Arts & Culture

“Somewhere in La Mancha, in a place whose name I do not care to remember…” This line, arguably the most famous in the history of Spanish literature, is the opening of “The Ingenious Nobleman Don Quixote of La Mancha” by Miguel de Cervantes, the first modern novel. Published in two parts in 1605 and 1615, this […]

“The Epic of Gilgamesh” has been in Andrew George’s life since he was 15 years old; it’s a poem he’s grown up with and grown older with. “It’s one of those texts that changes as you go back to it. It is so profound and full of meaning that the more life experience you bring […]

Thirty flower messengers, reminiscent of the flower sellers in Japan’s traditional Edo period, walked the streets of Kensington in London on June 22, 2018. They carried baskets brimming with elaborate flower arrangements designed by flower artist Azuma Makoto to announce the arrival of “Japan in One Building,” a sentiment coined by Michael Houlihan, the director […]

CANBERRA—Sitting in a café in Australia’s capital, Rebecca Jiang looks like any other young woman having a casual brunch on a Sunday. You wouldn’t imagine that she has already traveled around the world after mastering the various forms of Chinese classical dance and is now an established dancer for Shen Yun Performing Arts. Jiang, whose […]

NEW YORK—Artists spend so much time alone in their studios that when they venture out to socialize, the experience can feel quite intense. If they attend the Figurative Art Convention & Expo (FACE), they can expect an especially enriching, sociable experience. At FACE, they can draw, paint, or sculpt from live models, together with more than […]

Traditional Japanese aesthetics define XIV Toba Bettei, a membership resort hotel in Ise-Shima.  The Ise-Shima region is located in Japan’s southern Mie Prefecture and consists of the cities of Ise, Toba, and Shima, and the town of Minami-Ise. The resort overlooks the waters of Ise-Shima and features a traditional Japanese-style garden with a large pond […]

News Analysis STOCKHOLM—There won’t be a Nobel Prize in Literature awarded in 2018. The reason: A reckoning following decades of alleged sexual misconduct among the very cream of the Swedish cultural elite. The Swedish Academy is internationally known almost exclusively for selecting the recipient of the world’s most prestigious literary award, the Nobel Prize in […]

Francesco Gasparini (1661–1727) is not a household name—yet—though we are already discovering what a big influence he had on later composers, namely Handel. On the disc “The Gasparini Album: Opera Arias,” engaging performances of arias from soprano Roberta Invernizzi, musical ensemble Auser Musici, which explores 16th- and 17th-century works, and its conductor Carlo Ipata (on Glossa) range widely over the career […]

NEW YORK—The story of a man falling for the wrong woman is an oft-told tale, so the key to this kind of tale’s effect is in just how it’s presented. Classic Stage Company’s offering of the 1943 Broadway musical “Carmen Jones,” which features a book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and music from Georges […]

NEW YORK—We might form certain notions in our minds about famous people from the way they have been written about in history books, presented in the media, or talked about in everyday conversation. But if we see their autographs—their handwriting in a document, a fleeting note, or an intimate letter—our notions about them may change. […]

Living cultural heritage from around the world is showcased at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, performed by a diverse cast of musicians, artists, craftspeople, cooks, workers, and storytellers eager to share their traditions. Presented by the Smithsonian Institution’s Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, the annual, free exposition is held outdoors on the National Mall in […]

Take in a tour of the world through the art of the ages, piece by exquisite piece, starting with herculean sculptures for the Sun King and ending with the smallest of golden boxes for the average aristocrat. Christie’s “Classic Week,” through July 12 at Christie’s London, showcases the sale of the most extraordinary fine and […]

NEW YORK—After being introduced to this dysfunctional family, one wonders if there will ever be peace for Mary Frances, the family matriarch, who lies slowly dying of a respiratory disease. Her caretakers include her daughter Fanny (Johanna Day), a recovering heroin addict on methadone for some years, who can be forgetful. She’s failed to connect […]

NEW YORK—“Loverly” through and through, the Broadway revival of the 1956 musical “My Fair Lady” shows itself to be a good fit for the 21st century. Special credit must go to director Bartlett Sher for allowing the underlying messages of the musical to shine through in this new production. With book and lyrics by Alan […]

The Polish composer Pawel Lukaszewski is 50 this year, and, in celebration, the Tenebrae choir and its director Nigel Short released a disc of Lukaszewski’s sacred choral music, “Daylight Declines,” on the Signum Classics label. While Lukaszewski’s output includes music in a wide variety of genres, including four symphonies, it is for his choral music that he is best known […]

In China, the most beloved and revered hard stone of all is jade, a symbol of purity and gentlemanly virtue. As the Chinese scholar-official Xu Shen wrote nearly two millennia ago, “Jade is the fairest of stones. It is endowed with five virtues: Kindness is exemplified by its luster, bright yet warm; rectitude by its […]

At the beginning of the Hong Wu period of the Ming Dynasty in the 14th century, there was a man named Zhu Shiji who had a daughter named Zhu E. Zhu Shiji, who was in charge of food taxes, was falsely accused by a grain debtor. He was put in jail and sentenced to death. […]

It’s never too late to pick up a musical instrument. In fact, there are many reasons why it’s a great idea, particularly in old age. We normally hear about reasons to increase music education for children, and for good cause. There are many cognitive and social benefits to playing an instrument that aid a child’s development. Consequently, […]

Kate Hebert indulges her passion for quilting and interest in American history as the chief curator at the American Museum in Britain. Here she shares her enthusiasm for a Hawaii Ku’u Hae Aloha Quilt, circa 1893, which is in the American Museum in Britain’s collection: Of all Hawaiian quilts, those most treasured are the ones […]

We appreciate Mongolian culture for its equestrian lifestyle and succulent barbecue, but the Mongolians were also known as connoisseurs of fine art and fashion. In particular, ancient Mongolian ladies of the court made a lasting influence on high fashion that extended even beyond China into Europe. Genghis Khan united the Mongolian tribes north of China […]