Wikipedia:Main Page history/2011 August 25

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Today's featured article
Thomas Beecham (1879–1961) was an English conductor and impresario best known for his association with the London Philharmonic and the Royal Philharmonic orchestras. From the early 20th century until his death, Beecham was a major influence on the musical life of Britain and, according to the BBC, was Britain's first international conductor. Born to a rich industrial family, Beecham began his career as a conductor in 1899. He used his access to the family fortune to finance opera from the 1910s until the start of the Second World War, staging seasons at Covent Garden, Drury Lane and His Majesty's Theatre with international stars, his own orchestra and a wide repertoire. Among the works he introduced to England during his career were Richard Strauss's Elektra, Salome and Der Rosenkavalier and three operas by Frederick Delius. Together with his younger colleague Malcolm Sargent, Beecham founded the London Philharmonic, and he conducted its first performance at the Queen's Hall in 1932. In the 1940s, he worked for three years in the United States, where he was music director of the Seattle Symphony and conducted at the Metropolitan Opera. After his return to Britain, he founded the Royal Philharmonic in 1946 and was its principal conductor until his death in 1961. (more...) Recently featured: Farthest South – Devil May Cry – The Magdalen Reading Archive – By email – More featured articles...
Did you know...
From Wikipedia's newest content: ... that Michael Herrmann (pictured) is founder-director of the Rheingau Musik Festival, which holds about 150 concerts every season in vineyards and historical buildings? ... that Digya National Park is the oldest protected area in Ghana? ... that future Chairman of the Federal Reserve William McChesney Martin and future Secretary of Defense Clark Clifford were tennis doubles partners in 1922 at Soldan High School in St. Louis, Missouri? ... that many pages of Herculaneum papyri carbonized by Mount Vesuvius in AD 79 were restored to legibility by multi-spectral imaging? ... that Željko Ivanek, who plays the title role in The X-Files episode "Roland," was the first person to audition for the part? ... that the World War II military dog Rifleman Khan was awarded the Dickin Medal for bravery under heavy enemy fire? Archive – Start a new article – Nominate an article

In the news
The charges of sexual assault against former International Monetary Fund head Dominique Strauss-Kahn (pictured) are dismissed. In the Battle of Tripoli, Libyan rebels capture Muammar Gaddafi's compound, Bab al-Azizia. A 5.8-magnitude intraplate earthquake, the strongest in the eastern United States since 1944, occurs in Virginia. Jack Layton, Canadian Leader of the Opposition, dies of cancer at the age of 61. Indian social activist Anna Hazare agrees to leave his jail cell after Delhi police allow a 15-day hunger strike against corruption. Wikinews – Recent deaths – More current events...
On this day...
August 25: Independence Day in Uruguay (1825) 1258 – George Mouzalon, regent of the Empire of Nicea, was assassinated as part of a conspiracy led by the nobles under future emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos. 1609 – Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei demonstrated his first telescope, a device that became known as a terrestrial or spyglass refracting telescope, to Venetian lawmakers. 1825 – The Thirty-Three Orientals, a revolutionary group led by Juan Antonio Lavalleja, declared Uruguayan independence from the Empire of Brazil. 1916 – The National Park Service was established to manage all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties around the United States. 1920 – Polish forces under Józef Piłsudski (pictured) successfully forced the Russians to withdraw from Warsaw at the Battle of Warsaw, the decisive battle of the Polish–Soviet War. More anniversaries: August 24 – August 25 – August 26 Archive – By email – List of historical anniversaries It is now August 25, 2011 (UTC) – Refresh this page

Today's featured picture

Robbie McEwen, Australian professional road cyclist, wearing his Team Katusha (Russian: Катюша) cycling kit at the start of the 2010 Jayco Bay Cycling Classic. McEwen's accolades include winning the maillot vert (green jersey) overall Points Classification in the Tour de France three times, along with winning 12 individual stages, and competing in three Olympic Games. The green and gold bands around his arms identify him as an Australian National Cycling Champion.

Photo: John O'Neill

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