Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Breuer, Lee,1937-2021, American theater director, b. Philadelphia, PA, as Esser Leopold Breuer. Theatrical director and cofounder of experimental theater troupe, the Mabou Mines, along with composer ...

(Encyclopedia) conducting, in music, the art of unifying the efforts of a number of musicians simultaneously engaged in musical performance. In the Middle Ages and Renaissance the conductor was primarily a time beat...

(Encyclopedia) Wissmann, Hermann von hĕrˈmän fən vĭsˈmän [key], 1853–1905, German explorer in Africa. He crossed (1880–82) Africa from Luanda to Zanzibar and, on behalf of Leopold II of Belgium, explored ...

(Encyclopedia) Ernest I, 1784–1844, duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (see under Saxe-Coburg); brother of Leopold I of Belgium, uncle of Queen Victoria of England, and father of Victoria's consort, Prince Albert. He succe...

(Encyclopedia) Francis I, 1708–65, Holy Roman emperor (1745–65), duke of Lorraine (1729–37) as Francis Stephen, grand duke of Tuscany (1737–65), husband of Archduchess Maria Theresa. He succeeded his father ...

(Encyclopedia) Winkelried, Arnold von ärˈnôlt fən vĭngˈkəlrēt [key], d. 1386, Swiss hero. His action at the battle of Sempach (July 9, 1386) is credited in legend with the Swiss defeat of the Austrians under...

(Encyclopedia) Wöhler, Friedrich frēˈdrĭkh vöˈlər [key], 1800–1882, German chemist. He studied under the German chemist Leopold Gmelin and J. J. Berzelius, a Swedish chemist, and in 1836 was appointed profe...

(Encyclopedia) Ricasoli, Bettino, Barone bĕt-tēˈnō bärôˈnā rēkäzôˈlē [key], 1809–80, Italian political leader. An active propagandist for Italian unity, he became (1859) head of the provisional govern...

(Encyclopedia) Augsburg, League of, defensive alliance formed (1686) by Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I with various German states, including Bavaria and the Palatinate, and with Sweden and Spain so far as their German...

(Encyclopedia) Otto of Freising frīˈzĭng [key], b. after 1111, d. 1158, German chronicler, bishop of Freising. He was a son of Leopold III of Austria, a half-brother of Emperor Conrad III, and an uncle of Emperor...