podobě zvířat, zobrazování jednoho druhu zvířete jako jiný druh zvířete či umění se zvířecím schématem. Předmět, který není zvířecí, ale jemuž jsou přisuzovány zvířecí vlastnosti, se nazývá zoomorf.


Development.

The prototypes of the Mizar were made by mating the rear portion of a Cessna Skymaster to a Ford Pinto. The pod-and-twin-boom configuration of the Skymaster was a convenient starting point for a hybrid automobile/airplane. The passenger space and front engine of the Skymaster were removed, leaving an airframe ready to attach to a small car. AVE planned to have its own airframe purpose-built by a subcontractor for production models, rather than depending on Cessna for airframes.  According to "Petersen's Complete Ford Book", by mid-1973, two prototypes had been built and three more were under construction. One prototype was slated for static display at a Van Nuys Ford dealership, owned by AVE partner Bert Boeckmann. The other prototype, fitted with a Teledyne Continental Motors engine, was unveiled to the press on May 8, 1973. Both vehicles were photographed by Petersen Publishing photographer Mike Brenner for Hot Rod magazine in late April. It then began a series of taxi tests at Van Nuys Airport. AVE made special arrangements to do flight testing at the U.S. Navy's test facilities at Naval Air Station Point Mugu, California. AVE stated that Federal Aviation Administration certification flights were underway in mid-1973.  The Mizar was intended to use both the aircraft engine and the car engine for takeoff. This would considerably shorten the takeoff roll. Once in the air, the car engine would be turned off. Upon landing, the four-wheel braking would stop the craft in or less. On the ground, telescoping wing supports would be extended and the airframe would be tied down like any other aircraft. The Pinto could be quickly unbolted from the airframe and driven away.  Production was scheduled to begin in 1974. AVE had stated that prices would range from US$18,300 to US$29,000.  On a test flight from Camarillo Airport in California on August 26, 1973, according to test pilot Charles "Red" Janisse, the right wing strut base mounting attachment failed soon after takeoff. Because turning the aircraft would put too much stress on the unsupported wing, Janisse put the aircraft down in a bean field. After the roadway was closed to traffic, Janisse drove the otherwise undamaged aircraft back to the airport.  On September 11, 1973, during a test flight at Camarillo, the right wing strut again detached from the Pinto. With Janisse not available for this test flight, Mizar creator Smolinski was at the controls. Although some reports say the Pinto separated from the airframe, an air traffic controller, watching through binoculars, said the right wing folded. According to Janisse, the wing folded because the pilot tried to turn the aircraft when the wing strut support failed. Smolinski and the Vice President of AVE, Harold Blake, were killed in the resulting fiery crash.  Even though the Pinto was a light car, the total aircraft without passengers or fuel was already slightly over the certified gross weight of a Skymaster. However, in addition to poor design and loose parts, the National Transportation Safety Board reported that bad welds were partly responsible for the crash, with the right wing strut attachment failing at a body panel of the Pinto.

The AVE Mizar (named after the star Mizar) was a roadable aircraft built between 1971 and 1973 by Advanced Vehicle Engineers (AVE) of Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California. The company was started by Henry Smolinski and Harold Blake, both graduates of Northrop Institute of Technology's aeronautical engineering school.

AVE Mizar byl létající automobil, který navrhl v roce 1971 americký konstruktér Henry Smolinsky. Vytvořil ho spojením automobilu Ford Pinto a letadla Cessna Skymaster. Název vozu pochází ze zkratky firmy Advanced Vehicle Engineers a hvězdy Mizar. Společnost měla v plánu zahájit v roce 1974 masovou výrobu, pořizovací cena stroje se odhadovala na 19 000 dolarů. Byly postaveny dva prototypy, které byly testovány za účelem získání certifikátu Federal Aviation Administration. Při zkouškách na letišti Camarillo Airport v Kalifornii 11. září 1973 došlo k havárii, kdy povolily sváry mezi křídlem a automobilem a v troskách stroje zahynuli majitelé firmy AVE Henry Smolinsky a Harold Blake, projekt tím byl ukončen.


Composition history.

By the time he was twenty, Rossini's reputation was beginning to grow, and he was now regarded as "'a maestro di cartello', a composer whose name alone guarantees a public" Success with "La pietra del paragone" for Milan in September was great, but delays caused him to be late in Venice for his next commission at the Teatro San Moisè, "L'occasione fa il ladro". Other comedies had preceded "L'occasione", but its success ensured a fifth opera for that house. This was "Il Signor Bruschino", which was presented on 27 January 1813 and which the composer wrote more-or-less parallel to preparing "Tancredi", a commission for this opera having been accepted from Venice's most prestigious house, La Fenice, the previous autumn.  Other treatments of the Tancredi story had been prepared, the most recent being that of Stefano Pavesi in 1812. However, many of Rossini's formal inventions, seen in his earlier one-act operas, are here incorporated with great effect and formalism. As Gossett notes "The opera established a new formal synthesis, new compositional models, with, through, and in spite of which Italian composers were to operate."  The revised ending for Ferrara, March, 1813  This revised version of the opera, presented a month after its Venice premiere, incorporates Voltaire's original ending. The music for this ending was withdrawn, it disappeared, and was not discovered until 1976.  According to Richard Osborne, the 1813 re-workings for Ferrara were not a success and "Rossini withdrew the revision and, as was his habit, redistributed some of the music in later work". In "Divas and Scholars", musicologist Philip Gossett recounts how this ending was rediscovered:  Following the discovery, the preparation of the critical edition for the Fondazione Rossini by Philip Gossett and others at the University of Chicago began in 1976.  December 1813 revision for Milan  In addition to restoring the happy ending, by the end of 1813 and in time for the Milan premiere in December at the new Teatro Ré, Rossini had also restored the cut second duet and had re-written and restored Argirio's cut aria. Other changes included Roggiero becoming a tenor with a new aria "Torni d'amor la face", two different arias being composed for Argirio, and both duets for Tancredi and Amenaide being restored to their original locations.  While Tancredi and Amenaide are happily reunited, he is given "an entirely new "rondo" in lieu of the more elaborate "gran scena" of the original score after Tancredi learns from Argirio that her letter was written for him, and not for Solamir (rather than there being a denial from Solamir).

Performance history.

19th century  "Tancredi" premiered in February 1813 at La Fenice in Venice with Adelaide Malanotte in the title role. The first two performances suffered because of vocal problems from its two female principals, but its success was assured over six performances into the following month.  It was quickly re-mounted in a revised version in Ferrara in March of that year which reverted to Voltaire's tragic ending, but audiences disliked it and subsequent performances there reverted to the Venice ending, with a further revisions appearing in Milan in December. Gossett established in 1971 that, later, Rossini also participated in other revisions for performances elsewhere in Italy, including those at the Teatro Comunale di Bologna in 1814 and the Naples premiere given at the Teatro del Fondo in 1816 and again in 1818.  However, Heather Hadlock notes that it was the Milanese version of December 1813 which became "something like a definitive form, and in this form it took Italy by storm", Other Italian houses presented the Venice version, including the Teatro Apollo in Rome (1814), the Teatro Regio di Torino (1814 and 1829), La Fenice again (1815, 1823 and 1833), and the Teatro San Moisè in Venice in March 1816 when, in another revision, it is the dying Solamir who professes Amenaide's innocence, and Tancredi returns home in triumph.  Philip Gossett's research in 1971 states that "until about 1825 the musical text was rather fluid. The first Ricordi edition (1829), which differs significantly from the later ones, corresponds to the Milanese version.", but many other Italian cities saw the opera, including Florence (in 1814, 1816, and 1825), Padua (1814), Livorno (1815), Vicenza (1816), Macerata (1817), Camerino (1828), Viterbo (1828), Milan (1829), and Trieste (1830).  Outside of Italy, it was given in Corfù (1822), Lisbon (as "Tacredo") (1826), and Geneva (1828). The opera was first performed in England at the King's Theatre in London on 4 May 1820 with Fanny Corri-Paltoni as Amenaide. Its French premiere was given by the Théâtre-Lyrique Italien at the Salle Louvois in Paris on 23 April 1822 with Giuditta Pasta in the title role. It was seen in Portugal for the first time at the Teatro Nacional de São Carlos on 18 September 1822 (as "Tancredo") and was given its La Scala premiere on 8 November 1823 with Brigida Lorenzani as Tancredi.  The United States premiere occurred on 31 December 1825 at the Park Theatre in New York City using the revised Ferrara version by Lechi. The Paris Opéra mounted the work for the first time with Maria Malibran in the title role on 30 March 1829. After an 1833 revival at the Teatro Comunale di Bologna, "Tancredi" was not mounted again until almost 120 years later.  20th century and beyond  The Maggio Musicale Fiorentino revived the work on 17 May 1952 with Giulietta Simionato in the title role, Teresa Stich-Randall as Amenaide, Francesco Albanese as Argirio, Mario Petri as Orbazzano, and Tullio Serafin conducting. The opera was given at the Collegiate Theatre as part of the Camden Festival in April 1971 by the Basilica Opera.  With the discovery of the long-lost music for the March 1813 Ferrara revision and the resulting preparation and completion of the critical edition, the work was revived when mezzo-soprano Marilyn Horne, who had expressed interest as early as 1972 in performing the Ferrara edition if it ever came to light took on the title role at the Houston Grand Opera on 13 October 1977. Horne, who quickly became strongly associated with that role, insisted on the tragic Ferrara ending, citing that it is more consistent with the overall tone of the opera and that she "did not find the happy ending convincing". Indeed, most of the recordings of this opera today use the Ferrara conclusion, while some include the Venice finale as an extra track.  Horne's triumphant performances as Tancredi in Houston soon led to invitations from other opera houses to sing the role, and it is largely through her efforts that the opera enjoyed a surge of revivals during the latter half of the 20th century. She sang the part for performances at the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma (1977), the San Francisco Opera (1979), the Aix-en-Provence Festival (1981), La Fenice (1981, 1983), and the Lyric Opera of Chicago (1989) among others.  Contralto Ewa Podleś achieved recognition in the title role, performing it at the Vlaamse Opera (1991), La Scala (1993), the Berlin State Opera (1996), Polish National Opera at Warsaw (2000), the Canadian Opera Company (2005), the Caramoor International Music Festival (2006), the Teatro Real (2007), and Opera Boston (2009) among others. She also recorded the role in 1995. Bulgarian mezzo-soprano Vesselina Kasarova has also been praised in the role, singing it at the Salzburg Festival (1992), with the Opera Orchestra of New York (1997), and on a 1996 recording with the Bavarian Radio Chorus and Munich Radio Orchestra.  Pier Luigi Pizzi staged a new production of "Tancredi" for the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro in 1982 which originally utilised both the tragic and happy endings – the former being interpolated as a "dream sequence" for Amenaide. He also designed both costumes and scenery. The production was conducted by Gianluigi Gelmetti and featured Lucia Valentini Terrani in the title role, as well as Dalmacio Gonzales as Argirio, Katia Ricciarelli as Amenaide, Giancarlo Luccardi as Orbazzano and, as Isaura, Bernadette Manca di Nissa – who later went on to perform the title role for the 1992 live DVD recording. The production was also revived at Pesaro in 1991, 1999, and 2004.  "Tancredi" was staged at 2003 at Polish National Opera at Warsaw, in the performance directed by Tomasz Konina and conducted by Alberto Zedda, the title role was sung by Ewa Podleś, with original tragic ending. The second production in Poland took place in Warsaw Chamber Opera in 2008.  In 2005 the production went to Rome and Florence (where it was filmed for DVD with Daniela Barcellona in the title role), and then it was presented by the Deutsche Oper Berlin in 2011, with Alberto Zedda conducting. Barcellona sang Tancredi again in a new staging of the opera at the Teatro Regio di Torino in November 2009 after reprising the part in February 2009 at the Teatro de la Maestranza. The Theater an der Wien mounted the work for the first time in October 2009 with Vivica Genaux in the title role and René Jacobs conducting.  "Tancredi" was presented in concert by the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris in December 2009 with Nora Gubisch as Tancredi. In addition, as part of its Rossini revivals series, it presented a fully staged production in May 2014 with Marie-Nicole Lemieux in the title role and Patrizia Ciofi as Amenaide. The production used the "unhappy" Ferrara ending, but incorporated many of the changes and reversions found in the December 1813 version for Milan.  In 2018 Teatro Nuovo presented alternating performances of the original Venetian score (including the portions that have been replaced in most modern productions) and a version they called "Tancredi rifatto", incorporating every known substitute piece by Rossini (including the aria written to replace "Di tanti palpiti").

Synopsis.

Background  There is both conflict and war between the Byzantine empire (with which it has an unstable truce) and the Saracen armies headed by Solamir, but exhausted by external war, there are internal conflicts as well. The soldier Tancredi and his family have been stripped of their estates and inheritances, and he himself has been banished since his youth. Two noble families, headed by Argirio and Orbazzano, have been warring for years and they begin to reconcile. Also present is Solamir, the Moorish general. Argirio's daughter, Amenaide, is secretly in love with Tancredi. Prior to the beginning of the opera, she has sent him a letter (without naming him in it), and it is this letter which complicates the proceedings which follow.

Act 1.

"Overture"  "Scene 1: A gallery in Argirio's palace"  Warring nobles Argirio, leader of the Senate in Syracuse, and Orbazzano and their men celebrate a truce and the end of a civil war: Chorus: "Pace, onore, fede, amore" / "Peace, honour, faith, love / Rule now". Along with Isaura and her ladies, Argirio proclaims that this unity reinforces a new security for the city against the Moorish forces led by Solamir: "Se amistà verace, é pura" / "If you keep in your heart true friendship". He names Orbazzano as the leader against the Moors. However, Argirio warns the assembled forces against a possible greater threat, that from the banished Tancredi, a statement which disturbs Isaura. Argirio then summons his daughter, Amenaide to appear.  She joins in the general songs of triumph which are expressed by the assembly, but is also disturbed by the fact that her secret beloved, Tancredi, has not rejoined her in spite of the fact that she has written a letter to him asking him to do so now that he is returning in disguise to Syracuse. The Senate, having already given Tancredi and his family's confiscated estates to Orbazzano, Argirio then offers Amenaide in marriage to him in order to help solidify the truce. He wishes to have the ceremony performed immediately, and although she dutifully consents to the arrangement, she pleads with her father to postpone it until the following day. All leave except Isaura who laments upon the situation in which Amenaide is now placed: "Amenaide sventturata!" / "Unhappy Amenaide, what a dreadful day for you".  "Scene 2: A garden in the Palace"  The garden is close to the seashore. Roggiero, then Tancredi and his men, disembark from a ship. Not having received Amenaide's letter, he pledges to help defend the city against the invaders and to seek out his beloved: Aria: "Oh patria! dolce, e ingrate patria" / O my country, dear, thankless native land". Roggiero is dispatched with a message for Amenaide, and he sends his followers to spread the word that an unknown knight has arrived to help save the city. His thoughts turn to Amenaide: "Tu che accendi questo core" / "You who set aflame this heart", and then to how much pain he has caused her: "Di tanti palpiti, di tante pene" / "After such beating of the heart, such torment".  When all have left, Tancredi sees Argirio and his daughter enter the garden. He hides, but can overhear their conversation. Argirio informs Amenaide and the followers who accompany them that all are invited to the wedding which will take place at noon. The young woman pleads for more time, but is told that the ceremony must take place right away. Argirio continues by informing all that the enemy leader, Solamir, has surrounded the city, and has asked for Amenaide's hand in marriage. Orbazzano then states that he will lead the people of Syracuse against the enemy, the recent action of the Senate having condemned to death all traitors. Argirio's aria: "Della patria ogni neminco danna a morte il Senato" / "The Senate has condemned to death any enemy of the country".  As Argirio leaves, Amenaide immediately regrets that she has indirectly involved Tancredi by writing to him: "Che feci! incaula!" / "What have I done! Thoughtless woman!". Tancredi then appears and Amenaide tells him that he must immediately escape. Coldly, she rejects his claims of loving her, although the couple, in spite of their differences, then laments the dangerous situation in which they find themselves: Duet: "L'aura che interno spiri" / "The air you breathe brings mortal danger".  "Scene 3: A public square close to the cathedral"  People are gathered in the square for the wedding ceremony. Argirio assures all that the new-found unity between the two factions will be strengthened by the marriage. In disguise, Tancredi appears and offers his services. Privately, he feels that Amenaide has betrayed him by accepting the marriage but, when she refuses to go ahead with it, an angry Orbazzano enters. Publicly, he denounces her and, having overheard the prior conversation, declares that the marriage will not take place. Immediately, he produces a letter, which he assumes was intended for Solamir and which appears to implicate her in a treasonous plot to overthrow Syracuse by calling upon the recipient to come and capture the city. [In reality it is the letter which Amedaide had sent to Tancredi, deliberately omitted his name for his protection, and which had never reached him].  The assembled crowd is horrified: "Die in disgrace, woman!" they proclaim. Amenaide swears that she is innocent, but her father denounces her, as does Tancredi. She is dragged off to prison to await death as all except her faithful Isaura proclaim: "Quale infausto orrendo giorno!" / "A day of disaster, what an ill-starred day...a day of disasters and terrors."

Act 2.

"Scene 1: A gallery in Argirio's castle"  An angry Orbazzano reflects on Amenaide's apparent treachery and her contempt of him: "Vedesti? L'indegna!" / "You have seen? She spurns me, the unworthy woman". Aside, Isaura pities Amenaide's fate, reminding Argirio that Amenaide is his own daughter: "E tua figlia!" / "She is your own daughter". The assembled knights are divided in their emotions, and while Argirio expresses his sorrow at the turn of events, (Aria: "Oh Dio! Crudel! qual nome caro e fetal oe mi rammenti" / "You remind me of that name both dear and fatal"), he reluctantly signs the death warrant, with some of the group of knights pleading for mercy, others supporting his decision. All but Isaura and Orbazzano leave. She reproaches him for his cruelty and barbarous behaviour, and, then alone after he leaves, she pleads for divine aid for Amenaide: Aria: "Tu che I miseri conforti" / "You who console the miserable, give her endurance".  "Scene 2: Inside the prison"  In chains, Amenaide enters: Aria: "Di mia vita infelice" / "Here I am at the end of my unhappy life". She cries out to Tancredi "I die for you!": Aria: "No, che il morir non è" / "No, death is not so terrible to me if I die for love". In the end, she believes that he will learn the truth and "he will know the constancy of my heart".  Into the prison come Orbazzano and his followers, determined to see the execution carried out. But he asks if there is anyone willing to defend the traitor. Tancredi, although he still believes that his love has been betrayed and that Amenaide is a traitor, steps forward. He challenges Orbazzano to a duel in defense of Amenaide's honor and life, and throws down his gauntlet before his adversary. Throughout the men's interchange, Amenaide urges Tancredi to prove that she is innocent. Orbazzano embraces the unknown knight, seeking to know his identity as does Argirio who, in a duet with Tancredi, pleads: "Ah! se de'mali mieri" / "Ah! If you have pity in your heart for my sufferings, At least reveal to me who you are. Comfort me in my pain". In return, Tancredi declares "Heaven has been my enemy since my childhood. You will know who I am one day, But do not hate me..." and the trumpet sounds, signaling the start of the contest. About to rush off, he proclaims "To the field; I burn with glory and with fury".  In another part of the prison, Amenaide learns what has transpired: she prays for protection for Tancredi, begging him to return to her a victor: Aria: "Gran Dio! Deh! tu proteggi" / "Just God whom I humbly adore, You can read in my heart, You know whether I am guilty, And for whom I ask your favour". From outside, a roar announces Tancredi's victory, while she declares: "In this moment I see it, I feel it."  "Scene 3: The main square of the town"  Tancredi arrives triumphant and the people rejoice. However, as sweet as victory may be, he resolves to leave Sicily and, as Amenaide approaches him, he still believes that she has been unfaithful and is unwilling to talk to her. In a duet, they express their conflicting emotions: Duet: "L'asciami: non t'escolto" / "Let me go; I will not listen to you". She then demands that he kill her, but both leave while Roggiero remains, having learned the truth from Isaura: "S'avverassero pure I detti suoi!" / "If only her words were true". But he expresses the hope that, if Amenaide is indeed innocent, then "May the torch of love return shining, smiling and fair".  "Scene 4: A cavern in a mountain range with Mt. Etna in the distance  Alone and close to the Saracens' camp, Tancredi reflects upon his sad destiny: Aria: "Dove sono io?" / "Where am I? Through what horrors does my despair lead me?", all the while recalling Amenaide's betrayal: "Oh that I could forget!" The Saracens appear proclaiming "Regna il terror nella Citta" / "Terror reigns in the city". With the arrival of the knights of Syracuse along with Argirio and Amenaide, who come in search of him, Amenaide is told that peace will follow if she agrees to marry Solamir. Tancredi defies the Saracens, expressing willingness to fight to the death: Rondo: "Perchè turbar la calma" / "Why trouble the peace of my heart". Urged to go into battle and, when all is over, Tancredi emerges victorious and learns that the dying Solamir has testified to Amenaide's innocence.  In a moment of general rejoicing, the lovers are reunited: "Fra quai soave palpiti" / "Gently beats my heart". Tancredi, Agirio and Amenaide are united in expressing their joy: "Si grande è il mio contento" / "So great is my joy", and Isaura joins them in the general rejoicing.

Music.

In regard to Rossini's innovations which appear in this, his first "opera seria", the "Grove Dictionary" notes that they "were derived from his early one-act operas" and writer Gaia Servadio notes that [the opera] marks an important stage in the development of opera through the innovations that Rossini brought. With self-assurance and guts, he introduced changes now often taken for granted: the recitatives are short and linked to the context of the arias; there is a new and masterful balance between the dramatic, the lyrical, and the musical; and the chorus makes its first appearance in an "opera seria"  But it is in the innovations which move away from accepted formulas and which are seen in the finale of the opera in its Ferrara edition that Philip Gossett finds the most striking in "Tancredi": "the 'Cavatina Finale' as Rossini called the concluding moments of the opera, depart so completely from typical finale designs of the period that we can easily comprehend their failure to gain popular approval. Gone are the coloratura flourishes; gone is a more elaborate orchestration; gone are requirements of phrase construction and cadential repetition; gone, in short, are the conventions that usually rule Italian opera. Instead, the concluding moments of the opera mirror each word of the dying hero, supported essentially by strings alone."  Additionally, we find in Gossett and Brauner an explanation of another aspect of Rossini's compositional style: in his vocal writing, although the opera continues to use "closed numbers separated by "secco" recitatives, a flexibility of style makes possible extensive dramatic activity within numbers." They continue stating that it is in the duets that a sectional form is employed so that "the opening section allows dramatic confrontation between the characters, who express their often differing emotions in parallel stanzas." There follows a lyrical section – "with further dramatic interaction" – and then the cabaletta which allows for greater confrontation or accord, thus reflecting any changes in the dramatic configuration.

References.

Notes Sources

Tancredi is a "melodramma eroico" (opera seria or 'heroic' opera) in two acts by composer Gioachino Rossini and librettist Gaetano Rossi (who was also to write "Semiramide" ten years later), based on Voltaire's play "Tancrède" (1760). The opera made its first appearance at the Teatro La Fenice in Venice on 6 February 1813, and because "Il signor Bruschino" premiered in late January, the composer must have completed "Tancredi" in less than a month. The overture, borrowed from "La pietra del paragone", is a popular example of Rossini's characteristic style and is regularly performed in concert and recorded.

Tancredi je "melodramma eroico" (opera seria nebo heroická opera ) o dvou jednáních skladatele Gioachina Rossiniho a libretisty Gaetana Rossiho (který také o deset let později napsal "Semiramis"), založená na Voltairově hře "Tancrède" (z roku 1760). Opera byla poprvé provedena 6. února 1813 v divadle Teatro La Fenice v Benátkách, a protože na konci ledna měla premiéru jeho opera "Pan Nevrlínek", měl skladatel na dokončení "Tancrediho" méně než měsíc. Předehra, převzatá z jeho opery "Zkouška lásky", je populárním příkladem Rossiniho charakteristického stylu a je pravidelně prováděna na koncertech a nahrávána.


Background and wrestling career.

Cormier is the son of Joseph and Audrey Cormier. He has an older brother named Joseph, a sister named Felicia, and a younger brother named Ferral. When Cormier was seven, his father was shot and killed on Thanksgiving Day in 1986 by the father of his second wife.  In high school at Northside High, Cormier won 3 Louisiana state championships in wrestling. After 9th grade Cormier only lost twice, both times by injury default. His final high school record was 101-9, with 89 of his victories coming by a fall. He was twice voted the most outstanding wrestler of the state tournament. In 1995, Cormier won a bronze medal in the world championships in Greco-Roman Wrestling cadet (15–16 years old) division. He was also an all-state football player at high school in the linebacker position, and had a personal best time of 4.5 seconds in the 40 yard dash. Cormier was offered a scholarship to play football at LSU, but declined in order to continue to pursue wrestling.  After high school, he attended Colby Community College, where he was a two-time junior college national champion at 197 pounds, in 1998 and 1999. His record was 61-0, with 33 falls. After Colby, Cormier transferred to Division I Oklahoma State University. In 2000, Cormier went 26-5. He entered the national tournament as the #3 seed at 184 pounds, but fell one match short of becoming an all-American (given to the top 8 finishers in each weight class). In 2001, Cormier went 27-5. He became an all-American by reaching the finals of the 184 pound weight class, in which he lost to Cael Sanderson 8-4. His final record was 53-10, with 27 falls. 6 of Cormier's losses were to Cael Sanderson.  After graduating from OSU with a degree in sociology, Cormier went on to have a successful career in Freestyle Wrestling. He was the senior U.S. national champion every year from 2003–2008, and represented team USA at the world level for each of those years. He competed at 96 kg, or 211.6 lbs. At the 2004 Olympics, he came 4th after losing to Khadzhimurat Gatsalov in the semifinals. Cormier was also a member of the 2008 Olympic wrestling team for the USA, where he was named team captain, but was pulled from competition due to kidney failure, brought on by excessive weight cutting.  In the non-Olympic years, Cormier reached the top 5 at the Wrestling World Championships on two separate occasions, 2003 and 2007. He won a bronze medal at the 2007 competition. Cormier also won a gold medal at the quadrennial Pan American Games in 2003. Another major accomplishment came in 2005, when Cormier became one of a select few Americans to win a gold medal at the Golden Grand-Prix Ivan Yarygin, held in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, and considered by many to be the most challenging wrestling tournament in the world.  Cormier also competed and represented the Oklahoma Slam team in the now-defunct Real Pro Wrestling league. He was crowned a champion in its first and only season in 2004, for the 211 lb weight class. While he competed in Real Pro Wrestling, he was teammates with fellow Strikeforce mixed martial arts competitor Muhammed Lawal, who also was a season 1 champion, in the 184 lb weight class.  Cormier is the head wrestling coach at Gilroy High School, having been appointed in the summer of 2018.

Mixed martial arts career.

Xtreme MMA.

After the 2008 Olympics, Cormier decided to pursue a career in mixed martial arts. He trained with Cain Velasquez, Jon Fitch, and Josh Koscheck at American Kickboxing Academy. It helped him improve as a striker and submission wrestler.  After making his professional debut in September 2009, Cormier traveled to Australia and fought for Xtreme MMA. He defeated Lucas Browne to win the XMMA Heavyweight Championship on July 31, 2010. Two weeks later, Cormier won his second MMA title by winning the KOTC Heavyweight Championship from Tony Johnson.

Strikeforce.

Cormier signed an eight-fight deal with the Strikeforce organization and debuted at Strikeforce Challengers: Kennedy vs. Cummings, defeating Gary Frazier by TKO.  Cormier fought at the event Strikeforce Challengers: Johnson vs. Mahe on March 26, 2010, in Fresno, California, where he defeated John Devine by KO.  Shortly thereafter, Cormier fought event on August 21, 2010, defeating Jason Riley via submission (punches) at 1:02 into the fight.  Cormier next fought Devin Cole at the Strikeforce Challengers: Woodley vs. Saffiedine event on January 7, 2011, in Nashville, Tennessee. He won via unanimous decision, the first time a fight of his had gone the distance.  Cormier was scheduled to face Shane del Rosario at on June 18, 2011, in Dallas, Texas, but his opponent was involved in a car accident and withdrew from the bout. Cormier instead faced Jeff Monson and won via decision. Cormier used his striking to dominate Monson on the feet and did not allow for any takedowns, negating Monson's submission ability.  Despite Cormier's reservations about competing in the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix due to inexperience, height and reach disadvantage over the rest of the field, he nonetheless entered, and faced Antônio Silva on only five weeks' notice on September 10, 2011, at, replacing Alistair Overeem. In a shocking upset, he won the fight via KO (punches) in the first round, catching Silva with multiple hits to the jaw, causing him to collapse, and then finishing with two hammer blows to the face of the grounded Silva before the referee could stop the fight. Cormier later revealed that he had broken his hand during the fight.  He faced fellow finalist Josh Barnett on May 19, 2012, at. Cormier won the five-round fight by unanimous decision (49–46, 50–45, and 50–45) and became the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Champion. It was discovered that Cormier, once again, had broken his right hand during his bout with Barnett, and he underwent hand surgery.  Daniel Cormier was rumored to face former UFC Heavyweight Champion Tim Sylvia in his return to Zuffa and Strikeforce debut, but on July 21, UFC President Dana White said, "No. Tim Sylvia is not with Zuffa".  Cormier was scheduled to fight former UFC Heavyweight Champion Frank Mir on November 3, 2012, at. However, on September 19 it was revealed that Mir had been forced to pull out of the bout due to an injury.  Cormier fought Dion Staring at on January 12, 2013. He won via TKO in the second round.

Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Early fights.

Cormier made his promotional debut against Frank Mir on April 20, 2013, at UFC on Fox 7. He won the fight via unanimous decision. Due to Cain Velasquez, Cormier's teammate, being the UFC heavyweight champion, Cormier considered moving down to the UFC's light heavyweight division. Some writers expressed doubt in his ability to cut down to the 205 limit safely, citing the fact that Cormier had suffered kidney failure during his time as an Olympic wrestler when trying to make 211 lbs. After failing to compete at the Olympics, he gained 40 lbs.  In his second UFC fight, Cormier faced Roy Nelson on October 19, 2013, at UFC 166. He won the fight via unanimous decision. Prior to the bout, he announced that, win or lose, he would be moving down to the light heavyweight division. Cormier weighed in for the bout more than 20 pounds lighter than previous contests, at 224 pounds.  Cormier was expected to face Rashad Evans at UFC 170 on February 22, 2014, in his first fight at light heavyweight. However, a leg injury knocked Evans off the card ten days before the event, and he was replaced by newcomer Patrick Cummins. Cormier won the fight via TKO in the first round.  Cormier was briefly linked to a bout with Rafael Cavalcante on July 5, 2014, at UFC 175. However, it was announced that Cormier would instead be fighting Dan Henderson on May 24, 2014, at UFC 173. After dominating the fight with his wrestling and top game, he won via technical submission in the third round.  Daniel Cormier was chosen as spokesperson for his new Cage Fighter signature wrestling shoe when he competed in an exhibition wrestling match against Chris Pendleton during the UFC Fan Expo.

Cormier vs. Jones.

Cormier was expected to face UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones at UFC 178 on September 27, 2014, after Alexander Gustafsson was forced to withdraw due to a torn meniscus. However, on August 12, Jones, citing an injury, was forced to pull out of the bout. The fight eventually took place at UFC 182. At UFC 182 Cormier was defeated by Jon Jones via unanimous decision. Both fighters were awarded a "Fight of the Night" bonus.

Light heavyweight champion.

Cormier was expected to face Ryan Bader on June 6, 2015, at UFC Fight Night 68. However, on April 28, 2015, it was announced that Jon Jones had been stripped of the light heavyweight championship and suspended indefinitely after facing felony charges stemming from a traffic accident in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Subsequently, Cormier was pulled from the Bader fight and replaced Jones against Anthony Johnson on May 23, 2015, at UFC 187 for the vacant title. In the opening seconds of the fight, Cormier was dropped by an overhand right by Johnson. Cormier won the next two rounds and submitted Johnson by rear naked choke in the third round to become the new UFC light heavyweight champion. The last time the championship had changed hands was in 2011. The fight earned Cormier a "Performance of the Night" bonus.  Cormier faced Alexander Gustafsson on October 3, 2015, at UFC 192. Cormier won the back-and-forth fight via split decision (47–48, 48–47, and 49–46). Their performance earned both participants "Fight of the Night" honors.  In November 2015, Cormier stated that he had signed a new, eight-fight contract with the UFC.  A rematch with Jon Jones was expected to take place on April 23, 2016, at UFC 197. However, Cormier pulled out of the fight on April 1 citing a foot injury and was replaced by Ovince Saint Preux. The rematch with Jones was rescheduled for July 9, 2016, at UFC 200. On July 6, it was announced that the fight between Jones and Cormier was off due to a potential doping violation from Jon Jones. Cormier fought former UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva in a 3-round non-title fight at the event. Cormier won the fight via unanimous decision.  A rematch with Anthony Johnson was expected to take place on December 10, 2016, at UFC 206. However, on November 25, 2016, Cormier withdrew from the bout due to injury. The pairing was rescheduled again for April 8, 2017, at UFC 210. At the weigh-in for the fight, Cormier was 1.2 pounds over the 205 pound limit for a light heavyweight championship fight: he was allowed a second weigh-in and came in at the 205 limit. During the fight, Anthony Johnson surprisingly adopted a grappling-based approach, and Cormier was able to retain his title with a submission victory in the second round.

Jon Jones rematch and controversy.

The rematch with Jon Jones took place on July 29, 2017, at UFC 214 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. Jones defeated Cormier, recapturing the light heavyweight championship via knockout in the third round, after a head kick and a barrage of strikes on the ground.  In the post-fight interview, a tearful and emotional Cormier showed disappointment of the defeat and said "I guess if he wins both fights there is no rivalry." Commentator Joe Rogan issued an apology on Twitter to Cormier after the fight for interviewing him when Cormier could not gather his thoughts due to the knock out he suffered in the fight.  On August 22, it was announced that Jones had been flagged for a potential doping violation by USADA stemming from his test sample that was collected after weigh-ins July 28. He tested positive for Oral Turinabol, an anabolic steroid. Jones was placed on a provisional suspension as a result of the positive drug test. On September 13, USADA confirmed that the "B" sample of Jones' tested positive for Turinabol. As a result, the CSAC officially changed the bout result to a no contest and the light heavyweight championship was returned to Cormier. On September 18, Cormier, in an interview with TMZ, said he is open to a third fight with Jon Jones after Jones's suspension is served.

Resumed title reign.

Cormier faced Volkan Oezdemir on January 20, 2018, at UFC 220. He defeated Oezdemir in the 2nd round after dominating Oezdemir throughout the match. This win earned him the Performance of the Night bonus.

Heavyweight champion.

Cormier faced Stipe Miocic for the UFC heavyweight championship on July 7, 2018, at UFC 226. He won the fight via knockout in the first round, thus becoming the second fighter to hold two titles simultaneously in the UFC. As of August 17, 2019, Cormier is one of four fighters to have held two UFC championships simultaneously. This fight earned him the "Performance of the Night" award. Provoked by Cormier after his victory, Brock Lesnar emerged from the audience and came into the octagon to accept the challenge by the new champion.  On October 9, the UFC announced that Cormier would be making the first defense of his heavyweight championship against Derrick Lewis at UFC 230; he successfully defeated Lewis via rear-naked choke in the second round, becoming the first man to submit Lewis in MMA. This made Cormier the first UFC fighter to win and defend both the Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight belts, and the first UFC fighter to be a double champion who successfully defended both belts. Cormier relinquished the light heavyweight title a day before UFC 232, with his focus solely on defending the heavyweight title, stating: "I'd rather walk away this way, than have the history books say I was stripped".  Since the potential matchup with Brock Lesnar never materialised, with Lesnar instead opting to re-sign with the WWE, Cormier decided to fight Miocic again. The rematch took place on August 17, 2019, at UFC 241, just over a year since their first fight. Cormier lost the fight by TKO in the fourth round, ending his reign as heavyweight champion.  The trilogy bout between Cormier and Miocic is set to take place on August 15 at UFC 252.

Personal life.

Cormier and a former girlfriend had one daughter who died in a car accident on June 14, 2003. He was also previously married to a woman named Robin.  On February 16, 2011, he and his then-fiancée Salina had a son, Daniel Jr., who also trains in amateur wrestling at AKA, where Daniel Sr. is the assistant coach. On March 4, 2012, Cormier and his fiancée had a daughter. In June 2017, Cormier and Salina were married.  Cormier is known for being a dedicated fan of the New Orleans Saints and professional wrestling.  He was featured on an episode of Sneaker Shopping on the YouTube channel Complex.  In February 2019 he featured in "Sub-Zero's Head Shatter", the first episode of the YouTube series "The Science of Mortal Kombat" by Because Science.

Film career.

Cormier made his film debut in 2014, playing himself in the 2014 comedy "Mantervention".

Freestyle record.

! colspan="7"| Senior Freestyle Results! Res.! Record! Opponent! Score! Date! Event! Location! style=background:white colspan=7 |! style=background:white colspan=7 |! style=background:white colspan=7 |! style=background:white colspan=7 |! style=background:white colspan=7 |! style=background:white colspan=7 |! style=background:white colspan=7 |! style=background:white colspan=7 |! style=background:white colspan=7 |! style=background:white colspan=7 |! style=background:white colspan=7 |! style=background:white colspan=7 |! style=background:white colspan=7 |! style=background:white colspan=7 |! style=background:white colspan=7 |

NCAA Record.

! colspan="8"| NCAA Championships Matches! Res.! Record! Opponent! Score! Date! Event! style=background:white colspan=6 |2001 NCAA Championships at 184 lbs! style=background:white colspan=6 |2000 NCAA Championships at 184 lbs

External links.

<br

Daniel Ryan Cormier (born March 20, 1979) is an American mixed martial artist and former Olympic wrestler. He is signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is a former two-division world champion, having held the heavyweight and light heavyweight world championships simultaneously. Cormier is the second fighter in UFC history to hold titles in two weight classes simultaneously and is the first to defend titles in two different divisions.

Daniel Ryan Cormier (* 20. března 1979 Lafayette) je americký zápasník afroamerického původu. Účástník letních olympijských her v roce 2004 a 2008 v zápasu ve volném stylu a držitel mistrovského pásu v lehké těžké a těžké váze v bojovém sportu mixed martial arts v období květen 2015 až srpen 2019 organizace Ultimate Fighting Championship.


Biography.

He was born at Gournay-sur-Marne (Seine-Saint-Denis). He studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris and later under Cabanel. During the Franco-Prussian War he passed some time as a prisoner in Dresden, where the art of Rubens made a lasting impression on him, as may be seen in the glowing colors of his early paintings. About 1890 he adopted the gray, misty-color scheme with contrasts of light and shadow, so characteristic of his art, but which no other artist has been able to imitate without affectation.  His themes usually are scenes of his domestic life, and he repeatedly introduced the likeness of his wife in his paintings. The first of these, "The Young Mother" (1879), is now in the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rouen. It was followed by, "The Sick Child" (Montargis), "The First Communion" (Toulon), and the highly praised 1887 portrait of the sculptor Louis-Henri Devillez.  Carrière was one of the leaders in the secessionist movement, which led to the founding of the "Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts". At the "Société", Carrière exhibited, among other works, "Sleep" (1890), the celebrated portrait of Paul Verlaine (1891, Luxembourg), "Maternity" (1892, Luxembourg), "Christ on the Cross" (1897), and "Madame Menard-Dorian" (1906).  Carrière played an influential role as an art teacher at Académie de La Palette. He also modeled a monument to Verlaine in the style of Rodin.  Several of his works may be found at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris and in National Museum of Serbia in Belgrade.

Eugène Anatole Carrière (16 January 1849 – 27 March 1906) was a French Symbolist artist of the "Fin de siècle" period. His paintings are best known for their brown monochrome palette. He was a close friend of the sculptor Rodin and his work influenced Picasso. Some see traces of Carrière's monochrome style in Picasso's Blue Period.

Eugène Anatole Carrière (16. ledna 1849, Gournay-sur-Marne – 27. března 1906, Paříž) byl francouzský symbolista z konce 19. století, z období francouzsky pojmenovaného "Fin de siècle” (konec století). Jeho obrazy se vyznačují hnědou monochromatickou paletou. Byl blízkým přítelem sochaře Augusta Rodina a jeho práce ovlivnila také Picassa. Někteří vidí stopy jeho monochromatického stylu v Picassově modrém období.


Early life and background.

Elena Rybakina was born on June 17, 1999 in Moscow. At five, her father, who was engaged in various sports, brought her to tennis. In 2016, Rybakina began her professional career.  From 2013 to 2018, Rybakina represented Russia, then she changed her nationality to represent Kazakhstan.

Junior career.

Rybakina is a former world No. 3 junior. She reached the semifinals of the junior girl's singles event at the Australian Open and Roland Garros in 2017. She is also quarterfinalist of the junior girl's singles event at the US Open, also in 2017. As junior, she had 32–11 record.

Professional career.

2014–17: ITF debut.

Rybakina began playing on the ITF Women's Circuit in December 2014 at the age of 15. She reached her first singles final at $10K Antalya, Turkey in November 2015, where she lost to Ekaterine Gorgodze.

2017: WTA debut, first ITF singles and doubles titles.

In October 2017, Rybakina made her WTA debut at the Kremlin Cup, but she was defeated in the round by Irina-Camelia Begu.  On the ITF, she won her first single title at the $15K Kazan, Russia in March 2018, defeating Russian player Daria Nazarkina in straight sets, and she won her first double title at the $15K Istanbul, Turkey in April 2017 with Russian Ekaterina Kazionova.

2018: First top 10 win, playing for Kazakhstan.

At the 2018 St. Petersburg Ladies' Trophy, Rybakina recorded her first WTA main-draw win against Timea Bacsinszky, then she defeated world No. 7, Caroline Garcia. In the quarterfinals, Rybakina lost to Julia Görges. In June 2018, she chose to represent Kazakhstan.

2019: First WTA title, debut at the top 50.

In 2019, Rybakina won her first WTA title at the Bucharest Open at the age of 20, playing only her seventh tournament main draw; she beat Patricia Maria Țig in the final. The win took her into the top 70 in the WTA Rankings. On September 16, 2019 she made debut within the top 50.

2020: First Grand Slam win, debut at the top 20.

Rybakina started the new season by reaching the final in Shenzhen, where she lost to Ekaterina Alexandrova. The following week, she won her second WTA title in Hobart, defeating Zhang Shuai. At the Australian Open, Rybakina, as 29th seed, had her first Grand Slam win. She beat Bernarda Pera and Greet Minnen, but then lost to world No. 1 Ashleigh Barty. After the St. Petersburg Ladies' Trophy, where she lost in the final to Kiki Bertens, she reached the top 20 in the WTA rankings. At the Dubai Tennis Championships, Rybakina scored her first top 5 win by defeating world No. 3 Karolína Plíšková. In the first round she upset the 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin before reaching her fourth final of the 2020 season where she lost to Simona Halep. After defeating Sorana Cîrstea and Alison Van Uytvanck in close three set matches, Rybakina withdrew from Doha prior to her third round match against Barty due to injury.

Playing style.

Rybakina is known for her aggressive game which is played mostly from the baseline. Her groundstrokes are powerful from both wings, and her power has been described as "effortless" by some commentators. She has a strong, powerful, and accurate serve which is capable of reaching 115 mph (185 km/h), and, so far in 2020, she has led the WTA tour in the number of aces served, at 144 in 25 matches, up to 9 March 2020. She employs a 'first-strike' style of game, choosing to finish points quickly. She possesses exceptional variety, being capable of incorporating drop shots and sliced backhands into points whilst still playing aggressively, is comfortable at the net and is an adept volleyer, and has been praised for her intelligent shot selection, point construction, and patience, not making as many unforced errors as other players with a similarly aggressive game. Since 2019, she has won the vast majority of three set matches she has participated in, having won 90% of such matches in 2020, and has been noted for her tenacity and competitive spirit.

Endorsements.

As of 2020, Rybakina is sponsored by Adidas for clothing and shoes, and by Yonex for rackets. Previously, she was endorsed by Nike for apparel and shoes.

Performance timelines.

"Only main-draw results in WTA Tour, Grand Slam tournaments, Fed Cup and Olympic Games are included in win–loss records."

Singles.

Doubles.

"Current through the suspension of the 2020 WTA Tour."  Notes

WTA Tour career earnings.

<nowiki>*</nowiki>As of 9 March 2020

Career Grand Slam statistics.

Grand Slam tournament seedings.

The tournaments won by Rybakina are in boldface, and advanced into finals by Rybakina are in italics.

Record against other players.

Record against top 10 players.

Rybakina's record against players who have been ranked in the top 10 (as of March 9, 2020):

Elena Andreyevna Rybakina (; born 17 June 1999) is a Russian–born Kazakh professional tennis player who has won two singles titles on the WTA Tour. She has a career-high singles ranking of world No. 17.

Jelena Rybakinová (rusky: Елена Андреевна Рыбакина, "Jelena Andrejevna Rybakina"; * 17. června 1999 Moskva) je kazachstánská profesionální tenistka, která do června 2018 reprezentovala rodné Rusko. Ve své dosavadní kariéře na okruhu WTA Tour vyhrála dva singlové turnaje. V rámci okruhu ITF získala čtyři tituly ve dvouhře a čtyři ve čtyřhře.


History.

Before its arrival in Okinawa, the sai was already being used in other Asian countries including India, Thailand, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia. It may have been brought to Okinawa from one or several of these places simultaneously. Silat practitioners typically refer to the sai either as "chabang" in Indonesian or tekpi in Malay. Based on the Indian trisula, early evidence in the form of Japanese art shows that the chabang predates the sai's use in Okinawa and China. The word "trisula" itself can refer to either a long or short-handled trident. Because the trisula was created in South Asia, it is possible that the sai originated in India and spread along with Hinduism and Buddhism. This is supported by the fact that the trisula is important as a Hindu-Buddhist symbol.  In Okinawa the sai was used by domestic police ("ufuchiku") to arrest criminals and for crowd control. Use of the sai in Japanese martial arts was improved in 1668 by Moto Chohei, an Okinawan prince.  The sai eventually reached Japan in the form of the jitte, which usually has only a single prong although some jitte have two prongs like a sai. Both are like truncheon weapons, used for striking, bludgeoning, and also for multiple punctures over different positions on the body.

Technique.

The sai is typically used in pairs, with one in each hand. Five kata are commonly taught, including two kihon kata. The style includes a variety of blocks, parries, strikes, and captures against attackers from all directions and height levels. Use of the point, knuckle and central bar is emphasized, as well as rapid grip changes for multiple strikes and blocks.  The utility of the sai as a weapon is reflected in its distinctive shape. It is primarily used as a striking weapon for short jabs into the solar plexus but it also has many defensive techniques.  There are several different ways of wielding the sai, which give it the versatility to be used both lethally and non-lethally. One way to hold it is by gripping the handle with all of the fingers and pinching the thumb against the joint between the handle bar and the shaft. This allows one to manipulate the sai so that it can be pressed against the forearm and also help avoid getting the thumb caught in the handle when blocking an attack. The change is made by putting pressure on the thumbs and rotating the sai around until it is facing backwards and the index finger is aligned with the handle.  The knuckle end is good for concentrating the force of a punch, while the long shaft can be wielded to thrust at enemies, to serve as a protection for a blow to the forearm, or to stab as one would use a common dagger. In practice, some prefer to keep the index finger extended in alignment with the center shaft regardless of whether the knuckle end or the middle prong is exposed. The finger may be straight or slightly curled. Used in this way, the other fingers are kept on the main shaft, with the thumb supporting the handle.  The grips described above leverage the versatility of this implement as both an offensive and a defensive weapon. Both grips facilitate flipping between the point and the knuckle being exposed while the sai is held in strong grip positions.  Because there is no morphological plural in Japanese, the word "sai" refers to either a single weapon or multiple. Nicho sai refers to a kata that uses two sai, while sancho sai kata refers to kata using three sai.

The sai (<unk>) is a traditional melee weapon used in Okinawa. The basic form of the weapon is that of a sharp metal prong with two curved sideprongs ("yoku") projecting from the handle ("tsuka"). There are many different types of sai with varying prongs for trapping and blocking.

Bojová vidlice Sai je tradiční zbraní, která je v dnešní době nejvíce rozšířená díky bojovému stylu Okinawa Kobudó. Vidlice Sai je specifikována svým tvarem, který připomíná trojzubec. Základní dlouhý hrot (Monouchi) tradiční vidlice Sai je tupý, se dvěma podstatně menšími hroty tvořící vidlici (Yoku), které přecházejí v rukojeť (Tsuka).


Early history.

The territory around Mariazell was given to the Monastery of St. Lambrecht around 1103, and the monks built a cell there in order to serve the local residents. Legends give the town's founding day as December 21, 1157, but it is first documented in 1243. A Marian altar was dedicated there in 1266.

The current church building.

The Basilica of the Mariä Geburt.

In the fourteenth century, a gothic church stood at Mariazell with a 90 m high spire and an ogive portal. In 1420 and 1474, the church was destroyed by fire. The church building was later expanded and redesigned in the Baroque style by Domenico Sciassia from 1644 to 1683. To the left and right of the gothic spire, a baroque tower was built, the nave was lengthened and widened, and a dome was added on the eastern side. The high altar, consecrated in 1704, was designed by Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach.  The twelve side chapels each contain a baroque altar. The plaster stucco work of the organ gallery and the 1737 organ console was created by the Viennese sculptor Johann Wagner in 1740.  In front of the main entrance are two life-sized lead statues created by Balthasar Moll in 1757. To the left stands King Ludwig I of Hungary and to the right is Heinrich, Margrave of Moravia.  In 1907, the pilgrimage church was elevated to a basilica minor.  The basilica has been undergoing a general restoration since 1992, which was completed in 2007.

Holy image and chapel.

The older part of the building, built in 1690, contains the Gnadenkapelle. This chapel sits on the site of the first "cell" and holds a Late Romanesque miraculous image of the Virgin Mary - the "Magna Mater Austria" - a 48 cm tall statuette made of linden.

Pilgrimage development.

Pilgrims were already making their way to the Marian sanctuary in the 12th century. Larger numbers of pilgrims are documented beginning around 1330, when a secular court imposed a "Zellfahrt" ("'Zell journey") as atonement for its criminals. In the following years increasing numbers of pilgrims came from neighboring lands. After the Counter-Reformation, the Habsburgs made Mariazell a national sanctuary. However, in 1783, Emperor Joseph II dissolved the monastery in Mariazell, and in 1787, he completely banned pilgrimages there. After the early withdrawal of the restrictions, today around a million pilgrims visit Mariazell each year. In May 2004, the Central European Catholic Day ("mitteleuropäische Katholikentag") took place there.

Legends.

There are three basic legends about the founding of Mariazell and its development. The legend of the town's founding says that in 1157, the St. Lambrecht Monk Magnus was sent to the area of the current town as a minister. When his way was blocked by a rock, he set down the Marian figurine he had brought with him, whereby the rock broke apart and left Magnus' way clear. On a nearby bank, he settled down, placed the figurine on a tree trunk, and built a cell out of wood, which served as both his chapel and his living quarters.  The second legend relates how Henry Margrave of Moravia and his wife, having been healed of severe gout through the help of Our Lady of Mariazell made a pilgrimage to that place around 1200. There they built the first stone church on the site of the wooden chapel.  The third legend recounts a victorious battle of the Hungarian King Ludwig I over a numerically superior Turkish army. Out of thanks he built the gothic church and endowed it with the "Schatzkammerbild" (""treasury image"") that he saw laid upon his chest in a dream.  The Mariazell Basilica was recently selected as the main motif of a collectors' coin: the Austrian Mariazell Basilica commemorative coin, minted on May 9, 2007. The coin shows the facade of the basilica with its characteristic central gothic tower flanked by two baroque towers.

Mariazell Basilica, also known as Basilica Mariä Geburt (Basilica of the Birth of the Virgin Mary), is a Marian basilica in Mariazell, Austria. It is the most important pilgrimage destination in Austria and one of the most visited shrines in Europe. In the church, a miraculous wooden image of the Virgin Mary is honored. Pope Pius X raised the sanctuary to the status of minor basilica in 1907 and then crowned the image on 8 September 1908. It is the only church named as a national shrine of all German-speaking countries.

Mariazellská bazilika je katolický kostel v rakouském městečku Mariazell. Je unikátní radikálním spojením gotické a barokní architektury. Jde zároveň o nejvýznamnější poutní místo v Rakousku, a to díky dřevěné, pozdně románské sošce Panny Marie zvané "Magna Mater Austria", jíž katoličtí věřící připisují zázračnou moc. Titul basilica minor kostelu přidělil papež Pius X. roku 1907. Gotický základ byl postaven ve 14. století. V letech 1420 a 1474 ovšem kostel vyhořel. V letech 1644-1683 proběhla obnova a přístavba v barokním slohu, návrh připravil Domenico Sciassia. Centrální gotickou věž nechal obstoupit dvěma barokními. Hlavní barokní oltář vytvořil Johann Bernhard Fischer. Každá z dvanácti postranních kaplí má rovněž vlastní barokní oltář. Varhanní konzole vytvořil vídeňský sochař Johann Wagner. Před hlavním vchodem stojí dvě sochy v životní velikosti vytvořené Balthasarem Mollem v roce 1757. Na levé straně stojí uherský a polský král Ludvík I. Veliký a vpravo český kníže a moravský markrabě Vladislav Jindřich. V roce 1992 začala generální rekonstrukce, dokončena byla roku 2007. Pouti k sošce jsou zaznamenány již ze 12. století. Habsburkové tradici posílili v rámci protireformační kampaně a dali jí i národní ráz. Poutě zakázal sice císař Josef II., ale po jeho smrti se tradice obnovila. V současnosti Mariazell navštěvuje každoročně kolem milionu poutníků.


Design and development.

With the introduction of the North American Mustang Mk.I with the Royal Air Force's Army Co-operation Squadrons in February 1942, the new fighter began combat missions as a low-altitude reconnaissance and ground-support aircraft. Supplementing the Curtiss P-40 Tomahawks already in service, Mustang Mk Is were first supplied to No. 26 Squadron RAF, then rapidly deployed to 10 additional squadrons by June 1942. First used in combat over the Dieppe Raid on 19 August 1942, a Mustang of No. 414 (RCAF) Squadron downed one of the formidable Focke-Wulf Fw 190s, the first victory for a Mustang. Despite the limited high-altitude performance of the Allison V-1710 engine, the RAF was enthusiastic about its new mount, which "performed magnificently".  During the Mustang Mk. I's successful combat initiation, North American's president Howard "Dutch" Kindelberger pressed the newly redesignated U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF) for a fighter contract for the essentially similar P-51, 93 of which had passed into the USAAF when the Lend-Lease contract with Britain ran out of funds. The Mustang Mk IA/P-51 used four 20 mm Hispano wing cannon in place of the original armament, a combination of four wing-mounted.30 caliber (7.62 mm) M1919 Browning machine guns and four.50 caliber (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns, two of which were mounted in the wings, while the second pair was mounted in the "chin", or lower engine cowling, and synchronized to fire through the propeller. No funds were available for new fighter contracts in fiscal year 1942, but General Oliver P. Echols and Fighter Project Officer Benjamin S. Kelsey wanted to ensure that the P-51 remained in production.  Since appropriations were available for an attack aircraft, Echols specified modifications to the P-51 to turn it into a dive bomber. The contract for 500 A-36A aircraft fitted with bomb racks, dive brakes, and heavier-duty wing, was signed by Kelsey on 16 April 1942, even before the first flight of the first production P-51 in May 1942. With orders on the books, North American Aviation (NAA) began modifying the P-51 to accept the bomb shackles which had already been tested in a "long-range ferry" program that the RAF had stipulated. Engineering studies totaling 40,000 hours and wind tunnel testing with a 1⁄8-scale model were completed in June 1942. Utilizing the basic P-51 airframe and Allison engine, structural reinforcing "beefed up" several high stress areas and "a set of hydraulically operated dive brakes were installed in each main wing plane". Due to the slightly inboard placement of the bomb racks and unique installation of four cast aluminum dive brakes, a complete redesign of the P-51 wing was required. The first A-36A ("42-83663") was rolled out of the NAA Inglewood plant in September 1942, rapidly going through flight testing with the first flight in October, with deliveries commencing soon after of the first production machines. The A-36A continued the use of nose-mounted.50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns along with wing armament of four.50 in (12.7 mm) caliber machine guns. The USAAF envisaged that the dive bomber would operate mainly at altitudes below 12,000 ft (3,658 m) and specified the use of a sea level-rated Allison V-1710-87, driving a 10 ft 9 in (3.28 m)-diameter three bladed Curtiss-Electric propeller and delivering 1,325 hp (988 kW) at 3,000 ft (914 m). The main air scoop inlet was redesigned to become a fixed unit with a larger opening, replacing the earlier scoop which could be lowered into the airstream. In addition the A-36 carburetor air intake was later fitted with a tropical air filter to stop sand and grit being ingested into the engine.  The USAAF later ordered 310 P-51As, which were essentially A-36s without the dive-brakes and nose-mounted weapons, leaving an armament of four wing-mounted 0.50 in (12.7 mm) Browning machine guns. An Allison V-1710-81 1,200 hp (895 kW) was fitted and used the same radiator and air intake as the A-36A. The P-51A was still fitted with bomb racks although it was not intended to be used primarily as a fighter-bomber and the racks were mainly used to carry drop tanks.

Operational history.

The A-36A-1-NA "Apache" (although Apache was the A-36A's official name, it was rarely used) joined the 27th Fighter-Bomber Group (27th FBG) composed of four squadrons based at Ras el Ma Airfield in French Morocco in April 1943 during the campaign in North Africa. The 27th had a mixed component of Douglas A-20 Havocs and A-36As while the second operational unit, the 86th Fighter Bomber Group (Dive) arrived in March 1943 with the first pilots trained and qualified on the A-36A. On 6 June 1943, both of these A-36A units flew combat missions directed against the island of Pantelleria. The island fell to Allied attack and became the home base for the two A-36A groups during the Allied invasion of Sicily. The A-36A proved to be a potent weapon: it could be put into a vertical dive at 12,000 ft (3,658 m) with deployed dive brakes, thus limiting the dive speed to 390 mph (628 km/h) ("A36A-1 Flight Manual requires deployment before starting a dive"). Pilots soon recognized that extending the dive brakes after "peel-off" led to some unequal extension of the brakes due to varying hydraulic pressure, setting up an invariable slight roll, which impeded aiming. Proper technique soon cured this anomaly and, subsequently, pilots achieved extremely consistent results. Depending on the target and defenses, the bomb release took place between 2,000 ft and 4,000 ft (610 and 1,219 m), followed by an immediate sharp "pull up."  Dive brakes in the wings gave the A-36A greater stability in a dive; however, a myth has arisen that they were useless due to malfunctions or because of the danger of deploying them and that they should be wired closed. Capt. Charles E. Dills, 522d Fighter Squadron, 27th FBG, XIIth Air Force emphatically stated in a postwar interview: "I flew the A-36 for 39 of my 94 missions, from 11/43 to 3/44. They were never wired shut in Italy in combat. This 'wired shut' story apparently came from the training group at Harding Field, Baton Rouge, LA."  However, tactical reconnaissance training with P-51 and A-36 aircraft had delivered some disquieting accident rates. At one time, A-36 training had resulted in the type having "the highest accident rate per hour's flying time" of any USAAF aircraft. The most serious incident involved an A-36A shedding both wings when its pilot tried to pull out from a 450 mph (724 km/h) dive. Combat units flying the A-36A were ordered to restrict their approach to a 70° "glide" attack and refrain from using dive brakes. This order was generally ignored by experienced pilots, but some units did wire dive brakes shut until modifications made to the hydraulic actuators. Nevertheless, the A-36 was used with great success as a dive-bomber, acquiring a reputation for precision, sturdiness and silence.  By late May 1943, 300 A-36As had been deployed to the Mediterranean Theater, with many of the first batch sent to the 27th FBG to re-build the group following losses as well as completing the final transition to an all-A-36A unit. Both groups were actively involved in air support during the Sicilian campaign, becoming especially adept at "mopping up" enemy gun positions and other strong points as the Allies advanced. During this operation, the 27th FBG circulated a petition to adopt the name "Invader" for their rugged little bomber, receiving unofficial recognition of the more fitting name. Despite the name change, most combat reports preferred the name "Mustang" for all of the variants. Author William Hess claims that the Germans gave it a flattering, if fearsome, accolade, calling the A-36As: "screaming helldivers."  Besides dive bombing, the A-36A racked up aerial victories, totaling 84 enemy aircraft downed and creating an "ace", Lieutenant Michael T. Russo from the 27th FBG (ultimately, the only ace using the Allison-engined Mustang). As fighting intensified in all theaters where the A-36A operated, the dive bomber began to suffer an alarming loss rate with 177 falling to enemy action. The main reason for the attrition was the hazardous missions that placed the A-36A "on the deck" facing murderous ground fire. German defenses in southern Italy included placing cables across hill tops to snare the attacking A-36As. Despite establishing a reputation for reliability and performance, the one "Achilles' heel" of the A-36A (and the entire Mustang series) remained its ventral-fuselage location radiator/cooling system, leading to many of the losses. By June 1944, A-36As in Europe were replaced by Curtiss P-40s and Republic P-47 Thunderbolts.  A-36As also served with the 311th Fighter Bomber Group in the China-Burma-India theater. The 311th had arrived in Dinjan, India by late summer 1943 after being shipped across the Pacific via Australia. Two squadrons were equipped with the A-36A while the third flew P-51As. Tasked with reconnaissance, dive bombing, attack and fighter missions, the A-36A was outclassed by its main opposition, the Nakajima Ki-43 "Oscar." The light and highly agile Japanese fighter could outmaneuver the A-36A at all altitudes but did have some weak points: it was lightly armed and offered little protection for pilot or fuel tanks. However, the A-36A fought at a significant disadvantage, having to carry out long-range missions often at altitudes above The Hump that meant its Allison engine was below peak performance. In a fighter escort mission over Burma, three A-36As were lost without scoring a single victory. The A-36A CBI missions continued throughout 1943–1944 with indifferent results. The A-36A remained in service in small numbers throughout the remaining year of the war, some being retained in the US as training aircraft.  "The type's relatively brief service life should not camouflage the fact that it made a major contribution to the Allied war effort" especially in the Mediterranean and it amounted to the first USAAF combat use of a Mustang variant. The effectiveness of the A-36 as a ground attack aircraft was demonstrated on 5 June 1944. In a well-planned attack on the large, well defended rail depot and ammunition dump at Orte, Italy, Lieutenant Ross C. Watson led a flight of four A-36s through a heavy overcast on the approach to the target. Watson's A-36s scored several hits under intense anti-aircraft fire although his aircraft was damaged by ground fire. Under continuing heavy ground fire, Watson pressed home his attack and destroyed the ammunition dump before making an emergency landing at an advanced Allied airfield.

Surviving aircraft.

Relatively few A-36As survived the war and the subsequent postwar retirement and scrapping of obsolete types. One A-36A, bearing race number #44, owned and flown by Kendall Everson, was entered in the 1947 Kendall Trophy Race. It was able to reach 377.926 mph, finishing second to the winning P-51D flown by Steve Beville.

The North American A-36 Apache (listed in some sources as "Invader", but also called Mustang) was the ground-attack/dive bomber version of the North American P-51 Mustang, from which it could be distinguished by the presence of rectangular, slatted dive brakes above and below the wings. A total of 500 A-36 dive bombers served in the Mediterranean and Southeast Asia theaters during World War II before being withdrawn from operational use in 1944.

North American A-36 Apache (v některých zdrojích uváděn jako Invader, ale také jako Mustang) byla bitevní varianta stíhacího letounu North American P-51 Mustang, určená i ke střemhlavému bombardování. Od P-51 se lišila především obdélníkovými, roštovými aerodynamickými brzdami na křídlech. Během druhé světové války sloužilo na bojištích ve Středomoří a jihovýchodní Asii celkem 500 střemhlavých bombardérů A-36. V Evropě byly od června 1944 nahrazovány stroji Republic P-47 Thunderbolt a Curtiss P-40.


Composition history.

The opera commemorates the siege and ultimate destruction of the town of Missolonghi in 1826 by Turkish troops during the ongoing Greek War of Independence (1821–1829). The same incident – condemned throughout Western Europe for its cruelty – also inspired a prominent painting by Eugène Delacroix ("Greece Expiring on the Ruins of Missolonghi"), and was mentioned in the writings of Victor Hugo. The reference to Corinth is an example of allegory, although Sultan Mehmed II had indeed besieged the city in the 1450s. Lord Byron's 1816 poem "The Siege of Corinth" has little, if any, connection with the opera as to its content.

Revised version of "Maometto II".

The French version of this late Rossini opera was a partial rewrite of the composer's 1820 Italian opera, "Maometto II", but with exactly the same story and characters, in the setting of the Turks' 1470 conquest of the Venetian colony of Negroponte. That original version had premiered in Naples on 3 December 1820 – six years before the Missolonghi siege and massacre. The original "Maometto" was not well received, neither in Naples nor in Venice where Rossini tried out a somewhat revised version in 1823, this time with a happy ending using music from his own "La donna del lago" at the conclusion.  But in 1826, two years after settling in Paris, Rossini tried yet again, with yet another version (which included two ballets, as called for by French operatic tradition), transplanted it to the Peloponnese with the new title "Le siège de Corinthe" in a topical nod to the then-raging Greek war for independence from the Ottomans, and translated it into French. This time, Rossini succeeded, and the opera was performed in various countries over the next decade or so.

Performance history.

The first performance, in French, was at the Salle Le Peletier of the Paris Opéra on 9 October 1826. It was given as "L'assedio di Corinto" in Parma on 26 January 1828 and it reached Vienna in July 1831. In the United States, the first performance was given in French by the Italian Opera House in New York in February 1833 and in Italian in February 1835. The opera became popular across Europe in its Italian translation by Calisto Bassi with a contralto in the tenor role of Neocle, but from the 1860s it disappeared entirely from the repertory and was no longer staged for roughly the next eighty years. However, the opera's overture remained widely popular and never left the concert orchestra repertory. More recently the overture has been performed and recorded by several contemporary classical orchestras, including the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields conducted by Neville Marriner.  In 1949 "Le siège de Corinthe" was finally revived again in a production starring Renata Tebaldi in Florence. That production was repeated two years later in Rome. In 1969 La Scala revived it for the Rossini centennial with the young Beverly Sills, in her La Scala debut, as Pamira, Marilyn Horne as Neocle, and Thomas Schippers conducting. The opera used a performing edition by noted musicologist and "bel canto" expert Randolph Mickelson that made use of insertion arias from the original Neapolitan and Venetian versions and even from other obscure Rossini operas (as Rossini himself commonly did). In 1975, the Metropolitan Opera used the La Scala version for its premiere of the opera. The Met production was conducted by Schippers again and starred Beverly Sills in her Met debut, now opposite Shirley Verrett, Justino Díaz and Harry Theyard.  Since 1975, the only production of the opera in the US has been the October 2006 stagings of the French version by the Baltimore Opera, in a mid-19th century re-translation back into Italian, with one aria interpolated from one of the predecessor "Maometto II" versions and one from Rossini's "Ciro in Babilonia" which featured Elizabeth Futral as Pamira and Vivica Genaux as Neocle.  Outside the US, the opera has been staged several times. It was produced in Florence in 1982 in Calisto Bassi's Italian version, starring Katia Ricciarelli and contralto Martine Dupuy, and under the direction of Pier Luigi Pizzi. In 1992 the same production was revived in Genoa starring Luciana Serra, but the original French version was chosen instead. The French version was also staged twice at the Rossini Opera Festival: in 2000 starring Ruth Ann Swenson and Giuseppe Filianoti, and in 2017, following the new critical edition by Damien Colas, in a La Fura dels Baus production.

Synopsis.

Act 1.

"Vestibule of the senate palace at Corinth"

Act 2.

"Maometto's tent"

Act 3.

"The tombs of Corinth, illuminated by a multitude of fires"

References.

Notes  Sources

Le siège de Corinthe (The Siege of Corinth) is an opera in three acts by Gioachino Rossini set to a French libretto by Luigi Balocchi and Alexandre Soumet, which was based on the reworking of some of the music from the composer's 1820 opera for Naples, "Maometto II", the libretto of which was written by Cesare della Valle.

Obléhání Korintu (francouzsky Le siège de Corinthe) je opera o třech jednáních italského skladatele Gioacchina Rossiniho složená na francouzské libreto Luigiho Balocchiho a francouzského básníka Alexandra Soumeta. Opera je založena na přepracované části hudby z jeho vlastní opery "Mohamed druhý", složené v roce 1820 pro Neapol, jejíž libreto napsal dramatik a libretista Cesare della Valle.


Qualifying.

Brabham entered only one BT55, the car of Riccardo Patrese. Elio de Angelis had been killed in a testing accident at Circuit Paul Ricard just over a week before the race. Williams-Honda driver Nelson Piquet took pole late in the qualifying session using the team's spare car. Piquet's engine blew up in his race car during qualifying forcing him into the spare. Austrian Gerhard Berger scored his first front row start and the first for the BMW powered Benetton after being fastest in Friday qualifying. His Friday time of 1:54.468 was half a second faster than his Saturday time but still good enough for the front row. World Champion Alain Prost was third in his McLaren-TAG with the Lotus-Renault of Ayrton Senna completing the second row. Nigel Mansell qualified fifth in his Williams-Honda with Teo Fabi completing the top 6 in his Benetton-BMW.

Race.

Piquet won the start and led the field into the La Source hairpin but behind him was chaos. Senna had made a good start from the 2nd row and when Berger's car twitched under brakes Senna went to the outside and then turned hard into the right hand corner. In doing so he squeezed out Berger who in turn squeezed out Prost while avoiding Senna. Prost, who had gone inside when the Benetton twitched, hit the inside barrier damaging the nose of his car with the right front wing drooping on the ground. He then drove over Berger's wheel launching the rear of his McLaren into the air. Other drivers were forced to take avoiding action with Berger's teammate Fabi having to stop to avoid hitting his teammates damaged car while Prost's teammate Keke Rosberg had to do a complete 180 degree turn the wrong way to avoid the Benettons. However, the only car that retired from the crash was the Lola-Ford of Patrick Tambay who went inside the stopped Fabi but hit his right rear with his left front wheel and damaged the left front suspension putting him out on the spot. Through it all Senna emerged unscathed in 2nd place followed by Mansell and the two Ferraris of Stefan Johansson and Michele Alboreto.  Both Berger and Prost pitted at the end of lap 1 with Berger in for a long stop for repairs and Prost for a new nose cone, his rear suspension survived intact despite its unscheduled first corner flight. Mansell disposed of Senna on lap 2, but spun on lap 5, falling back to 4th place. Piquet led until suffering turbo failure on lap 16 leaving Mansell in front from Senna. Prost emerged last on the road and only a few hundred metres in front of the leading Williams. On his way to being the last car on the lead lap and finishing in sixth place he set a new lap record of 1:59.282 on lap 31.  Nigel Mansell scored his first win of 1986 and the third win of his career. Senna, the cause of the first corner crash finished 20 seconds behind in second with Stefan Johansson finishing third after passing team leader Alboreto only two laps from home. Jacques Laffite finished fifth in his Ligier-Renault with Prost gaining a vital World Championship point for finishing sixth. Swiss driver Marc Surer finished ninth in his Arrows A8. It would be the last Grand Prix of Surer's career as he would be seriously injured testing a Ford RS200 rally car a week later. Post race Mansell dedicated his win to his friend and former team mate Elio de Angelis who died just ten days prior to Spa in a testing accident at Paul Ricard.

Lap leaders.

Nelson Piquet 16 (1–16), Ayrton Senna 5 (17–21), Stefan Johansson 2 (22–23), Nigel Mansell 20 (24–43).

The 1986 Belgian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on 25 May 1986. It was the fifth race of the 1986 FIA Formula One World Championship. The race was the 44th Belgian Grand Prix and the 32nd to be held at Spa-Francorchamps. It was held over 43 laps of the circuit for a total race distance of.

Grand Prix Belgie 1986 (oficiálně XL Grote Prijs van Belgie) se jela na okruhu Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps v Stavelotu v Belgii dne 25. května 1986. Závod byl pátým v pořadí v sezóně 1986 šampionátu Formule 1.


Race summary.

Qualifying runs saw the two Williams FW11Bs take the front row, with Nigel Mansell on the pole, nearly 1.5 seconds faster than Nelson Piquet. Certainly, Piquet was still suffering the results of his accident at Imola. Ayrton Senna took the third place in his Lotus 99T ahead of the two Ferrari F1/87s of Gerhard Berger and Michele Alboreto.  The race required two starts. On the first start Mansell took the lead ahead of Senna, Piquet and Alboreto. At the back of the grid René Arnoux (Ligier JS29B) and Andrea de Cesaris (Brabham BT56) tangled, whilst Thierry Boutsen (Benetton B187) hit Berger's spinning Ferrari F1/87. A more serious accident befell Philippe Streiff who crashed heavily at the Eau Rouge before the wreckage was hit by Tyrrell teammate Jonathan Palmer; both were unhurt but their Tyrrell DG016s were reduced to scrap. By virtue of qualifying 23rd to his team mate's 24th, and ironically by crashing first, Streiff was given the spare car for the restart forcing Palmer out of the race.  On the second start, Senna led Mansell away, but during lap one the Briton tried to overtake the Brazilian. The two controversially tangled, leading to the retirement of the Lotus 99T. Mansell rejoined the race at the back, until the damage sustained in the collision finally forced him to retire on lap 17. Mansell subsequently visited the Lotus garage where harsh words were exchanged and punches were thrown.  Berger retired on lap three with a broken piston whilst on lap 10 second place Michele Alboreto's wheel bearing broke and Nelson Piquet retired with a broken turbo pipe, handing the lead to Alain Prost from Teo Fabi and Stefan Johansson. The pitstops changed little in the situation, and he maintained this to win easily by 25 seconds, despite concerns with his fuel consumption due to a faulty gauge.  This was Prost's 27th win, equalling Jackie Stewart's record with team-mate Johansson making it a McLaren 1-2. Andrea de Cesaris drove superbly to finish third for Brabham despite having to push his car over the line with Eddie Cheever (Arrows A10), Satoru Nakajima (Lotus 99T) and Arnoux taking the remaining points. With the setbacks to the Tyrrell drivers, the Jim Clark points were won by the Lola LC87 of Philippe Alliot.

Classification.

Race.

Numbers in brackets refer to positions of normally aspirated entrants competing for the Jim Clark Trophy.

The 1987 Belgian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 17 May 1987 at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Spa. Contested over 43 laps, the race was the 45th Belgian Grand Prix, the 33rd to be held at Spa and the fourth since the circuit was redeveloped in 1979, and the third race of the 1987 Formula One season.

Grand Prix Belgie 1987 (oficiálně XLV Grand Prix de Belgique) se jela na okruhu Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps v Stavelotu v Belgii dne 17. května 1987. Závod byl třetím v pořadí v sezóně 1987 šampionátu Formule 1.


Early years.

Trevor Taylor was born in 1958 in Montego Bay, Jamaica. At the age of 14, Taylor visited England for the first time. Besides music, young Trevor was interested in cooking, power lifting, and football. Trevor was a true rastaman, and his idol was Bob Marley. At the beginning of his career, Trevor played bass guitar in the British reggae band UB40 and also was a singer in little-known groups in Seychelles. In 1978, Trevor worked as a chef in a restaurant "Holiday Inn" in Birmingham, and then in Cologne restaurant "Stummel".

Bad Boys Blue.

In 1984, Trevor Taylor joined the new group Bad Boys Blue where he was selected as the lead vocalist. He sang the leads on the 1985 hit song "You're A Woman". It was a real success for the band and it instantly reached Top 10 in many European music charts. In Germany, the single peaked at No. 8 and it did not leave the German Top 20 for four months. The same year, Bad Boys Blue released their first studio album, "Hot Girls, Bad Boys", on which Trevor Taylor sang on all songs (except "L.O.V.E. In My Car"), just as he did on the band's second album, "Heartbeat", which was released in 1986.  In 1987, while recording the single "Come Back And Stay", producers Tony Hendrik and Karin van Haaren decided to change the lead singer, and to subsequently make John McInerney the new front-man. These changes, in turn, created tension within the group which ultimately lead to Trevor Taylor's departure, who understandably did not wish to accept his new sidelined role. A noteworthy fact is that Trevor Taylor did not leave the group right away following the switch, and stayed with the group for a whole year, during which he was incrementally phased out from his position of the front-man. During that transitional period his participation as the lead singer dropped first to 60% and then to 20% of songs sung on the 3rd and the 4th albums, respectively. That move was not incidental, for it was a key strategy implemented by the producers to ensure survivability and continuity of their project, that is to make sure in the public eye that both Taylor and McInerney were still present in the group, only that their respective positions had been switched, where the fans were now expected to become accustomed to seeing Taylor appear in the shadow of McInerney. Only after McInerney appeared on enough of new tracks as lead singer, Taylor could finally leave the group. This move was made possible by contractual obligations established by the Bad Boys Blue producers which legally prevented Trevor Taylor from exiting the band prematurely (that is, not until the transition period was completed), and therefore the producers were guaranteed to have a smooth continuation of their project.

After leaving Bad Boys Blue.

After leaving the group, Trevor tried to act in films and participated in various musical projects, from trance to reggae. In 1990, the reggae project Street Noise released the single "Our Problem", where Trevor Taylor was the leading vocalist. In 1991, Trevor was a member of the band Temper Temper as a guitarist. For several years Trevor was a producer and vocalist in the German reggae band Umoya, which released three albums and six singles.  Since 1995, under the pseudonym Supa T, Taylor began recording with the band The Party Animals, releasing singles "My Dog", "Gotta Jump", "Be True", and "Love and Respect". The latter was the hit of the year in Spain and held top positions in the Spanish charts for a long time. All these compositions subsequently were featured in his first solo album, "Reggae in the Pop House & Soul", released in 1998 by Vale Music. That same year, Trevor participated in the recording of the single "Harddrummer" by Chocolate Milk.  He later recorded singles for Mondo Club: a cover version of "Don't Worry, Be Happy", and "Sex Up My Life", which became the soundtrack for the television series "Heiße Tage – Wilde Nächte". In his later years, Trevor performed a lot with reggae groups Umoya and The Reggae Cracks. He also planned to release his second solo album, "Second Life".  Trevor Taylor, aged 50, died of a heart attack at a hospital in Cologne. His second solo album is still officially unreleased.

Trevor Oliver Taylor (11 January 1958 – 19 January 2008) was a Jamaican-German singer, musician, music producer, and songwriter. His adopted in later years stage name was Supa T. He is, however, best known as the original lead singer of the German band Bad Boys Blue.

Trevor Oliver Taylor později uměleckým jménem Supa T. (11. ledna 1958 Montego Bay – 19. ledna 2008 Kolín nad Rýnem) byl jamajsko-německý zpěvák, hudebník, hudební producent a skladatel. Byl nejlépe známý jako vedoucí zpěvák německé skupiny Bad Boys Blue.