[1] Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff (1873 – 1943) was a Russian composer, virtuoso pianist, and conductor of the late Romantic period. The influence of Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, Balakirev, Mussorgsky, and other Russian composers is seen in his early works, later giving way to a personal style notable for song-like melodicism, expressiveness and rich orchestral colours.
[2] Eleanor Randolph Wilson McAdoo (1889 – 1967) was an American author and the youngest daughter of US President Woodrow Wilson and Ellen Louise Axson. She was an active suffragist.
[3] Hamburg steak is a patty of ground beef. Made popular worldwide by migrating Germans, it became a mainstream dish around the start of the 19th century. The original hamburger?
[4] Emmy Destinn (1878 – 1930) was a Czech operatic soprano with a strong and soaring lyric-dramatic voice. She had a career both in Europe and at the New York Metropolitan Opera.
[5] Giovanni Martinelli (1885 – 1969) was an Italian operatic tenor. He was associated with the Italian lyric-dramatic repertory, although he performed French operatic roles to great acclaim as well. Martinelli was one of the most famous tenors of the 20th century, enjoying a long career at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City and appearing at other major international theatres.
The Diaries of my Great-Great-Aunt Kate 