Having trouble deciding which birthday presents to get for friends and family? Never fear, astrology is here! You can be sure that the recipient will love the birthday presents that you give him or her if you follow his or her astrological sign. Here are some great ideas for birthday presents for people of particular signs: · Aries - March 21 - April 20. An Aries loves both challenges and oppositions. Because of this, a good board game makes an excellent birthday present for an Aries. Try to get one that is especially challenging and competitive like Scrabble or Settlers. · Taurus - April 21 - May 20. A Taurus, on the other hand, does not appreciate challenges or oppositions and...

The word GAGAKU means elegant, correct, or refined music. In the Heian period ( 7th cent.), over thirty kinds of instuments were used to perform the music of China,Korea, India, and the native music of Japan. Gagaku is the earliest significant forms of Japanesemusic. It shares with Kabuki music the distinction of having instuments in each of the three basic orchestralunits, percussion, strings, and winds. While it does nottake full advantage of its orchestral possibilites, asdoes Kabuki, it is considered by some to be the only "true" orchestral music of Japan. There are four types of Gagaku- · KANGEN instrumental music · BUGAKU dance music · SONGS · RITUAL MUSIC for Shinto...

What does the Phantom of the Opera and Cats have in common? Answer: They are the longest running plays in the history of Broadway. Phantom is currently still performing its spectacular production and nearing its 7,500th performance. Cats closed on September 10th, 2000 after 7,486 shows. What is the allure of Broadway and these two plays? Phantom has been delighting audiences of readers since Gaston Leroux wrote the novel in 1911. Phantom first went to film in 1925 and recently a remake appeared in 2005. On Broadway, Phantoms opening night was on January 26, 1988 at the Majestic Theatre. Phantom of the Opera had ticket seekers clamoring for the opportunity to take a seat and watch the visual...

There are plenty of free music downloads online that a person can find, that are legal too. Many people are reluctant to download free music in fear that they are downloading the music illegally. However, because of recent control over the online downloading music sites, it has gotten a lot easier to find music sites that are legal and cheap, if not free. The music sites with free music downloads are everywhere, and most of them have as high a quality of music downloads as most music sites that charge for music. One of the best things about free music downloads is that they have surprisingly high quality. Often times an illegal music site is distinguishable because the music is stolen, and is...

If you were to publicly perform or record "Happy Birthday" or "Danny Boy" you would owe someone some money. Maybe. It's a little unclear. According to Wikipedia, the melody of "Happy Birthday to You" was written in Louisville, Kentucky by sisters and teachers; Patty Hill and Mildred J. Hill in 1893. You could just imagine the very morning they in greeted their classroom to a little tune entitled "Good Morning to All". Sadly, we don't know who wrote the lyrics to the song as we know it today, and so, the the heirs of the lyricist missing in action will never see their due! The version as we know it was copyrighted in 1935 and was purchased by Warner Chappell in 1990 for US$15 million! With the value...

There are very few people who dislike music. Most people love music and it makes them feel free and alive. And with the internet there is so much of music available; what?s more you can download music for free via the net. Because of this amazing thing of being able to download music online for free, we find many more people attracted to it and joining various websites to download this music, after all who doesn?t like downloading music for free, right? Free music downloading is not a new thing today because you can find a lot of sites that offer music downloads for free. The only thing necessary is to find out the right place to get one. There can be a lot of reasons behind this and one of them is...

Ever since the gold rush of the 1840's, people have been traveling to California to discover its beauty and excitement. From the towering Sierra Nevada Mountains and tall redwood forests to the vast desert and rugged coastline, California offers a vast range of breathtaking views as it extends 1,100 miles down the west coast. Just as diverse as the landscape, the opportunities for exploration are endless on your next vacation to the Golden State. Home to the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman's Wharf and famous Alcatraz Island, San Francisco offers exciting landmarks, a highly diverse culture, and picturesque views of the bay from the steep rolling hills. Make exploring the city more exciting by riding...

Radio City Music Hall sparkled with the 2006 Radio City Christmas Spectacular opening from November 9, 2006 to December 30, 2006. It was a special time, as the whole cast as well as the world-known Rockettes, debuted an original song that showed off magnificent sets, gorgeous costumes, dazzling stage effects, and a thrilling new tap routine! The smashing hits like "Parade of the Wooden Soldiers" and "Living Nativity", acted as the icing on the cake! The show, lasting up to 90 to 105 minutes, was open for anyone above 2 years of age. Toddlers below this age were not allowed to occupy a seat, as they didn't get a ticket, and had to be seated on their parent's or guardian's lap. Nobody was deprived of...

Why,one might ask, would modern civilization owe adebt of gratitude to theunpopular, infamous Roman emperor Nero, dead two thousand years ago byhis own hand? For those folks not tunedin to their own historicalroots, Nero is an important part of your culture, not just a computersoftware tool for burning compact disks. Nero gathered a magnificentcollection of classical Greek sculpture from all over the Roman Empire,most of which was lost following his downfall. Why should you careabout Nero's story?--because whathappened to him influences the way youlook at the world every day. You may have heard the tale of howNero fiddled while Rome burned in 64 A.D. First, let us lay that storyto rest. Despite the...

There have been several high profile musical productions debuting in the West End recently to varying degrees of critical acclaim. But, regardless of whether the autumn openings continue their runs into 2008, musicals look set to dominate the West End box office over the next few years. Prominent amongst the successful new shows unveiled recently include 'Hairspray'. The musical opened in late October in London's West End to rave reviews and has recently extended its run by seven months as a result. First opened on Broadway in August 2002 at the Simons Theatre where it is still playing to packed audiences this American import is now booking until 25th October 2008 at the Shaftesbury Theatre. West...

An Orlando vacation can be a full-on experience with fun during the day and also at night. Just as Disney World has its Pleasure Island entertainment complex, Universal Studios features a CityWalk area that has nightclubs with entertainment in musical grooves including Jimmy Buffett, Motown, Bob Marley, rock 'n' roll, dance music, dueling pianos and Latin rhythms. Let's take a look at what is on offer at Universal's City Walk. Before we begin it should be noted that City Walk is not just a tit for tat response to Disney World's Pleasure Island. The City Walk area in Orlando is modeled after Universal Hollywood which first introduced the concept of an entertainment/dining complex. Here are some of...

Yesterday online retailer became the first UK retailer to offer digital track downloads without Digital Right Management (DRM) copyright, this simply means that they can be played on any MP3 player, and aren't restricted. The files are DRM free MP3 format and will work with most MP3 players, including iPods, Macs PCs and Windows Media Player. PlayDigital tracks will be 65 pence a track for the top 100 tracks, other tracks will be 70 pence - which is cheaper than iTunes 79 pence a track. Albums start from £4.95, and all the 100 top albums will be £1 cheaper than iTunes. So not only are they DRM free they are also cheaper than iTunes, the market leader. This also is a good deal for mobile...

The second arrondissement is situated on the Right Bank of the Seine River. It is Paris's smallest arrondissement, covering less than 0.4 square miles (slightly under a square kilometer). Its population is under twenty thousand, but this district provides over sixty thousand jobs, the highest job density in the city. This district is home to all of Paris's remaining glazed commercial arcades; pedestrian passages open at both ends with a glass and iron roof. This Parisian invention, actually an adaptation of Oriental bazaars and souks, forms a miniature city free from the noise of horse-drawn carriages, speeding taxis, and inclement weather. When these arcades were built mostly in the 1820s and 1830s...

Security flaws have long plagued Internet Explorer (IE), the market-dominating web browser from Microsoft. IE won the early browser wars, not only because it was free and bundled with Windows, but because it had some features and capabilities that its only real competitor, Netscape, didn't have. But the behind-the-scenes programming that makes those features possible is the very coding that also leaves wide gaps in IE's defenses against viruses and malicious scripting. Among several browser alternatives for Windows users, the Opera browser stands out in functionality and integration, and is gaining a wider following as a safer surfing alternative to Internet Explorer. To be sure, there are other...

Not sure what's happening with me on this one, but it seems like the more I listen to it, the better Rainbow Rising gets. Rainbow Rising simply stated is one of their best CDs to date. It's a rare day indeed that I get a CD from an artist that I can truthfully say does not have a bad track in the bunch. I'm more than happy to announce that's exactly what I must say about this one. There simply is NOT a bad one in the bunch. No fillers here at all. Unfortunately, it's not everyday that I get a CD for review that I can just pop in and comfortably listen to from beginning to end. There is usually a song or two that I just can't force myself to get through. Not at all the case with Rainbow Rising. Every...

Paris, the city of love is beautified with a lot of natural and artificial beauties. Paris Las Vegas Hotel, a dream place to be at, is no exception at all. It is basically a casino and hotel situated on the famous Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, which is both operated and owned by Harrah's Entertainment. It consists of a half scale, 164.6m (540 feet) high replica of the gorgeous Eiffel Tower and neon sign in the size and shape of the Montgofier balloon, a La Fontaine des Mers replica and a two-third sized Arc de Triomphe. The building façade suggests the Louvre and the Paris Opera House. Bally's Entertainment originally announced the project. For Paris Las Vegas Hotel, ground was...

Hype about High School Musical's sequel is fast rising, and many can't wait to see if could surpass the success of the first one. Rehearsals and filming of the second movie has started earlier this year, and the stars of the movie are working hard to give their best. "We all kind of pulled out all the stops," Monique Coleman said in a conversation with The Hartford Courant last week. "All of us coming back to this one, recommitting ourselves to the project that helped us all attain our successes, it's an expression of gratitude to the Disney Channel for making us superstars." Coleman added that after the brilliant success of the first High School Musical, they are all aware that "he stakes were...

Apple has been continuously innovating on its iPods. Initial iPods were meant to be a storage and playback device for songs on the go. Then came the feature of storing photos, soon followed with podcast facility. The latest iPods can even playback videos for you and come with a whooping 30 GB or 60 GB hard disk option, which can store up to 150 hours of video. So if you own this latest gizmo, read on. The next question is 'Where can you get those iPod videos and how can you download them on your iPod? Well, there are many options for you to choose from. The simplest option is to purchase music videos, Pixar short films, or select TV episodes via iTunes 6. iTunes music store has more than 3000 music...

"Carmen. I want every woman to be mysterious and ardent. I have this urge to be alive. To be somebody. I'm a gypsy by nature. I am Carmen." (from a conversation with Sophia Grosjman, one of outstanding perfumers in the world). This answer was expected from Sophia Grosjman, one of the most brilliant and famous contemporary perfumers in the world. She has worked on blockbuster fragrances like Eternity, Tresor, Jaipure, Kashaya and Paris. Born in Belarus over fifty years ago, she has always had a passion for flowers and scents. Very soon she immigrated to the USA and started to work at IFF as a laboratory technician. Each time she created a new perfume, she experimented it on her husband. She put the...

Voice type is a particular system for classifying opera and classical singers. The system allows composers, singers, and listeners to easily and quickly categorize voices. Here's a simple breakdown of the different types of singing voices. Female Soprano: The female soprano voice typically ranges from middle C to at least the "soprano C," that is two octaves higher. The voice is high-pitched and will vary from a light and sweet soubrette style to a rich and powerful dramatic soprano. Female Mezzo-Soprano: The mezzo-soprano is more often used for choral voices. The mezzo-soprano range is often lower than the soprano and the tessitura, or comfortable timbre, is lower as well. Female Contralto/Alto...

Copyright � 2006 Ed Bagley My Fair Lady � 4 Stars (Excellent) The 1964 musical My Fair Lady is one of the best movies ever made, earning 12 Oscar nominations and winning 8 Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director (George Cukor) and Best Actor (Rex Harrison) among major awards. Only Mary Poppins (with 5 Oscars) and Chicago (with 6 Oscars) has had more nominations (13) than My Fair Lady, and only West Side Story has more Oscars (10) with 11 nominations. Cabaret earned 8 Oscars with 10 nominations. Outstanding company to say the least. Personal favorites of mine also include Camelot and Fiddler on the Roof. My Fair Lady finds a professor of phonetics, Henry Higgins (Rex Harrison...

Music has got immense soothing capabilities. It acts like a magic balm soothing frayed nerves. Whether you are on a pensive mood or overflowing with joy music can be your perfect companion on all occasions. Therefore it is no wonder why the term music therapy has come into being in recent times. First popularized by the famous guitarist George Harrison the twelve-string guitar has made its maiden appearance in the 1960s. From then onwards it has been an integral part of any music show carving a unique niche for itself. It stood the test of time to become one of the most popular versions of guitar instruments globally. Musical instruments play a key role in making any musical journey lovable. Of all...

On that day for some reason unknown even to me I got a hankering to go to the Polish restaurant on 77th street and 8th avenue, the one my mother had once recommended to me as being both good and fast. Finding the place was not hard as l had passed it by many times on my way to "The Met" and when I did, I saw that it was a well lit modern styled diner where I took a stool at the bar as is my habit of doing when eating in this sort of establishment by myself. Once seated, I picked up a copy of the menu which was lying on the counter in front of me and started glancing through the choices when suddenly from my sitting position, l looked up to see a tall waitress with long black hair standing directly...

Founded by William Penn in the 17th century, Philadelphia is the first real American city and the first national capital. This is the fifth largest city in America where noble colonial buildings stand side by side with houses from glass and concrete. Nowadays Philadelphia is being restored and in a time everything from prosperous districts united into the Central City to magnificent historic buildings will look like it was built just recently. The City Council will finally have a chance to demonstrate its high tower. The Philadelphia railway station has already been restored and now looks the way it looked during the Great Depression. Philadelphia is known as the birthplace of the United States of...

We need to talk about things that touch the human soul. Music is what I know about and that's what we will mainly talk about, yet there are the arts, painting sculpting, poetry, and more. Music is what I know so that is what I want to focus on. Back in time not long ago Music was what we were all about. Writing, playing, living, was all about our human existence. We listened with our minds, hearts, and souls to help us understand what the meaning of life was, and to open our minds to what we did not understand all to become better people. We did become better. More understanding, more knowledgeable, more open to what we did not understand, and more true to ourselves and others, with a gracious...

There are many people who like to listen to music while they work and I am certainly one of them. I find it helps me focus more on the task at hand. Of course I can imagine that there are people who listen to music because it helps them NOT to focus on their job. Whilst there may be many reasons for wishing to listen to music in the workplace, can it really improve your productivity? We know that music can alter your mood. Films have been using musical scores for years to create the right mood for a scene. At times you hardly notice the music at all but you are very receptive to the mood being conveyed. So can we use music to put us in a "productive" mood? Research seems to support such a claim. For...

Paris is one of the best tourist destinations of the world. The capital city of France is famous for its tourist attractions and fashion world. Eiffel Tower, Musee du Louvre, Centre Pompidou and Basilique du Sacer-Coeur are among the most famous tourist sites in world's tourist map. The beautiful modern European city, Paris has lots of charm and grace, which easily attracts the tourist from all over the world. Some other important tourist sites of the city are Arc De Triomphe, Cathedrale Notre-Dama De Paris, Disneyland Paris, Cimeti re du P re-Lachaise and Avenue Des Champs- Elysees. There are plenty of hotels for the best accommodation within a city. About two thousand accommodations (hotels) are...

With thirty million visitors each year, Paris is one of the most visited places in the world. This is not surprising as it is the leading cultural, business and political centre and holds influence in fashion and gastronomy. It has also been described as the most romantic city in the world with many couples enjoying honeymoons, anniversaries or just a romantic weekend. Paris evokes images romance and bohemian lifestyle. Paris is a haven for artists and street performers, cafe culture and people watching and a certain 'joie de vive' The Louvre Attracting up to six million visitors each year, the Louvre has been open since 1793. Its collections are renowned worldwide. One of its greatest treasures is...

Licensing you music into films is a great extra income stream for you as an independent artist. But, as with any other aspect of the music business, you have to go through the learning curve and networking process. My experience with film licensing, just like everything else, revolves around whom you know. Your first (or tenth) licensing deal probably won't be the next Hollywood blockbuster, but that's ok. There are a zillion independent films that need and want your music. No, you won't be immediately rich and famous from having a song in an indie film, but you will probably get paid, and you'll get some good exposure. Remember, a good ling music career is not built on one big hit. It's built...

The old fashioned wall posters that featured TV and movie stars along with rock bands and that highlighted generations of teen-age bedrooms have been overshadowed, if not replaced, by fan sites on the Internet. There are untold tens (hundreds?) of thousands of them, ranging from amateur idol worship to sophisticated collections of information, photos and often video clips of the person, or shows being lionized. For the most part, fan sites can upload photos and small clips from films under the "fair use" policy. Generally speaking, fair use is a court-defined copyright principle based on the belief that the public is entitled to freely use portions of copyrighted materials for purposes of commentary...

Music is such a thing that soothes the heart, the soul and even the mind. When we talk of creating music, it does not mean just to go on with the instrument. Ample equipments and instruments are required to compose a quality sound, like guitar, drums, recording equipments, sound system, mixers and hi-fi/AV. Usually these are considered to be the professional music gear required in the studios and bands. Thus while composing musical album or making films or anyth other kind of professional recording, professional music gear are must. They are basically the instruments or rather the equipments and systems that are used in making these musical albums and films. Therefore, they are bound to be...

The Casanova Night Musical is the almost-true story of the great lover Casanova presented in a risqué, 2-act show. The Night Musical is a new offering for the musical world and is aimed at an adult audience of mature theatergoers 16 years or older. The story takes place in the 1750s and is set in both Venice and Paris; the subject matter is love in all its joyful and painful manifestations. In the Casanova Night Musical, the past and the present come together in set design, costume, dance and music and this classic theater performance is a collection of 17 songs with an exciting, pulsating visual presence on stage. In fact, the NIGHT MUSICAL shows nightlife in all its colorfulness. The music in...