Birthdays
1824 - Bedrich Smetana, Czech composer who pioneered the development of a musical style that became closely identified with his country's aspirations to independent statehood. He has been regarded in his homeland as the father of Czech music. He is best known for his opera The Bartered Bride and for the symphonic cycle Má vlast ("My Homeland"), which portrays the history, legends and landscape of the composer's native country and contains the famous symphonic poem "The Moldau". Smetana: Má Vlast. Gimnazija Kranj Christmas Concert 2015 - Slavic Night. Gimnazija Kranj Symphony Orchestra performed Bedřich Smetana symphonic poem: Moldau from a symphonic poem set: Má vlast (My homeland), Conductor: maestro Nejc Bečan. YouYube, uploaded by zevnikov. Accessed March 2, 2019.)
1900 - Kurt Julian Weill, German Composer, best known for his opera The Threepenny Opera. He was active from the 1920s in his native country, and in his later years in the United States, becoming a U.S. citizen on August 27, 1943. He was a leading composer for the stage who was best known for his fruitful collaborations with Bertolt Brecht. With Brecht, he developed productions such as his best-known work The Threepenny Opera, which included the popular ballad "Mack the Knife". Weill held the ideal of writing music that served a socially useful purpose. He also wrote several works for the concert hall.
1904 - Dr. Seuss, (Theodor Seuss "Ted" Geisel), American Children's Writer and Publisher, Political Cartoonist, Illustrator, Poet, Animator, Screenwriter, and Filmmaker. He is known for his work writing and illustrating more than 60 books under the pen name Dr. Seuss.
1931 - Tom Wolf, (born Thomas Kennerly Wolfe Jr.), American Author and Journalist widely known for his association with New Journalism, a style of news writing and journalism developed in the 1960s and 1970s that incorporated literary techniques. His best-selling books include: The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test (a highly experimental account of Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters) and two collections of articles and essays, Radical Chic & Mau-Mauing the Flak Catchers and The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby. In 1979, he published the influential book The Right Stuff about the Mercury Seven astronauts, which was made into a 1983 film of the same name directed by Philip Kaufman. His first novel, The Bonfire of the Vanities, published in 1987, was met with critical acclaim and also became a commercial success. It was adapted as a major motion picture of the same name directed by Brian De Palma.
1931 - Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev, Russian and former Soviet politician. The eighth and last leader of the Soviet Union, he was the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 until 1991. He was also the country's head of state from 1988 until 1991, serving as the chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet from 1988 to 1989, chairman of the Supreme Soviet from 1989 to 1990, and president of the Soviet Union from 1990 to 1991. Ideologically, Gorbachev initially adhered to Marxism–Leninism, although he had moved towards social democracy by the early 1990s.
1942 - John Irving, American Novelist and Screenwriter. Irving achieved critical and popular acclaim after the international success of The World According to Garp in 1978. Many of Irving's novels, including The Cider House Rules, A Prayer for Owen Meany, and A Widow for One Year have been bestsellers.
1950 - Karen Anne Carpenter, American Singer and Drummer, who was part of the duo the Carpenters alongside her older brother Richard. She was praised for her contralto vocals, and her drumming abilities were viewed positively by other musicians and critics. Her struggles with eating disorders later raised awareness of anorexia and body dysmorphia. Her work continues to attract praise, including being listed among Rolling Stone's 100 greatest singers of all time.(Carpenters Best Songs / Top 20 of all time. Uploaded by Dream Music. Accessed March 2, 2018.)
1961 - Simone Margaret Young, AM, Australian Conductor. She has worked with numerous companies in a principal role. Young was the first female conductor at the Vienna State Opera in 1993. She conducted the Sydney Symphony Orchestra at the 2000 Summer Olympics opening ceremony in Sydney. In November 2005, she was the first female conductor to conduct the Vienna Philharmonic. In the major operatic anniversary year 2013, Young conducted the entire 'Bayreuth Canon' of ten Wagner operas at a festival entitled 'Wagner-Wahn' in Hamburg, along with three rarely performed Giuseppe Verdi operas from his 'galley years' as a trilogy in September to November - La battaglia di Legnano, I due Foscari, I Lombardi alla prima crociata. In March 2016, Simone Young was appointed Member of the Board of the European Academy of Music Theatre. Simone Young's website: here. Below, Simone Young & Philharmoniker Hamburg on Mahler's Symphony No. 2 "Resurrection").
1962 - Jon Bon Jovi, (born John Francis Bongiovi Jr.), American Singer, Songwriter, Record Producer, Philanthropist, and Actor. Bon Jovi is best known as the founder and frontman of the Grammy Award-winning rock band Bon Jovi, which was formed in 1983. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2009. In 2012, Bon Jovi ranked #50 on the list of Billboard Magazine's "Power 100", a ranking of "The Most Powerful and Influential People In The Music Business". In 1996, People Magazine named him one of the "50 Most Beautiful People in the World". Bon Jovi was a founder and majority owner of the Arena Football League team, the Philadelphia Soul. He is the founder of The Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation.
1931 - Tom Wolf, (born Thomas Kennerly Wolfe Jr.), American Author and Journalist widely known for his association with New Journalism, a style of news writing and journalism developed in the 1960s and 1970s that incorporated literary techniques. His best-selling books include: The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test (a highly experimental account of Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters) and two collections of articles and essays, Radical Chic & Mau-Mauing the Flak Catchers and The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby. In 1979, he published the influential book The Right Stuff about the Mercury Seven astronauts, which was made into a 1983 film of the same name directed by Philip Kaufman. His first novel, The Bonfire of the Vanities, published in 1987, was met with critical acclaim and also became a commercial success. It was adapted as a major motion picture of the same name directed by Brian De Palma.
1931 - Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev, Russian and former Soviet politician. The eighth and last leader of the Soviet Union, he was the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 until 1991. He was also the country's head of state from 1988 until 1991, serving as the chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet from 1988 to 1989, chairman of the Supreme Soviet from 1989 to 1990, and president of the Soviet Union from 1990 to 1991. Ideologically, Gorbachev initially adhered to Marxism–Leninism, although he had moved towards social democracy by the early 1990s.
1942 - John Irving, American Novelist and Screenwriter. Irving achieved critical and popular acclaim after the international success of The World According to Garp in 1978. Many of Irving's novels, including The Cider House Rules, A Prayer for Owen Meany, and A Widow for One Year have been bestsellers.
1950 - Karen Anne Carpenter, American Singer and Drummer, who was part of the duo the Carpenters alongside her older brother Richard. She was praised for her contralto vocals, and her drumming abilities were viewed positively by other musicians and critics. Her struggles with eating disorders later raised awareness of anorexia and body dysmorphia. Her work continues to attract praise, including being listed among Rolling Stone's 100 greatest singers of all time.(Carpenters Best Songs / Top 20 of all time. Uploaded by Dream Music. Accessed March 2, 2018.)
1961 - Simone Margaret Young, AM, Australian Conductor. She has worked with numerous companies in a principal role. Young was the first female conductor at the Vienna State Opera in 1993. She conducted the Sydney Symphony Orchestra at the 2000 Summer Olympics opening ceremony in Sydney. In November 2005, she was the first female conductor to conduct the Vienna Philharmonic. In the major operatic anniversary year 2013, Young conducted the entire 'Bayreuth Canon' of ten Wagner operas at a festival entitled 'Wagner-Wahn' in Hamburg, along with three rarely performed Giuseppe Verdi operas from his 'galley years' as a trilogy in September to November - La battaglia di Legnano, I due Foscari, I Lombardi alla prima crociata. In March 2016, Simone Young was appointed Member of the Board of the European Academy of Music Theatre. Simone Young's website: here. Below, Simone Young & Philharmoniker Hamburg on Mahler's Symphony No. 2 "Resurrection").
1962 - Jon Bon Jovi, (born John Francis Bongiovi Jr.), American Singer, Songwriter, Record Producer, Philanthropist, and Actor. Bon Jovi is best known as the founder and frontman of the Grammy Award-winning rock band Bon Jovi, which was formed in 1983. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2009. In 2012, Bon Jovi ranked #50 on the list of Billboard Magazine's "Power 100", a ranking of "The Most Powerful and Influential People In The Music Business". In 1996, People Magazine named him one of the "50 Most Beautiful People in the World". Bon Jovi was a founder and majority owner of the Arena Football League team, the Philadelphia Soul. He is the founder of The Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation.
1968 - Daniel Wroughton Craig, CMG, English actor. He gained international fame playing the secret agent James Bond in five installments in the film series, from Casino Royale up to No Time to Die. In 2011, Craig made his Broadway debut in the revival of Harold Pinter's Betrayal opposite his wife, the actress Rachel Weisz. In 2016, he starred in the New York Theatre Workshop production of Othello as Iago. In 2022, he returned to Broadway in the title role of Macbeth with Ruth Negga.
Leftie:
None known
Leftie:
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More birthdays and historical events, March 2 - On This Day
Historical Events
1807 - The U.S. Congress abolishes the slave trade, made effective from January 1, 1808.
1933 - The movie King Kong is first performed in New York. It's the story of a gigantic gorilla from Skull Island and it is considered a classic. The gorilla falls in love with a girl, acted by actress Fay Wray.
1943 - As a German bombing of London begins, the crowd stampedes for shelter in Bethnal Green Railway Station. 173 people are reported trampled to death.
1969 - The supersonic airliner Concorde flies for the first time taking its maiden flight in Toulouse, France, the result of an Anglo-French project. It had been planned since the end of 1956. In November, 1962, the U.K. and France signed a treaty to collaborate on a project to realize their dream. The aircraft Concorde was chosen to reflect the spirit of cooperation. The first flight was on March 2, 1969, with a crowd gathered to watch it take its test flight in Toulouse, France.
1970 - Prime Minister Ian Smith declares Rhodesia a republic, independent from Britain.
1972 - The stunt motorcyclist Evel Knievel breaks his back at the Cow Palace in San Francisco during a stunt performance.
1989 - Representatives of the European Community of 12 nations agree to ban the production of all chloroflurocarbons by the end of the twentieth century.
Resources:
1. Asiado, Tel. The World's Movers and Shapers. New Hampshire: Ore Mountain Publishing House (2005)
2. Britannica. www.britannica.com
3. Chambers Biographical Dictionary, 19th Ed. London: Chambers Harrap, 2011
4. Dateline. Sydney: Millennium House, (2006)
5. Grun, Bernard. The Timetables of History, New 3rd Revised Ed. Simon & Schuster/Touchstone (1991)
6. Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org
(c) June 2007. Updated March 2023. Tel. Inspired Pen Web. All rights reserved.
3. Chambers Biographical Dictionary, 19th Ed. London: Chambers Harrap, 2011
4. Dateline. Sydney: Millennium House, (2006)
5. Grun, Bernard. The Timetables of History, New 3rd Revised Ed. Simon & Schuster/Touchstone (1991)
6. Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org
(c) June 2007. Updated March 2023. Tel. Inspired Pen Web. All rights reserved.
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