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5.1.05

Anniversaries in 2005

Last year, I blogged a lot about various anniversary-year events being observed in France: Salvador Dalí and George Sand were the big ones. In a post on what President Jacques Chirac said in tribute to Sand at her birthday ceremony in July, I signalled some of the American greats I hope our President will be saluting in the years to come. In that spirit, here are some anniversaries that President Bush should consider marking this year:

  • Art:
  • Music:
    • Composer Harold Arlen (born Hyman Arluck, February 15, 1905), who penned "Over the Rainbow," "Stormy Weather," "One for the Road," and countless other pieces of Americana (there are people already preparing to celebrate the Harold Arlen Centennial)
    • Composer Marc Blitzstein (born March 2, 1905), who adapted Kurt Weill's Threepenny Opera in English and composed The Cradle Will Rock, Regina, and other stage works
    • Premiere of George F. Bristow's Rip Van Winkle (September 27, 1855), the first American opera on an American subject (could we get a performance and recording of it somewhere? anybody?)
  • Literature:
Other anniversaries that I hope are observed around the world:If you know of someone I have left off the list, that's what the comments are for.

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