Tybalt is a fictional character and the main antagonist in William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet. He is Lady Capulet's nephew, Juliet's hot-tempered cousin and Romeo's rival. Tybalt shares the same name as the character Tibert/Tybalt the "Prince of Cats" in Reynard the Fox, a point of mockery in the play. Mercutio repeatedly calls Tybalt "King of Cats" (perhaps referring not only to Reynard but to the Italian word cazzo "penis"). Luigi da Porto adapted the story as Giulietta e Romeo and included it in his Historia novellamente ritrovata di due Nobili Amanti published in 1530. Da Porto drew on Pyramus and Thisbe and Giovanni Boccaccio's Decameron. He gave it much of its modern form, including the names of the lovers, the rival families of Montecchi and Capuleti, and the location in Verona. He also introduces characters corresponding to Shakespeare's Mercutio, Tybalt, and Paris. Da Porto presents his tale as historically true and claims it took place in the days of Bartolomeo II della Scala (a century earlier than Salernitano). Montague and Capulet were actual 13th-century political factions, but the only connection between them is a mention in Dante's Purgatorio as an example of civil dissension.

Edward "Ed" Westwick (born 27 June 1987) is an English actor and musician who is best known for his role as Chuck Bass on the CW television drama Gossip Girl.

Westwick was born in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, the son of Carole, an educational psychologist, and Peter Westwick, a university lecturer. He grew up in Stevenage and trained at the National Youth Theatre in London. He is a Chelsea F.C. supporter. His early career began with appearances on the British television series Doctors as Holden, Casualty as Johnny Cullin and Afterlife as Darren. His film credits include Breaking and Entering, Children of Men and Son of Rambow.

In 2007, he was cast in The CW's teen drama series Gossip Girl as Chuck Bass. As a result of the show's success, he was named one of 2008's Sexiest Men Alive by People magazine, appeared the following year on its "100 Most Beautiful" list with the whole cast of Gossip Girl, earned two awards in 2008 and 2009 for Best TV Villain at the Teen Choice Awards, and was named Breakthrough Talent by GQ in 2010.Entertainment Weekly also named Westwick's character Chuck Bass number one in their "Best Dressed TV characters of 2008" list (tied with Leighton Meester's character Blair Waldorf), as well as in their "Best Performances" list alongside co-star Meester.

Mstislav Leopoldovich Rostropovich, KBE (Russian: Мстисла́в Леопо́льдович Ростропо́вич, Mstislav Leopol'dovič Rostropovič, pronounced [rəstrɐˈpɔvʲɪtɕ]; March 27, 1927 – April 27, 2007), was a Soviet and Russian cellist and conductor. He was married to the soprano Galina Vishnevskaya. He is widely considered to have been the greatest cellist of the second half of the 20th century, and one of the greatest of all time. In addition to his outstanding interpretations and technique, he was well known for both inspiring and commissioning new works which enlarged the cello repertoire more than any cellist before or since. He gave the premieres of over 100 pieces, forming long-standing friendships and artistic partnerships with composers including Dmitri Shostakovich, Sergei Prokofiev, Henri Dutilleux, Witold Lutoslawski, Alfred Schnittke, Andreas Makris and especially Benjamin Britten.

Rostropovich was internationally recognized as a staunch advocate of human rights, and was awarded the 1974 Award of the International League of Human Rights.

Thomas Whitehead (December 27, 1825 – July 1, 1901) was a nineteenth century politician, lawyer, editor and merchant from Virginia.

Born in Lovingston, Virginia, Whitehead received a limited education as a child, later engaged in mercantile pursuits, studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1849, commencing practice in Amherst, Virginia. During the Civil War, he served in the Confederate Army as captain of Company E, 2nd Virginia Cavalry from 1861 to 1865. Afterwards, he was elected to the Virginia Senate, but Reconstruction prevented him from taking seat. Whitehead was elected prosecuting attorney for Amherst County, Virginia in 1866 and again in 1869, resigning in 1873. He was elected as a Democrat to the United States House of Representatives in 1872, serving from 1873 to 1875 and afterwards was editor of the Lynchburg News in 1876 and of the Lynchburg Advance in 1880. Whitehead resumed practicing law and was elected commissioner of agriculture for Virginia in 1888, serving until his death on July 1, 1901 near Lynchburg, Virginia. He was interned in Spring Hill Cemetery in Lynchburg.