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Norfolk is the region's cultural heart and in addition to several outstanding museums, is the principle home for several major performing arts companies. Norfolk also plays host to numerous yearly festivals and parades, mostly at Town Point Park in downtown. As with most of Virginia (the Northern Virginia/Washington D.C. metro area being the notable exception), Norfolk is most often associated with the larger American South. However, due to the large presence of the military in the region, which has brought people to Hampton Roads from across all regions of the country, some traditions and cultural aspects have changed more than in other southern regions. One of the most notable differences is the relative lack of presence of the Southern accent. While it is not uncommon to hear someone speak with a Southern accent, especially older persons or persons from other southern regions, it is heard less frequently in Hampton Roads than some other parts of the South due, in large part to the transient military and maritime population. Norfolk was historically part of the slave-holding South, and was later segregated along racial lines until the 1960s. This has led to racial tensions within the highly diversified city that have been slow to heal. Nevertheless, racial tensions have been slowly subsiding overtime as younger generations who have no first-hand recollection of segregation have reached adulthood and started families of their own. ==Arts== The Chrysler Museum of Art, located in the Ghent District, is the region's foremost art museum and is considered by ''The New York Times'' to be the finest in the entire state. Of particular note is the extensive glass collection and American neoclassical marble sculptures. Nauticus, located on the downtown waterfront, is a maritime-themed museum featuring hands-on exhibits, high definition films, and educational programs designed to increase awareness of the importance of the world's waterways. It is also noted for being the home to the battleship , the last battleship to be completed in the United States, and which briefly served in World War II, and later in the Korean and Gulf wars.〔(【引用サイトリンク】 Nauticus )〕 The Hermitage Foundation Museum, located in an early 20th-century Arts and Crafts Style home, on a estate fronting the Lafayette River, features an eclectic collection of Asian and Western art including Chinese bronze and ceramics, Persian rugs, and ivory carvings. The General Douglas MacArthur Memorial, located in the former Norfolk city hall rotunda in downtown, contains the tombs of the late General and his wife, along with personal belongings (including his famous corncob pipe), and a short film that chronicles the life of the famous American army general.〔(【引用サイトリンク】 MacArthur Memorial )〕 Norfolk has a variety of performing groups with regular performances. The Virginia Opera, the Official Opera Company of the Commonwealth of Virginia, was founded in 1974. Its current artistic director is Peter Mark. Though performances are statewide, the company's principal venue is the Harrison Opera House in the Ghent District.〔(【引用サイトリンク】 Virginia Opera )〕 The Virginia Stage Company, founded in 1968, is one of the country's leading regional theaters and produces a full season of plays in the Wells Theatre downtown. The Company shares facilities with the Governor's School for the Arts.〔(【引用サイトリンク】 Virginia Stage Company )〕 The Virginia Symphony Orchestra, founded in 1920, and directed by JoAnn Falletta, has been a regular staple on the regional fine arts scene. Most performances take place at Chrysler Hall in downtown. The orchestra also provides musicians for many other performing arts organizations in the area.〔(【引用サイトリンク】 Virginia Symphony )〕 Large scale concerts are held at either Norfolk Scope or the Ted Constant Convocation Center while The Norva provides a venue for smaller groups. Norfolk has a number of historic facilities including the Attucks Theatre, Naro Expanded Cinema, The Tidewater Community College's Jeanne and George Roper Performing Arts Center (formerly Loew's State Theater), and the Riverview Theatre. Many clubs, representing a wide range of musical interests, line the lower Granby Street area. These include the Club Seven and the Granby Theater, which formerly hosted plays but now is a restaurant and club. Not far away, the Waterside Festival Marketplace has also continued to be successful as a nightclub and bar venue.〔(Norfolk Nightlife ) — Frommer's Travel Guide〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Culture in Norfolk, Virginia」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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