Fine Arts Flashcards

(72 cards)

1
Q

“Samson and Delilah” was a 1949 epic by what guy who also directed Hollywood’s first feature-length film?

He did like a biblical theme: “The Ten Commandments” was the final movie by what guy whose middle name was Blount?

A

Cecil B. DeMille

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2
Q

“What film directed by Steven Spielberg is based on a 1982 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker?”

A

The Color Purple

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3
Q

The 2000 film Memento was directed by

A

Christopher Nolan

The film follows Leonard Shelby (Pearce), a man who suffers from anterograde amnesia—resulting in short-term memory loss and the inability to form new memories

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4
Q

The fortified high point in Athens gets its name from the Greek meaning “high city”

A

Acropolis

Once the center of Athenian life, the acropolis is now the site of famous ruins, including the Parthenon in Greek the word means “high” (acro) “city” (polis)

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5
Q

An opera by Giuseppe Verdi, whose title character is an Ethiopian princess who loves an Egyptian warrior, Radames

A

Aida (eye-EE-duh)

He accidentally reveals Egyptian military secrets to her, and is condemned to death by live burial in a tomb. Aida fleas, but rejoins Radames to die with him.

Aida is a particularly spectacular opera with lavish sets, costumes, and extras.

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6
Q

This longest-running play in the West End, and indeed the world, is by Agatha Christie

A

“The Mousetrap”

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7
Q

The American pop artist Jasper John’s famously made a series of paintings depicting this national symbol

A

American flag

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8
Q

In a 1932 Work, Man Ray shows a woman whose face is dotted with glass beads representing these

A

Tears

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9
Q

20th century American playwright of the dramas Tiny Alice and A Delicate Balance

A

Edward Albee

his plays reflected the influence of the theater of the absurd. his psychological dramas also include Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

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10
Q

This 20th century African-American Contrato became the first person to sing with the Metropolitan Opera of New York City

A

Marian Anderson

In 1941 a planned concert by Anderson at Constitutional Hall was blocked by the daughters of the American Revolution, who owned the hall, because she was black. With the sport of the president, Franklin D Roosevelt and his wife, Eleanor, Anderson gave a free concert on the steps of the Lincoln memorial, which was attended by more than 75,000 people

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11
Q

Reese Witherspoon played Cecily in this movie adaptation of what Oscar Wilde play

A

The Importance of Being Earnest

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12
Q

Jazz artist with the nickname Satchmo

A

Louis Armstrong

A 20th century African-American, jazz trumpet player and singer. His nickname Satchmo was short for “satchel mouth“. Armstrong, whose career spanned five decades, was celebrated for his trumpet solos, and the gravelly voice in which he sang songs such as “Hello, Dolly“ and “It’s a Wonderful World“

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13
Q

An 18th century, German composer, organist, and choirmaster, commonly considered the greatest composer of the baroque era. Some of his works include the Toccata and Fugue in D-minor for organ

A

Johann Sebastian Bach

His output was enormous and included Cantatas, concertos, oratorios, organ pieces, sonatas for solo instruments, and suites for both solo instruments and Orchestra; all of it is marked by elaborate counterpoint (the use of two or more melodies at the same time in a piece of music; it was an important part of Baroque music.)

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14
Q

The Rodger’s and Hammerstein musical, Oklahoma!, was choreographed by

A

Agnes de Mille

This was her first time choreographing a musical on Broadway

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15
Q

“What piano prodigy had their first number one hit with “Fingertips” when they were just 13 years old?”

A

Stevie Wonder

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16
Q

The first Academy Awards, held at the Roosevelt Hotel in 1929, saw this war movie winning for “Outstanding Picture.”

A

Wings

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17
Q

1987 American romantic comedy film directed by Norman Jewison that stars Cher as a widowed Italian American woman who falls in love with her fiancé’s hot-tempered, estranged younger brother, played by Nicolas Cage.

A

Moonstruck

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18
Q

This French artist’s “The Dance Class” shows choreographer Jules Perrot leading a group of ballerinas

A

Edgar Degas

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19
Q

Just before the end of Act 2 in this Tracy Letts play, Barbara screams at her mom, “I’m running things now!”

A

August: Osage County

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20
Q

In this Gioacchino Rossini opera, the title character character, Figaro, through trickery, helps his former master, a nobleman, win the hand of a beautiful woman

A

The Barber of Seville

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21
Q

Family of American actors of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The most famous were John, Lionel, and their sister Ethel. The dashing-looking John was known as “The Great Profile”

A

Barrymore family

John’s granddaughter Drew continued the acting tradition into the 21st century

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22
Q

Kind of carving coming from the French for “low relief”

A

Bas-relief (bah ruh-LEEF)

Figures are raised a few inches from a flat background to give a three-dimensional effect 

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23
Q

A German composer of the late 18th and early 19th century, who is well known for his Moonlight Sonata and other sonatas for piano

A

Ludwig van Beethoven

His works span classical and romantic musical traditions. He is considered one of the greatest composers of all time.

he is also known for his string quartets, his concertos, and his nine symphonies. The third symphony, the fifth symphony, and the ninth symphony (“Choral”) are the most famous. Beethoven began to grow deaf midway through his career, but continued to compose great works. 

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24
Q

In the 2018 movie Colette, who plays the titular role of the French author Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette?

A

Keira Knightley

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25
Who wrote the song “God Bless America”?
Irving Berlin A 20th century American writer of popular songs (words and music). His songs also include “White Christmas,“ and “There’s No Business Like Show Business“
26
French composer of the 19th century, best known for his opera Carmen
Georges Bizet
27
When she was just 23, what native Israeli won the Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe for "Closer"?
Natalie Portman
28
Dutch painter of the late 15th and early 16th centuries. His allegorical religious works include his masterpiece, The Garden of Earthly Delights, in which grotesque, fantastical creatures mingle with human figures.
Hieronymus Bosch Bosch‘s work is often considered a forerunner of surrealism 
29
He first gained fame on Broadway in 1947 in Tennessee Williams’ *A Streetcar Named Desire*. He transferred his brooding portrayal of Stanley Kowalski to film in 1951 and thereafter concentrated on making motion pictures.
Marlon Brando His films include *On The Waterfront*, *The Godfather*, and the controversial *Last Tango in Paris* 
30
20th Century American sculptor known especially for his mobiles
Alexander Calder
31
The pieces “Habanera” and “Toreader Song“ are well known excerpts from this opera, whose title character is known for manipulating men.
Carmen One of the most popular operas, composed by Georges Bizet, and first produced in the late 19th century. One of Carmen‘s victims, a Spanish soldier, arranged for her to escape from jail, but she abandoned him for a bull fighter, and he stabs her. 
32
Inspired by Bob Dylan‘s “Blowin’ in the Wind“, this soul singer wrote the 60s anthem “A Change is Gonna Come“
Sam Cooke 
33
Longtime LA artist David Hockney made a splash in 2019; “Picture of a Hollywood” one of these reportedly fetched millions
Pool
34
A celebrated 20th century Spanish cellist. After Francisco Franco came to power in Spain, this musician went into exile in France and later moved to Puerto Rico.
Pablo Casals He gave a famous performance at the White House in 1961 
35
Music for two or more instruments in which only one musician plays each part
Chamber music Chamber music is distinguished from music for orchestra, in which, for example, more than a dozen violinists may be playing the same notes. The most familiar kind of chamber music is the string Quartet. 
36
An American songwriter and entertainer of the early 20th century, known for such rousing songs as “Over There,” “Yankee Doodle, Dandy,“ and “You’re a Grand Old Flag.“
George M Cohan 
37
The lowest range of the female, singing voice, also called alto
Contralto 
38
A small ornamental structure rising from a roof, often dome shaped
Cupola
39
Dutch-born 20th century American artist and leader of abstract expressionism. His monumental, highly colored, often violent works include *Woman*, a series of paintings done in the early 1950s.
Willem de Kooning 
40
The opera, Don Giovanni, is by
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart The opera recounts the dissolute life of Don Juan. (Don Giovanni is the Italian form of Don Juan). At the end of the opera, a statue of a man Don Giovanni has killed, comes to life and drags the unscrupulous seducer into the burning pit of hell. 
41
20th century American dancer, who won fame mainly in Europe for her improvisational and unfettered choreography which rebelled against traditional ballet, and was highly influential in the formation of modern dance
Isadora Duncan Duncan died tragically when her long scarf became entangled in the wheel of her moving automobile 
42
20th century Dutch artist known especially for his lithographs and woodcuts. His works usually depict visual riddles and geometric and architectural whimsies
MC Escher
43
20th century American film comedian noted for his drawling speech and frequently played a cynical swindler. He played opposite Mae West in *My Little Chickadee*
WC Fields His films include *The Bank Dick* And *Never Give a Sucker an Even Break*,
44
19th century American songwriter who wrote the words and music to some of the country’s perennially favorite songs including “Oh! Susanna”
Stephen Foster Other songs include “The Old Folks at Home,” “Jeannie with the Light Brown Hair,” and “Beautiful Dreamer”
45
A comic opera by Gilbert and Sullivan about the marriage of a beautiful daughter of the captain of a ship in the title.
HMS Pinafore Notable songs include “I’m Called Little Buttercup” and “When I was a Lad”. Gilbert and Sullivan were two Englishman of the 19th century who wrote many witty operettas, satirizing the society of the Victorian era. WS Gilbert wrote the song lyrics and spoken dialogue, and Arthur Sullivan wrote the music. Their other works include The Mikado and the Pirates of Penzance 
46
TO AVOID LICENSING FEES, THIS PLAY USED BITS OF "HERE WE GO ROUND THE MULBERRY BUSH" IN PLACE OF THE DISNEY TUNE THAT INSPIRED ITS TITLE
WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF The title is a pun on the song "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?" from Walt Disney's Three Little Pigs (1933), substituting the name of the celebrated English author Virginia Woolf. Martha and George repeatedly sing this version of the song throughout the play.
47
20th century American jazz clarinetist and band leader
Benny Goodman He was known as the “king of swing“
48
A Greek painter of the late 16th and early 17th centuries who spent most of his career in Spain
El Greco El Greco in Spanish for “the Greek”. He is famous for his paintings of religious subjects and for his distorted elongated figures. 
49
A magnificent cathedral in Istanbul Turkey, whose name means “Holy Wisdom“
Cathedral of Hagia Sophia “Holy wisdom” is an eastern orthodox title for Jesus What’s the central church building of the eastern orthodox church, Hagia Sophia is now a museum. It has an enormous magnificent dome, and the inside walls are decorated with mosaics. 
50
A set of pieces for Orchestra by George Frederick Handel. Parts of it appeared to have been written for a festival that took place on boats on the Thames river in England.
Water Music Handel was an 18th century German-born composer, who spent most of his career in England. Handel, one of the great composers of the baroque era is also especially known for his Messiah and other oratorios
51
18th century, Austrian composer, one of the great composers of the Classic Era. Of his more than 100 symphonies, *Surprise Symphony* and *Clock Symphony* are especially well known
Franz Joseph Haydn Haydn is credited with establishing the symphony as a musical form. He also composed many string quartets. 
52
A 20th century American artist whose stark, precisely realistic paintings often convey a mood of solitude and isolation with common place urban settings. Among his best works are *Early Sunday Morning* and *Nighthawks*
Edward Hopper 
53
American poet who worked as an insurance executive and got into a famous fist fight with Ernest Hemingway while vacationing in Key West
Wallace Stevens Anecdote of the Jar 
54
OPERA–800–Wagner didn’t want “Parsifal” performed outside of this city that now holds Wagner festivals
Bayreuth Town in northern Bavaria
55
His “Elecktra” in 1908 may have been electric, but it was his “Salome” 3 years earlier that was scandalous
Richard Strauss
56
OPERA–800–A 1913 opera about this queen of Ithaca is based on an episode from “The Odyssey”
Penelope
57
OPERA–400–Eva has to marry the winner of a singing contest in Nuremberg in this comic opera by Wagner
Die Meistersinger
58
OPERA–2000–The name of this comic opera by Mozart is sometimes translated as “So Do They All”
Cosi Fan Tutte
59
CLASSICAL COMPOSERS--2000--He supervised a 1907 phonograph recording of his own "Pagliacci"
Leoncavallo
60
CLASSICAL MUSIC--400--After seeing Verdi's "Aida" he decided opera was to be his forte & came up with "La boheme" & "Tosca" among others
(Giacomo) Puccini
61
CLASSICAL MUSIC--1200--For the ballet "Coppelia" Leo Delibes used "The Sandman", one of the "Tales of" this author
E.T.A. Hoffman
62
CLASSICAL MUSICIANS--800--In March of 2004 this renowned tenor made his farewell Metropolitan Opera apparance, in "Tosca"
(Luciano) Pavarotti
63
This father-in-law of Richard Wagner died July 31, 1886, during the Wagner festival at Bayreuth
Franz Liszt
64
OPERA--600--This "Lohengrin" composer's first opera, "Die Fein", wasn't performed until 1888, five years after his death
Richard Wagner
65
COMPOSERS--1000--In 1969 he was named Conductor Laureate for life of the New York Philharmonic
Leonard Bernstein
66
This Viennese composer called one of his many waltzes "Wiener Blut", which means "Vienna Blood"
Johann Strauss
67
This Verdi opera was first performed on Dec. 24, 1871, in Cairo
Aida
68
CLASSICAL MUSIC--800--Pehaps the greatest violinist ever, this Italian could play a whole piece on just one string
Niccolo Paganini
69
OPERA--800--The title character in this Verdi opera is a hunchbacked jester
'Rigoletto'
70
What is an impresario?
A sponsor or producer of entertainment, especially someone who works with opera or ballet companies, or performers of classical music 
71
American spiritual song Based on the story of the successor of Moses, who led the Israelites into the promised land
“Joshua fit the battle of Jericho” It begins Joshua fit [fought] the battle of Jericho, Jericho, Jericho; Joshua fit the battle of Jericho, And the walls came tumbling down. 
72
In April 2010, this legendary Sitarist celebrated his 90th birthday
Ravi Shankar