Arts

09:29, 05/09/2018

EAST AURORA, N.Y.—The beauty and magnificence of nature can reveal truths for us. When Thomas Kegler paints outdoors, he is feeling air currents, watching the leaves move, and hearing their rustling. ...

15:09, 03/09/2018

Michelangelo Buonarroti’s “The Creation of Adam,” a small part of the fresco at the Sistine Chapel, is an iconic image and often referenced in television and literature. An episode of HBO’s “Westworld ...

20:09, 31/08/2018

Traveling 5,000 miles from Shaanxi Province in northwest China, 10 life-size Terracotta Warriors have left their emperor’s kingdom in order to be exhibited in England, in “China’s First Emperor and th ...

08:24, 30/08/2018

NEW YORK—”Think of your father.” These words bring the Greek war hero Achilles to tears when the Trojan king, Priam, requests the delivery of his son’s mutilated body for burial. Ach ...

20:04, 25/08/2018

For artist Shelly Salter, storytelling is at the heart of her work. Whether painting in oils or drawing in charcoal, she loves to bring the past back to life. “Every person has a story to tell. ...

20:11, 21/08/2018

NEW YORK—A traveler can show us how to appreciate our native backyard more than we might have otherwise. Thomas Cole (1801–1848) was such a man. Born in Lancashire, England, where he witnessed the Ind ...

21:09, 18/08/2018

NEW YORK—A medieval illuminator painted a giant in a book so tiny that you could potentially grasp it in one hand. But it’s not just any giant. This is a depiction of the saintly Christopher as ...

20:11, 14/08/2018

For decades the artists of Montmartre have dazzled sightseers with their rapidly delivered portraits, paintings of Parisian scenes, and cartoonish caricatures. But now the painters are threatening to ...

17:07, 11/08/2018

NEW YORK—“Many people have some knowledge of Delacroix the painter; far fewer know Delacroix the draftsman,” Ashley E. Dunn said, introducing the exhibition that she organized, “Devotion to Drawing: T ...

07:08, 25/07/2018

NEW YORK—Carlos Madrid’s insatiable curiosity leads him to explore the beauty of nature and life. He’s been on a long journey of expressing the gifts life has offered him, and the mysteries that have ...

08:48, 21/07/2018

NEW YORK—Upon entering the “Visitors to Versailles (1682–1789)” exhibition at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, we first see a huge tapestry portraying the château that Louis XIV had build when renovati ...

20:10, 13/07/2018

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 ...

20:15, 11/07/2018

Fearlessly dedicated to expressing her spiritual journey and the worlds in her dreams and visions, artist Akiane Kramarik has insights into humanity that reach for the highest understanding of the uni ...

21:26, 06/07/2018

NEW YORK—We might form certain notions in our minds about famous people from they way they have been written about in history books, presented in the media, or talked about in everyday conversation. B ...

10:23, 05/07/2018

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 aris ...

03:45, 02/07/2018

This hasn’t happened for over 20 years: a gathering of 22 Dutch masterpieces on display in an exhibition dedicated to National Trust paintings. Such is the demand for each of these important paintings ...

14:27, 29/06/2018

NEW YORK—As he paints, M. Tobias Hall contemplates the changing light of the day interacting with forms. Time can slip by so fast. It’s difficult to be just in the present—without ruminating abo ...

08:04, 24/06/2018

NEW YORK—It’s certainly not the savanna, but in the shadows of New York’s streets, photographer Richard Koek can be found lying in wait, ready to pounce on that perfect picture.   New York’s architect ...

16:53, 22/06/2018

Simplistic and paradoxically expressive, drawings and the merits of the craft have begun to be showcased in many art institutions around the world. From the recent exhibit “Michelangelo: Divine Drafts ...

17:05, 15/06/2018

What relationship does a modern spectator have with a painting created over 500 years ago? It’s sometimes difficult to see meaning in art seemingly outdated in style and subject matter. But if a viewe ...

17:19, 07/09/2018

Trees were once considered sacred and awe-inspiring: Oaks were worshiped by the European Druids, redwoods were a part of American Indian ritual, and baobabs a part of African tribal life. Ancient Chin ...

10:17, 04/09/2018

How can we maintain our independence, autonomy, and abilities as we age? In his book “The Aging Brain: Proven Steps to Prevent Dementia and Sharpen Your Mind,” psychiatrist and certified master psycho ...

08:11, 29/08/2018

Fairies, the magical creatures that shimmer in the forest, were for many years believed to be hidden in the woodland landscapes of Monhegan Island, Maine. The locals there made small houses especially ...

08:09, 27/08/2018

William Watson called April in his poem the month of “golden laughter.”  With that in mind, here are some lighthearted books that children can enjoy this April and beyond. Joke Books ‘Knock Knock Who’ ...

19:31, 22/08/2018

With several books and many films under the Dutchers’ belts, including Discovery Channel’s successful documentary “Wolves at Our Door” (which garnered an Emmy for Jim’s cinematography and ...

21:07, 17/08/2018

One of the most unlikely poems of the modernist period is that by Robert Frost: “The Pasture.” It is unlikely for many reasons. First, it seems more like a Romantic lyric (that is, 100 years too late) ...

20:43, 15/08/2018

There was a rich man in Changzhou County of what was at that time called Suzhou Province. His name was Long Heng. He was born with a very kind heart and always gave of himself to other people. Long He ...

15:04, 10/08/2018

Commentary When Jon McNaughton unveiled his new painting “Crossing the Swamp” on July 31, he probably wasn’t expecting to get as much attention as he did, including over 14,000 Twitter comments, 20,00 ...

07:10, 07/08/2018

Abandon all hope, ye who enter here! So warns the inscription on the gates of the inferno, the first realm of Dante Alighieri’s celebrated work, now known as the “Divine Comedy.” “La Comme ...

15:31, 27/07/2018

Poetry can be so elaborate and so profound. Yet in the following poem by J. J. Bitters, a little girl tears us up with a simple yet very sincere verse. Enjoy! Published with the permission of The Soci ...

15:17, 18/07/2018

“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 Quixot ...

16:30, 16/07/2018

“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 i ...

20:16, 12/07/2018

Fox anchorwoman Harris Faulkner’s new book, “9 Rules of Engagement: A Military Brat’s Guide to Life and Success,” reveals how her father achieved the American Dream—and not just the dream of pro ...

14:48, 08/07/2018

When Ken Ludwig’s daughter was just 6 years old, he, as with most dads, wanted to get to know her and share one of his own loves. As a two-time Olivier Award-winning playwright, Ludwig’s love just hap ...

21:18, 07/07/2018

Motherhood is getting considerable attention, even if much of the news is concerning. Fertility rates are falling in America as millennials decide not to have children. This should hardly come as a su ...

06:20, 27/06/2018

Friends of Falun Gong concluded its third annual poetry contest, which attracted over 150 participants from around the globe. The contest was co-hosted by the Society of Classical Poets, an online jou ...

08:28, 19/06/2018

TORONTO—Poetry can offer hope in the darkest times. Especially in today’s age of technological competition and materialism, poetry comes as a reminder of our shared humanity and spirituality. &# ...

08:39, 16/06/2018

LONDON—Award-winning writer Lionel Shriver has been sacked from a competition panel after describing a publishing giant as “drunk on virtue” in an article challenging the supremacy of diversity over t ...

18:26, 11/06/2018

TORONTO—The University of Toronto says it now owns the oldest English-language book in Canada, a 15th century text that introduced ancient ideas to new audiences. The book is an English translation of ...

02:51, 08/06/2018

Today we fully expect film, television, and theater to use music to shape meaning. The screeching violins of “Psycho” and the menacing “Jaws” theme, for instance, both depend on a shared 20th-century ...

09:11, 06/09/2018

NEW YORK—Following Lillian Hellman’s first major hit on Broadway, “The Children’s Hour,” came the overly heavy, melodramatic offering “Days to Come,” now being pres ...

14:17, 28/08/2018

In these tense times, one safe way to unwind is to listen to the soothing sounds of chamber music and Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) was one of the masters of the form. In his short life, he accomplish ...

20:26, 24/08/2018

Would you wait 100 years to find your true love? The princess in “The Sleeping Beauty” did, and according to the story’s author, Charles Perrault, therein lies the moral of the tale. ...

19:19, 23/08/2018

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 chil ...

21:01, 13/08/2018

Be not afeard. The isle is full of noises, Sounds, and sweet air, that give delight and hurt not Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments Will hum about mine ears, and sometime voices.— from Shakesp ...

09:29, 06/08/2018

NEW YORK—In 1999, President Bill Clinton bestowed the Congressional Gold Medal on the Little Rock Nine. Who were they and what did they achieve? The answer is dramatized at the Sheen Center. Written a ...

17:39, 02/08/2018

Benjamin Zander‘s new recording of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 (“Benjamin Zander Conducts Beethoven Symphony No. 9 ‘Choral'” available on Brattle Media) is the result of a ...

13:47, 01/08/2018

NEW YORK—The unique theatrical dance-acrobatic company MOMIX is paying a long-overdue visit to New York, after many years’ absence. Artistic director Moses Pendleton, credited with most of the c ...

12:55, 26/07/2018

NEW YORK—Having the perfect vision for your artistic endeavor is all well and good. However, buying into someone else’s vision and taking it on as your own can be somewhat dangerous. Rinne Groff ...

08:30, 24/07/2018

The Austrian-German symphonic canon goes something like this: Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Brahms, Bruckner, and Mahler. Yet, if we consider the piano concerto, we run ou ...

20:21, 23/07/2018

The fall 2018 season at the Metropolitan Opera brings both familiar and lesser known works, performed by world-class artists. ‘Samson et Dalila’  The season begins with the first new Met production in ...

16:56, 19/07/2018

PRAGUE—According to critics, Czech ballerina Tereza Podarilova shone as Tatiana in “Onegin,” and as Katherine in “The Taming of the Shrew,” created by the world-famous choreographer John Cranko. She w ...

19:42, 17/07/2018

Richard J. Miller, president of the Metropolitan Opera Guild, has dubbed soprano Anna Netrebko an “authentic 21st century superstar.” Few would disagree with that assessment or the choice of Netrebko ...

18:09, 15/07/2018

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 th ...

16:03, 10/07/2018

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 Ari ...

20:15, 04/07/2018

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 careta ...

09:28, 01/07/2018

NEW YORK—Coming off of the drama of the NBA Finals and the fresh picks of its annual draft, one ponders Shakespeare’s oft-quoted phrase “such stuff as dreams are made on.” Whether in sports or music, ...

16:38, 30/06/2018

An illuminating glimpse at the music Mozart heard in London during his visit in 1764–65, the two-disc set “Mozart in London” from Ian Page and The Mozartists on Signum Classics is the frui ...

07:51, 28/06/2018

NEW YORK—Jules Massenet’s 1899 fairy tale opera “Cendrillon” (Cinderella) finally arrived at the Metropolitan Opera. It was clearly ladies’ night on stage with the glorious mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonat ...

16:15, 25/06/2018

NEW YORK—Imagine your most memorable moments captured in a painting. The scene could be of time spent at leisure, without a goal in sight, talking with friends outdoors in mild weather. The conversati ...