The Alfa 33 was a five door hatchback and estate model car made by Alfa Romeo from 1984 to 1994. The Alfa 33 came in three engine sizes: 1.5 litres with 98 BHP, 1.7 litres with 107 to 110 BHP and a 1.7 litre 16 valve edition providing 132 to 137 BHP, all of which provided about 30 mpg. The Alfa 33 was criticised for its heavy steering, poor comfort and unreliable gear change, and has subsequently proved to be at high risk to rusting. Research Alfa 33
Alfa Romeo is an Italian motor-car manufacturer. The company was founded in 1906 as 'Societa Italiana Automobili Darracq' with the aim of manufacturing low cost Darracq motor cars. That company quickly ran into difficulties when the once booming car market began to falter. In 1910 the Darracq factory that had been built in the Portello district of Milan was sold to a group of Italian car enthusiasts who called themselves 'Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili' (ALFA). Success was to be short lived, because the company went into liquidation in 1915, and was then taken over by an engineer and entrepreneur called Nicola Romeo. After the Great War the company changed its name to 'Societa Anonima Ing. NicolaRomeo & Co.' having taken over several smaller firms: Officine Meccaniche di Saronno, Officine Meccaniche Tabanelli of Rome and Officine Ferroviarie Meridionali of Naples. Formally constituted by the notary, Federico Guasti, in Milan on February the 3rd 1918, the new company proclaimed its purpose to be 'the
construction and management of engineering, steel, agricultural, mining, chemical and quarrying companies, with particular emphasis on military, aviation, marine and agricultural equipment, internal combustion engines for all possible applications: aeroplanes, automobiles, locomotive and other wheeled transport.' Today Alfa Romeo is known for its range of sporty motor-cars. Research Alfa Romeo
The Alfa Romeo 147 is an Italian automobile produced in three- and five-door models since 2001 when it was voted European Car of the Year, before undergoing revisions in 2005. The Alfa Romeo 147 is marketed as a stylish family car and is powered by a 1.9 litre four-cylinder engine providing a top speed of 129 mph, acceleration of 0 to 60 mph in just under nine seconds and a combined fuel consumption of almost 48 mpg. The Alfa Romeo 147 has been plagued by reliability issues and in October 2003 models were recalled due to a fire risk caused by an engine bay wiring short circuit on cars built between January 2002 and April 2003. Another recall occurred in April 2004 due to the power-assisted steering which could fail on GTAs made between November 2000 and March 2003. In May 2005 another recall occurred due to fuel leaks discovered on cars built between May and September 2004, in September 2006 a braking fault was discovered with the space-saver spare fitted on non-GTAs made between June 2004 and February 2006 resulting in a recall of these vehicles and in October 2006 clutch issues were discovered on vehicles made between March 2003 and October 2005. Research Alfa Romeo 147
The Alfa Romeo 8C was an Italian sports car of the early 1930s. The Alfa Romeo 8C was powered by a 2300 cc in-line eight-cylinder engine providing between 140 and 175 hp, varying with model, and a top speed of 170 kmh. The Alfa Romeo 8C was a successful racing car during the 1930s, winning Grand Prix races and the Le Mans 24 hour race. Research Alfa Romeo 8C
The Alfa Romeo Spider was a sports car produced from 1966 to 1993 designed by Battista Pininfarina and produced by the Alfa Romeo company. The
Alfa Romeo Spider had a 1962 cc 4-cylinder DOHC engine providing 131 bhp and a top speed of 199 kmh. A few variations were made, with slightly differing body shapes, all renowned for their smooth steering and slick gear changing. Research Alfa Romeo Spider
Charles Francois Gounod was a French composer. He was born in 1818 at Paris and died in 1893.
He studied at the Conservatoire under Jacques Halevy, Lesueur, and Pauer, and afterwards in Italy. His first important work was Faust (produced in 1859), which raised him to a high rank among composers. Other operas followed, among which are Mireille (1864), Romeo et Juliette, Cinq Mars (1877), and Polyeucete (1878). He wrote also a Messe Solennelle, a motet Gallia, and other choral works and songs; oratorios Redemption (1882), Mors et Vita (1885), and a Mass for the Jeanne D'Aro festival (1887). Research Charles Gounod
Hector Berlioz was a French composer. He was born in 1803 and died in 1869. He gave up medicine to study music at the Paris Conservatoire, where he gained the first prize in 1830 with his cantata Sardanapale. For about two years he studied in Italy, and when on his return he began to produce his larger works, he found himself compelled to take up the pen both in defence of his principles and for his own better maintenance.
As critic of the Journal des Debats and feuilletonist he displayed scarcely less originality than in his music, his chief literary works being the Traite d'Instrumentation, 1844; Voyage Musical, 1845; Les Soirees d'Orchestre, 1853; and A traversChant, 1862. His musical works belong to the Romantic school, and are specially noteworthy for the resource they display in orchestral colouring. The more important are Harolden Italie; Episode de la Vie d'un Artiste, and Le Retour a la Vie; Romeo and Juliette, 1834; Damnation de Faust, 1846; the operas Benvenuto Cellini, Beatrice and Benedict, and Les Troy-ens; L'Enfance du Christ, and the Requiem. He married an English actress, Miss Smithson, but latterly lived apart from her. After his death appeared Memoires written by himself. Research Hector Berlioz
John Hurt is an English actor. He was born in 1940 at Derbyshire. He made his debut while still a student playing a role in 'The Wild and the Willing' in 1962 and won Baftas for his roles in ' Midnight Express' and ' The Elephant Man'. His most obscure claim to fame may be that he was the only human actor in the 1990 Belgian film Romeo-Juliet, in which he acted alongside a cast of cats. Research John Hurt
Helen Faucit (Lady Theodore Martin) was an English actress. She was born in 1816 and died in 1898. The daughter of an actress, she made her debut at the Theatre Royal, Richmond, in 1833, as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet. She first appeared in London at Covent Garden as Julia in The Hunchback, in which she gained a decided success. She was one of the most important members of Macready's company during the Shakespearian revivals of 1837, and was subsequently the original representative of the heroines in Lord Lytton's Lady of Lyons, Money, Richelieu, etc, and in
Browning's Strafford, Blot on the Scutcheon, and Colombe's Birthday. She was married to Theodore Martin (later Sir Theodore Martin), in 1851, since when she rarely appeared on the stage, and latterly only for charitable purposes. Helen Faucit was the author of a volume On Some of Shakespeare's Female Characters. Research Helen Faucit
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Abbreviations
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