Operatic Medieval History: II Trivia Quiz

Answer: Venetians

Mabellini (1817-1897) was an Italian composer who left us nine works for stage music. In this question, I refer to his opera "I Veneziani a Constantinopoli" ("The Venetians in Constantinople").
The Irish were notable missionaries from the fifth till eighth centuries. After Saint Patrick (390-461) christened Ireland, many Irish people parted to rechristen Europe.
The French had largely contributed to the First, Second and Third Crusades, and dominated the Seventh and Eighth Crusades. However, they played no significant role in the Fourth Crusade.
The Lithuanians were not active Crusaders. On the contrary, the German nobility started a "war on paganism" in Lithuania.
The Venetians tried to monopolise trade routes with the Middle East. This had to lead to conflict with Constantinople. The Venetians, who "sponsored" heavily the Fourth Crusade, misused their influence to besiege Constantinople. Baldwin IX of Flanders (1171-1205) was crowned by the Crusaders as "the Latin Emperor of Byzantium" after its fall.

Answer: Albigensians

Jules Deswert (1843-1891) was a Belgian composer. His only opera (according to www.operone.de) was entitled "Die Albigenser".
The Catholic Encyclopaedia (www.newadvent.org/cathen) explains that the Albigensians supposed God was responsible for the spiritual world (and everything that turns out for the better), whereas Satan created the material world and every evil. This led to astonishing conclusions: Albigensians would have preferred living together without being married (as marriage had to last forever), they would approve suicide and would have been in favour of the extinction of the human race... No wonder Innocent III disagreed with them. As was usual in that time, the Pope excommunicated all those whose opinions differed from his.
The other options I gave are also condemned by the Roman-Catholic Church as heretics. The Gnostics were people who believed the soul would benefit from some kind of hidden knowledge. Gnostics thought that only a small minority could acquire this (secret) knowledge and liberate their souls; the rest had to suffer eternally. The Roman-Catholic Church teaches that every one can earn his place in heaven by living virtuously. (Of course, we see every day that the majority of people don't meet the standards of virtue set out by the Roman Catholic Church - but that is a different story). Gnosticism was quite important during the first and second centuries.
Arians found the doctrine of the Holy Trinity too complicated. The Roman Catholic Church teaches us that there is only one God, but that He is present in three Divine persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Arians believed that only God the Father was really God, while His Son was a mere human. This heresy was prevalent during the fifth and sixth centuries.
Hussites are the disciples of Jan Hus (1369-1415). This Czech philosopher tried to convince Pope Alexander V (1340-1410) to revoke his sanctions against John Wycliffe (1320-1384). Both Wycliffe and Hus publicly condemned misconduct by the high clergy (including the Pope), and were in this regard some predecessors of Luther, Calvin and other Protestants.

Answer: Francis

Messiaen (1908-1992) was a French composer, who specialised in orchestral works. He studied many bird songs and would incorporate these in his music. In this way, it is quite becoming that his only opera ("Saint-François d'Assise") is dedicated to Saint Francis. One of the best known legends about Saint Francis is that during his hermitage, the birds would come and listen to his sermon.

This legend is also the final scene in the second act of the opera "Saint-François d'Assise".

Answer: A fall from his horse

Pasquale Anfossi (1727-1797) was an Italian composer. He has composed at least 80 operas, of which "La finta giardiniera" ("The Faithful Gardener") is probably the best known.
Genghis Khan's death is still a matter of speculation. However, most sources mention a fall of his horse.
Attila the Hun (405-453) would have died from heart failure whilst consummating marriage.
Alexander the Great (356 BC-323 BC) died from high fever, although various theories can be found as to the cause of this fever. Some advance the theory of poisoning, others that of various illnesses. Wikipedia states that the cause of death might have been an overdose of some medicine against the West-Nile virus.
As the English probably know, it was an arrow in the eye that would have killed King Harold II Godwinsson.

Answer: Louis

Darius Milhaud (1892-1974) was a French composer who left us over 600 compositions. Many of his 14 operas have historical settings, for example "Christophe Colomb" ("Christopher Columbus"), "Bolivar", "David" and "Saint Louis".
Louis IX was born in Poissy in 1214. He ascended the throne in 1226. The Crusades he led had no significant success: in the Seventh Crusade he was captured by the Egyptians, and the Eighth Crusade ended with his death.
Saint Louis was canonized in 1297, only 27 years after his death. He is, among others, patron saint of hairdressers (although I didn't find any specific reason for this patronage). He would also be invoked against deafness. In French one would say "Saint Louis est sain pour l'ouie", meaning "Saint Louis is healthy for hearing".

Answer: Vespers

Verdi (1813-1901) was a great Italian composer, best known for his choral works. He composed 26 operas, among which every one will recognise "Nabucco", "La Traviata", "Il Trovatore", "Rigoletto" and "Aida". The opera I hint at in this question is "I Vespri Siciliani" ("The Sicilian Vespers").
On March 31, 1282, a French knight would have insulted a Sicilian woman during the vespers. The knight was killed and the Sicilian inhabitants tried to massacre all French occupants. This incident was the result of a long-term dissatisfaction with the cruel reign of the French noble Charles I of Anjou (brother of King Louis IX). The Sicilian uproar was soon named "The Sicilian Vespers".
The matins are also related to a local uproar, this time in Bruges in 1302. On May 18th, 1302, at the time of the matins, local inhabitants attacked the French troops of Jacques de Chatillon, governor of Flanders appointed by the French King Philip IV the Fair (1268-1314). Popular history relates that the local inhabitants distinguished the French from the Flemish by a password: "Schild en Vriend" ("Shield and Friend") or "'s Gilden Vriend" ("Friend of the Guilds"). Whoever did stumble over the first consonant was considered a Frenchman and thus a foe.
The Angelus is not related to any uproar, but rather to a notorious painting by Jean-François Millet (1814-1875). This French artist portrayed farmers working the land. His painting "L'Angelus" ("The Angelus") depicts two farmers praying the Angelus in the field.
According to the Latin translation of the Bible, "Magnificat" is the first word in a hymn sung by the Virgin Mary (see Luke 1, 46-55). This hymn inspired many classical composers, among which Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) and Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750).

Answer: Francesca da Rimini

Rachmaninoff (1873-1943) was a Russian composer and pianist. He composed four operas.
All the people I've mentioned as options were recited in Dante's "Divina Commedia". Apart from Francesca, these are all male persons, so they could not be (legally at that time) someone's wife.
Farinata degli Uberti died in 1264. This Italian aristocrat and military leader from Florence was convicted of heresy in 1283. So he was exhumed and his body was burnt. Dante mentions him in the Sixth Circle of the Inferno, the one with the burning tombs.
Brunetto Latini (1220-1294) was a Florentine philosopher and a friend of Dante's. He appears in the Seventh Circle of Hell, that of the violent people. Most interpretations lead to the conclusion that Latini was notorious for his sodomy, although Dante is the only one who hinted at this. Others tend to interpret Latini's place in Hell as Dante's conviction of Latini for writing in French rather than in Italian.
Guido da Montefeltro (1220-1300) is perhaps the best known of these three men. He started his career as a military strategist, at first in Florentine service, later working for Pisa. In 1296, Guido laid down his arms and became a Friar Minor. He gave Pope Boniface VIII (1235-1303) treacherous advice in a judicial case. This is the reason why Dante placed him in the Eighth Circle of Hell: the one of the frauds. Guido is trapped in individual flames.
Francesca da Rimini (1255-1285) is placed by Dante in the Second Circle: the one belonging to the adulterers, punished by cold storms.

Answer: The Netherlands

Richard Hol (1825-1904) was a Dutch composer. He composed four symphonies, a "Singspiel" and two operas.
Floris V (1254-1296) became count of Holland and Zeeland (nowadays three provinces of the Netherlands) in 1256. He fought the Frisians, the inhabitants of Utrecht and the Flemish - mostly without the success he hoped for. His life is not only the subject of an opera by Richard Hol, but also of a television series for the young teenagers. In 1296, he was captured upon instigation by Edward I of England and killed by a fellow captive.
Floris is not a typical name associated with Japan or New Zealand (certainly not in the thirteenth century, when only Maoris inhabited New Zealand).

Answer: Knights Templar

The Knights Templar were both a monastic order and an order of chivalry.

Henry Litolff (1818-1891) was a French composer and pianist. He left us thirteen operas, of which only ten were executed entirely on stage. His opera "Salvator Rosa" was only partially performed, and the operas "Rodrique de Tolède" ("Rodrigo of Toledo") and "Le Roi Lear" ("King Lear") never made it on to the stage.
Philip IV the Fair (1268-1314) was crowned in 1285. He sought finance for his skirmish with England over the region of Guyenne (South-West France). When he tried to make the clergy pay for his quarrel with the English, Pope Boniface VIII (1230-1303) and his successor Benedict XI (1240-1304) had fierce critics. Upon the death of Pope Benedict XI, Philip schemed to have Bertrand de Got, bishop of Bordeaux, elected as Pope. Bertrand de Got took as papal name Clemens V, moved to Avignon and further supported the French monarchy.
Meddling with the papal election didn't profit Philip financially, so he still had to find some funds. This was probably one of the main reasons for trying the Knights Templar, an opulent monastic order with a dubious reputation. The Knights Templar are best known for their capacity of drinking large amounts of alcoholic beverages - in Dutch, this led to the proverb "drinken als een tempelier" - "to drink as a Knight Templar".
The trial of the Knights Templar ended in the suppression of the monastic order (ratified by Pope Clemens V), the confiscation of their possessions and the execution of Grandmaster Jacques de Molay (1243-1314).
The Jesuit Order (Societas Jesu) didn't exist yet in 1314. It was founded in 1534 by Saint Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556). Jesuits are well known for their missionary activities and the founding of several schools.
The Dominican Order (Ordo Fratrum Praedicatorum, "Order of the Preachers") was founded in 1215. Many Dominicans became involved in the Inquisition, as "guard dogs" of the true belief. Hence the nickname for this order: "Domini Canes" ("The Dogs of the Lord").
The Cistercians were named after their first convent at the French city Cîteaux. This order was founded by Robert de Molesme in 1098 and became world famous when Saint Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153) joined the order in 1112. The Order of the Cistercians was divided in two different orders in 1892: the "usual" Cistercians and the Cistercians of Strict Observance, the latter also known as "Trappists".

Answer: No

Pavlos Carrer (1829-1896) was a Greek composer who composed eight operas.
Dante d'Alighieri (1265-1321) is probably the best known Italian poet. He married Gemma Donati, but was in fact in love with Beatrice Portinari (1266-1290). She married Simone de Bardi in 1287 and died in 1290.
Dante's "magnum opus" was the "Commedia", which was later known as "Divina Commedia" ("The Divine Comedy"). In this epic poem, Dante visits Hell, Purgatory and Heaven. His guide through Hell and the first stages of the Purgatory is Virgil (70BC -19BC). In latter stages of the Purgatory and in Heaven he is guided by his eternal beloved, Beatrice.

Answer: Bruges

Niedermeyer (1802-1861) was a French composer who completed six operas.
Robert the Bruce (1274-1329) struggled for Scottish independence. He defeated the English near Bannockburn in 1314.
There are some theories that his surname "Bruce" was derived from "Bruges", the city where his ancestors lived. However, there is no written evidence dating from that time which can corroborate or refute such theory. On the contrary, his father was a Scot of Norman descent and his mother was a Gaelic-Irish noblewoman.

Answer: Calais

Samuel Arnold (1740-1802) was an English composer and organ player. He left us 90 works for musical theatre, including 18 operas.
Auguste Rodin (1840-1917) is probably the best known French sculptor. His sculpture "Les bourgeois de Calais" ("The Citizens of Calais") was commissioned by the city itself. Other famous sculptures of his include "Le penseur" ("The Thinker") and "Le baiser" ("The Kiss"), originally destined to make part of Rodin's masterpiece "Le porte d'enfer" ("Gateway to Hell").
The Hundred Years' War (1337-1453) was a conflict between England and France over the succession to the French throne. All the cities I've mentioned have some connection with the Hundred Years' War.
Calais is the French harbour closest to England. This explains the strategic importance for both sides during the Hundred Years War' (and later). It was conquered by the English in 1347 and stayed in English hands up till 1558.
Crécy is the place near which one of the first memorable English victories was fought. In 1346, the English troops gained an overwhelming victory, thanks to the English archers.
Agincourt is another smashing victory for the English, fought in 1415. Once again, it was the English archery that assured English victory. One would think that almost seventy years after Crécy, the French would have learned how to cope with English archers, but this was not the case.
Rouen was captured by the English in 1419 and recaptured by the French in 1449. This city was the scene of Joan of Ark's trial in 1431. Joan of Ark (1412-1431) was a simple peasant girl who claimed that some celestial voices had called upon her to lead French troops. She was convicted of heresy and burned at the stake.

Answer: Schwyz

Rossini (1792-1868) was a prolific opera composer during his youth. His masterpiece "Il Barbiere di Siviglia" ("The Barber of Sevilla") was completed in only thirteen days. "Guillaume Tell" was the last of his 33 operas. At the end of 1829, he "retired" from composing operas. Later on, he specialized in ecclesiastical music.
The "Confederatio Helvetica" ("Swiss Confederation") started with the "Eidgenossenschaft" (confederation) of Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden. The canton of Schwyz was probably the most important of these three and hence gave its name to the entire country ("Schweiz" in German, "Suisse" in French). Unterwalden is nowadays divided into two cantons: Obwalden and Nidwalden.
The first confederates were regions in which German was the main language. Fribourg (with a large population that speaks French) joined in 1481, Ticino (mainly Italian-speaking) was acquired in 1516. The canton of Graubünden, one of the few regions in which Rhaeto-Romanic is a major language, joined in 1567. From that date on, the Swiss confederation has to cope with four different languages. All these languages are official languages since 1938, so all legislative documents have to be published in German, French, Italian and Rhaeto-Romanic.
Everyone will probably know the story of William Tell, who led the insurrection against the Habsburg governor Gessler. The most dramatic moment in this popular legend is when Gessler forces William to shoot an arrow at an apple placed on his son's head. William prepares two arrows and declares afterwards: "If I should have missed the first arrow, the second would not miss your head".

Answer: Genoa

As I've stated before, Verdi (1813-1901) was an Italian opera composer famous for his operas "Nabucco" (1842), "Rigoletto" (1851), "La Traviata" (1853), "Il Trovatore" (1853) and "Aida" (1871).
The Genoese created the function of Duke in 1339 to end the quarrels between the two officials who had reigned Genoa up till then: the "podesta" (mayor) on the one hand and the "capitano del popolo" ("people's capitan") on the other hand. After Boccanegra, the most prominent dukes belonged to the family Doria. Andrea Doria, the best known of these Dukes, reigned from 1528 till 1560.
Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) is of course the explorer who tried to find a westward trade route to India and landed in America. His account of the natural riches over there inspired the Spanish and Portuguese to colonize these new regions. Many historians have attributed the discovery of the Americas to Columbus, although he was not the first European over there: Leif Ericsson visited Canada around the year 1000, but there was no follow-up to his discovery.

Answer: Decamerone

Franz von Suppé (1819-1895) was an Austrian composer. His best known operette is "Die Leichte Kavallerie" (1866), based upon Tennyson's poem "Charge of the Light Brigade".
Boccaccio's "Decamerone" ("Decameron", 1353) is a frame-story in which ten people each tell ten stories during the plague in Florence. Some of these stories are not suitable for young children because of their explicit nature.
"Africa" was a Latin epic by Francesco Petrarca (1304-1374) and deals with the Third Punic War.
"Il nome della rosa" is translated as "The Name of the Rose" and was written by Umberto Eco (born in 1932). It was Eco's first novel.
"Gerusalemme liberata" ("Jerusalem Delivered") is Torquato Tasso's masterpiece. Tasso was a noble Italian who lived from 1544 until 1595. The poem "Gerusalemme liberata" tells the story of some pseudo-historic figures during the Crusades. Some of these characters, for example Rinaldo, Tancredi and Clorinda have inspired many operas. Handel (1685-1759) named an opera after Rinaldo, and Monteverdi (1567-1643) composed "Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda" ("The Fight Between Tancred and Clorinda").

For several questions in this quiz, I've consulted the following sources: "World History" by Carl Grimberg, "7000 Years of World History" edited by Christoph Columbus Verlag AG, "Verschueren Groot Encyclopedisch Woordenboek", "Phaëton's Great Opera Book", "Le Petit Larousse", the Encarta Encyclopedia on CD-ROM, www.operone.de, the Catholic Encyclopedia (www.newadvent.org/cathen) and Wikipedia (http:/en.wikipedia.org).