André Messager (30 December 1853 – 24 February 1929) was a French composer and conductor, whose best-known works are the ballet Les Deux Pigeons (1886) and the opéra comique Véronique (1898). His successes span the period from the late 19th century (Les p'tites Michu, 1897) to early 20th century (Monsieur Beaucaire, 1919), including musical comedies with Sacha Guitry and Yvonne Printemps. Many of his works were also produced in the West End and some on Broadway, some with long runs and numerous international revivals. Messager became a major figure in the musical life of Paris and then London, as a composer and as a prominent conductor in the concert hall and opera house, leading the Paris Opéra, among others. His music was known for its melodic and orchestral invention, musical craftsmanship, and characteristically French elegance and grace. Although most of his works have been infrequently revived, historians of music consider him the last major figure in French opéra comique and opérette.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andr%C3%A9_Messager

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1813:

War of 1812: British forces captured Buffalo, New York, and burned down nearly all its buildings. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Buffalo

1940:

The Arroyo Seco Parkway, one of the first freeways built in the U.S., connecting downtown Los Angeles with Pasadena, California, was officially dedicated. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arroyo_Seco_Parkway

1958:

The Guatemalan Air Force fired on Mexican fishing boats that had strayed into Guatemalan territory, triggering an eight-month conflict. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexico%E2%80%93Guatemala_conflict

2013:

Supporters of Congolese religious leader Paul-Joseph Mukungubila carried out a series of attacks on television studios, the airport and a military base in Kinshasa. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/December_2013_Kinshasa_attacks

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

smell-feast: (archaic) One who is apt to find and frequent places where good food is available; especially one who comes uninvited to a meal; a parasite; a sponger. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/smell-feast

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

I conclude… that the record establishes that Mr. Trump, over the course of several months and culminating on January 6, 2021, used a false narrative of election fraud to inflame his supporters and direct them to the Capitol to prevent certification of the 2020 election and the peaceful transfer of power. I likewise conclude that Mr. Trump was aware of the likelihood for violence and at least initially supported its use given he both encouraged it with incendiary rhetoric and took no timely action to stop it. … I do not reach this conclusion lightly. … I am mindful that no Secretary of State has ever deprived a presidential candidate of ballot access based on Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment. I am also mindful, however, that no presidential candidate has ever before engaged in insurrection.   --Shenna Bellows https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Shenna_Bellows