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A biography of gay British composer and musician Benjamin Britten is presented. Topics discussed include an acclaimed in classical music, his works inspired by his long-time personal and professional relationship with his lover, tenor Peter Pears and born as Edward Benjamin Britten on November 22, 1913 in Suffolk, England.

A biography of composer and musician Michael Tippett is presented. He was born in London, England on January 2, 1905 and was raised in Surrey, England. He graduated from the Royal College of Music in 1928 and was appointed as director of music at Morley College in London in 1940. Also cited are Tippett's oratorio "A Child of Our Time," as well as his operas "The Midsummer Marriage," and "King Priam."

A biography of music critic and composer Virgil Thomson is presented. He was born in Kansas City, Missouri on November 25, 1896 and served as organist in a Baptist church in the city when he was young. He collaborated with Gertrude Stein in the operas "Four Saints in Three Acts" and "The Mother of Us All." Alsi cited are Thomson's study of music at Harvard University, as well as his study of composition under mentor Nadia Boulanger.

A biography of British gay actor Ian McKellen is presented. Topics covered include his birth on May 25, 1939, his stage debut in London, England in James Saunders' play "A Scent of Flowers," awards received, and the expansion of his career into stage direction in the 1960s. Also mentioned are his work with the Royal Shakespeare company, roles in films such as "Scandal," the X-Men movies and Lord of the Rings movies, and GLBTQ activism.

A biography of Sir John Gielgud, an English actor and theater director is presented. Topics discussed include his family background, education, and early life and career. Also mentioned are his film debut in the silent picture "Who Is That Man?" his performance of Shakespearean roles at the Old Vic theater company, and his relationship with actor John Perry.

A biography of Aaron Copland, an American composer, composition teacher, writer and conductor, is presented. Topics discussed include their family background, education, and early life and career. Also mentioned are his rejection of European, neo-Romantic forms, his creation of an American, modernist style in orchestral music, and some of his better known works such as "Symphony for Organ and Orchestra," "Piano Concerto" and "El Salon Mexico."

A biography of gay composer, conductor, pianist and lecturer Leonard Bernstein is presented. Topics discussed include his introduction of the highbrow culture, family background, born on August 25, 1918 in Lawrence, Massachusetts, educational background, highlights of his music career and his televised educational series of Young People's Concerts.

A biography of gay photographer of cultural icons and royalty Sir Cecil Walter Hardy Beaton is presented. Topics discussed include his family background, born on January 14, 1904 in London, England, educational background, highlights of his career in photography and as a theatrical stage designer and partial paralysis in 1974 due to a severe cerebral hemorrhage.

A biography of Italian director Franco Zeffirelli is presented. He was born in Florence, Italy on February 12, 1923 from parents, businessman Ottorino Corsi and fashion designer Adelaide Garosi. Zeffirelli studied architecture at University of Florence. Also cited are the work of Zeffirelli as interpreter for the British Army following the Allied invasion in World War II, as well as his films like "The Taming of the Shrew," "Endless Love," and "Romeo and Juliet."

A biography of American lesbian interior designer and actress Elsie de Wolfe is presented. She was born Ella Anderson de Wolfe in New York on December 20, 1865 and studied in Edinburgh, Scotland. Also cited are the romantic relationship of de Wolfe with Broadway agent and producer Elisabeth (Bessie) Marbury, her volunteer work as a nurse during World War I, and her marriage with British diplomat Charles Mendl.

A biography of filmmaker Rose Troche is presented. She was born in Chicago, Illinois from Puerto Rican parents in 1964. Also cited are Troche's romantic relationship with partner Guinevere Turner, her first feature film about female homosexuality titled "Go Fish," as well as some of her short films like "Let's Go Back to My Apartment and Have Sex," "This War Is Not Over," and "Gabriella."

A biography of British female rock singer Dusty Springfield is presented. She was born Mary Isobel Catherine Bernadette O'Brien in London, England on April 16, 1939 and was educated in Roman Catholic convent schools. Also cited are Springfield's band, the Springfields, as well as her solo career in which she launched such albums as "I Only Want to Be with You," "Dusty in Memphis," and "Ev'rything's Coming Up Dusty."

A biography of British director John Schlesinger is presented. He was born in London, England on February 16, 1926 and studied at Baliol College in Oxford, England where he was involved in acting and filmmaking. Also cited are some films by Schlesinger, including the documentary "Terminus," as well as "A Kind of Loving," "Billy Liar," and "Darling."

A biography of French musical composer Camille Saint-Saëns is presented. He was born in Paris, France on October 9, 1835 and was raised by his mother and his great-aunt Charlotte Masson. He studied at the Paris Conservatory and worked as chief organist at the Madeleine Church in Paris until 1877. Also cited are his compositions including the First Cello Concerto in A minor, the opera Samson et Dalilah, and the Third Violin Concerto in G minor.

A biography of British film and stage director Tony Richardson is presented. He was born Cecil Antonio Richardson in Shipley, Yorkshire, England on June 5, 1928 and studied at Wadham College. Richardson worked as television director for the British Broadcasting Corp. and as stage director at the Royal Court Theatre. Among Richardson's directorial jobs were the plays "Look Back in Anger" and "The Entertainer," and the film "Momma Don't Allow."

A biography of British gay tenor Peter Neville Luard Pears is presented. Topics covered include his birth on June 22, 1910 and death on April 3, 1986, his long-term partnership and relationship with composer Benjamin Britten, and operatic roles written for him by Britten. Also mentioned are his co-founding of the English Opera Group and performance of songs by diverse composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach, Franz Schubert and Gustav Mahler.

A biography of British theatrical and film costume and set designer Oliver Messel is presented. Topics covered include his birth on January 13, 1904 and death on July 13, 1978, educational background, and professional rivalry with Cecil Beaton. Also mentioned are the continuation of his career in Great Britain and the U.S. after World War II, his design of the decor for a suite at the Dorchester Hotel in London, England, and early career as a portrait painter.

A biography of Zanzibar-born British rock musician Freddie Mercury is presented. Topics covered include his birth as Farrokh Bulsara on September 5, 1946 and death from AIDS on November 23, 1991, his family's move to England in 1964, and his formation of the band Queen in 1970 with Roger Taylor, Brian May and John Deacon. Also mentioned are the band's best-selling recordings from 1975 to 1983 such as "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "Under Pressure," and tributes to Mercury after his death.

A biography of British-born singer Mabel Mercer is presented. Topics covered include her birth on February 3, 1900 and death on April 20, 1984, her designation as an icon for the GLBTQ community, and her popularity in New York City's cabaret scene. Also mentioned are her interpretation of show tunes and standards, becoming an American citizen in 1952, and marriage to openly gay African-American musician Kelsey Pharr.

A biography of British-born gay actor Roddy McDowall is presented. Topics covered include his birth as Roderick Andrew Anthony Jude McDowall on September 17, 1928 and death from cancer on October 3, 1998, how his homosexuality was not an issue due to respect accorded to him by the show business world, and films made as a child actor such as "Murder in the Family," "How Green Was My Valley" and "Lassie, Come Home." Also mentioned are roles as an adult in films such as "Funny Lady."

A biography of American gay comedian Paul Lynde is presented. Topics covered include his birth on June 13, 1926 and death on January 9, 1982, personal problems such as loneliness and alcoholism, and non-acknowledgment of his homosexuality during his lifetime. Also mentioned are his roles in stage productions such as the musical "Bye Bye Birdie," television programs such as "Hollywood Squares" and films such as "Beach Blanket Bingo."

A biography of German-American gay illustrator and artist Joseph C. Leyendecker is presented. Topics covered include his birth on March 23, 1874 and death on July 25, 1951, his creation of the Arrow Man character used in advertisements for the Arrow Collars and Shirts company, and his long-term relationship with model Charles Beach. Also mentioned are his art education, his establishment of an art studio with brother Francis X. Leyendecker, and financial concerns in his last years.

A biography of Polish-born lesbian harpsichordist Wanda Landowska is presented. Topics covered include her birth on July 5, 1879 in Warsaw and death on August 16, 1959 in Connecticut, her membership in American playwright Natalie Clifford Barney's lesbian salon, and marriage to Polish folklorist Henry Lew. Also mentioned are her advocacy for the harpsichord's use via her performance and writings, her relationship with Denise Restout, and her establishment as a performer and teacher in the U.S.

The article profiles American film director James Ivory and Indian-born film producer and director Ismail Merchant. Topics discussed include their family background, education, and early life and career. Also mentioned are their reputation as one of the most influential gay partnership in film history, their ability to bring together the diverse elements of American and Indian culture, and some of their known films such as "Shakespeare Wallah," "The Householder" and "The Guru."

A biography of Brian Epstein, an English music entrepreneur best known for managing the English rock band The Beatles, is presented. Topics discussed include his family background, education, and early life and career. Also mentioned are his discovery of the Beatles in November 1961, the speculation about a possible affair between Epstein and singer John Lennon, and on how he was vilified by the industry for allegedly suppressing the creative of the Beatles.

A biography of gay English actor Sir Nigel Hawthorne is presented. Topics discussed include his family background, education, and early life and career. Also mentioned are his title role in Nicholas Hytner's film "The Madness of King George," his reputation as a professional and versatile character actor, and his nomination for Best Actor in the Academy Award.

A biography of Keith Haring, an American artist and social activist, is presented. Topics discussed include his family background, education, and early life and career. Also mentioned are his work that respond to the street culture of New York City in the 1980s, his depiction of birth, death, sexuality and war, and his effort to create social awareness about AIDS.

A biography of Stephen Fry, an English comedian, actor, writer, presenter and activist, is presented. Topics discussed include his family background, education, and early life and career. Also mentioned are his casting in the lead role in the 1997 film "Wilde," his film career during the late 1980s, and the novels he published such as "The Liar," "The Hippopotamus" and "Making History."

A biography of American puppeteer Wayland Flowers is presented. Topics discussed include his family background, his early life and career, and the popularity of the puppet act he created with his puppet named Madame. Also mentioned are the stage and screen successes of his performances as Wayland Flowers and Madame in the 197s and 1980s, Madame's lead role in the sitcom "Madame's Place," and the demise of Flowers in 1988 due to AIDS.

A biography of British composer Sir Peter Davies is presented. Topics discussed include his family background, education, and early life and career. Also mentioned are his music that incorporates influences outside of the Western musical tradition, his most notable theatrical pieces such as "Miss Donnithorne's Maggot," "The Martyrdom of St. Magnus" and "The Lighthouse" and his works for chamber orchestra such as "The Doctor of Myddfai" and the "Antarctic Symphony."

A biography of Roberta Close, a transsexual model and celebrity, is presented. Topics discussed include her goal to undergo the male-to-female sexual reassignment surgery, born Luiz Roberto Gambine Moreira on December 7, 1964 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, family background and childhood and highlights of her career.

A biography of Lindsay Gordon Anderson, a lesbian film and stage director, is presented. Topics discussed include his role in the "Free Cinema" movement of the 1950s, born on April 17, 1923 in Bangalore, India, family background, educational background, his feature films and theatrical works and his death on August 20, 1994 due to a heart attack.

A biography of gay actor Sir Dirk Bogarde is presented. Topics discussed include his discreet homosexuality during the span of his film career, born Derek Jules Gaspard Ulric Niven van den Bogaerde on March 28, 1921, family background, highlights of his acting career, knighted in 1992 and died of a heart attack on May 8, 1999.

A biography of art historian Anthony Frederick is presented. Topics discussed include the scandal involving public revelations that he had been a spy for the Soviet Union, born on September 26, 1907 in Bournemouth, England, family background, involvement with communism and the highlights of his career as an art historian.

A biography of Baron Gerald Hugh Tyrwhitt-Wilson Berners is presented. Topics discussed include his life as a British aristocratic eccentric, career as composer, painter and novelist, born on September 18, 1883 at Shropshire in England, family and educational background and life as an openly gay man.

A biography of gay American composer Samuel Barber is presented. Topics discussed include his contribution to the cultural life of the U.S. and the world, born on March 9, 1910 in West Chester, Pennsylvania, family and educational background, relationship with Italian composer Gian Carlo Menotti and the awards and honors he received.

A biography of gay film director Anthony Asquith is presented. Topics discussed include his works focusing on the psychological dilemmas of the upper class, his efforts to secure union benefits for the working-class men and women in the film industry, born on November 9, 1902 in London, England, family and educational background and some of the films he directed.

A biography of Mercedes de Acosta, a Spanish-Cuban poet, playwright, screenwriter and costume designer, is presented. Topics discussed include her devotion to Eastern mysticism, the occult and vegetarianism, birth on March 1, 1893 in New York City, family background, involvement in the lesbian theatrical circles and her women lovers.

A biography of homosexual artist Brian Howard is presented. A background on the family and education of Howard is provided. It highlights the career of Howard in the field of arts that include the founding of the Eton Society of Arts and his job as editor of the literary magazine "Eton Candle," as well as his relationship with a German boyfriend, his failure to develop his literary career and eventual suicide following the death of his lover.

A biography of poet, novelist, university lecturer, Royal Air Force officer and philanthropist Harold Acton is presented. A background on the family and education of Acton is provided. His accomplishments include the historical work "The Last Medici," his autobiographical "Memoirs of an Aesthete," "The Bourbons of Naples," "The Last Bourbons of Naples," as well as a distinction of Knight Commander of the British Empire.