24.05.2019 01:10 Date: May 24, 2019 Remembered as the first lady of Turkish opera, Semiha Berksoy was the first Muslim woman to sing opera professionally in Turkey. Born in Çengelköy, Istanbul on this day in 1910, Berksoy was also an accomplished painter who became a major cultural figure in the early years of the Turkish Republic. Artistically inclined since her youth, Berksoy studied music, drama, and the visual arts in Istanbul. When her father tried to convince her to leave the conservatory, she answered him with a passionate letter stating, "I have found something to light me on fire and make my spirit soar, that is the love of art.” Berksoy was 21 years old when she starred in the first Turkish sound movie, Istanbul Sokaklari She was also invited to sing in the first Turkish opera “Ozsoy,” which was attended by Atatürk himself, who was said to be stunned by her voice. Winning a scholarship to the Berlin Music Academy, Berksoy studied in Germany and appeared as the lead in Richard Strauss’s “Ariadne Auf Naxos,” making her the first Turkish opera singer to star in Europe. Despite her international success, she returned home to help establish Ankara’s first opera house. Known for her signature makeup, Berksoy became an icon of Turkish culture. She was also renowned for pushing the envelope with her fashion choices, once performing in a transparent self-painted costume. Her paintings, which were shown in such renowned exhibitions as the 2003 Venice Biennale, often depicted a little girl which was said to personify the artist herself. Doodle by Shanti Rittgers Location: Tags: , ,
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17.05.2019 01:00 Date: May 17, 2019 “As soon as I put my foot on board, I'm flying,” wrote Anita Conti, who spent much of her life sailing the world as France’s first female oceanographer. Born on this day in 1899, the young adventurer developed a love for the sea while traveling with her parents. Living in Paris after World War I, she became a photographer and an accomplished writer focusing on nature and the sea. In 1935, the French Fisheries Authorities hired Conti to conduct scientific research assessing fish resources. In 1941, she was the only female to board a trawler bound for Western Africa, spending the next ten years between Senegal and the Ivory Coast, documenting traditional fishing practices, meeting with local elders, and developing detailed fishing maps. Conti’s goal was to nourish French troops and save the local population from hunger, but over time she became increasingly concerned about the danger of overfishing and was one of the first to issue a warning that “seas are under threat.” In subsequent voyages through the North Atlantic and Canada, she survived rough seas, shot thousands of photos, and wrote about her experiences with poetic flair in books like Géants des mers chaudes . In 1952 she spent six months in the Arctic Ocean aboard the French trawler Bois-Rosé, capturing the difficulty of life on a fishing boat in her bestselling book, Racleurs d'océans . A pioneer of maritime ecology, Conti spent nearly half of her 98 years on the high seas, earning the name La Dame de la Mer or the “Sea Lady.” Bon anniversaire, Anita Conti! Location: Tags: , , , , , , , ,
17.05.2019 01:00 Date: May 17, 2019 Today’s Doodle celebrates Norway’s Constitution Day, also known as Syttende Mai. Comemmorating the day in 1814 when the Scandinavian country’s constitution was signed, this event is a festive occasion enjoyed by children and adults alike. The big day starts early with cannon blasts at dawn and buekorps playing drums in the streets. A common holiday breakfast consists of smoked salmon, scrambled eggs, and champagne. Kids may opt to save room for ice cream and hot dogs, which are consumed in great quantities all across Norway. The biggest parade, in the capital city of Oslo, draws over 100,000 people, passing the Royal Palace where the royal family greets the merry procession. The traditional dress code includes colorful folk costumes called bunad, whose colors and patterns contain clues to the wearer’s ancestry. The day would also not be complete without a rousing rendition of the song “Ja, vi elsker dette landet,” which translates to "Yes, we love this country." Gratulerer med dagen, Norge! Location: Tags: , , ,
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14.05.2019 07:20 Date: May 14, 2019 Today’s Doodle celebrates Paraguay Independence Day, a country with its own unique culture and language, called Guaraní. On May 14th, 1811, the South American country became the second independent nation in the new world, 35 years after the U.S. A two-day celebration in Paraguay starts today, and continues through tomorrow, in honor of the country’s first day of independence. Paraguay celebrates both its National Day and Mother's Day on May 15 in honor of Juana María de Lara, who played a key role in the movement for independence. According to legend, she celebrated the victory by greeting revolutionary forces with a bouquet of red roses, blue jasmine, and white lilies, inspiring the colors of the tricolor flag, which sports a different design on each side. Paraguayan families come together on Día de la Independencia Nacional, enjoying barbeques, drinking yerba mate from calabash gourds, and dancing to traditional polka music. A parade winds through the capital city of Asunció as well. Many women wear traditional blouses with lace and embroidery, skirts with layered petticoats, and a rebozo or shawl, while men wear fancy shirts, straw hats, ponchos with a faja around the waist, and traditional trousers. Happy Independence Day, Paraguay! Location: Tags:
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