THE MAGAZINE
In Your Summer Era: 20 Films For Your Every Summer Self
Whether you're dreaming of a European escape, a nostalgic coming-of-age story, a whirlwind romance, or a spontaneous road trip, TWoA has curated a list of 20 unforgettable summer films with a little something for every summer self. From timeless classics to modern favourites, discover your next warm-weather watch. Read on for more.
The River Will Live: Threads of Resistance in the Embroidery of Britta Marakatt-Labba
Through intricate embroidery, Britta Marakatt-Labba tells the story of Sámi identity, environmental activism, and cultural resilience. From the Alta protests to the monumental tapestry Historja, discover how needle and thread become powerful tools of memory, resistance, and survival. Read on for more.
What’s in a Name? Exploring the Misogynistic Roots of Opera’s Divas and Prima Donnas
From Maria Callas to today’s opera stars, the labels "diva" and "prima donna" are laden with gendered meaning. Read on to explore their historical origins and ties to misogynistic stereotypes, as well as why the language we use in opera still matters today.
From Bruges with Love: Why Do Cities Love Refik Anadol?
Refik Anadol's AI-powered installations have captivated museums and cities across the world. Visiting Latent City in Bruges, Melis Seven explores why his immersive digital artworks attract global audiences—and whether they truly capture the unique identity of the places they represent. Read on for more.
From London with Love: The Royal Ballet School’s 100th Graduate Year, with the School of American Ballet
An evening at the Royal Ballet School's 100th graduate performance became more than a ballet showcase; it turned into a reflection on maturation, expression, and the power of dance. From The Dying Swan to Les Bourgeois, our London correspondent reflects on artistry, uncertainty, and the rare moments when dance has the power to still the mind and restore hope. Read on for more.
Margarita Balanas, cellist and conductor: “Live by Your Own Rules and Don’t Have Any Regrets!” (Part II)
In an exclusive interview with TWoA, Latvian conductor and cellist Margarita Balanas reflects on building new audiences, founding ANONIMI, and embracing social media. She also shares why the future of classical music depends not on defending tradition, but on inviting curiosity. Read on for more.
A Heady Kind of Music: Andy Akiho’s Bronze I and Bronze II
What happens when a six-foot bronze sculpture becomes a musical instrument? In Bronze I and Bronze II, composer Andy Akiho transforms Jun Kaneko’s monumental Heads into haunting, resonant soundscapes, blurring the boundaries between sculpture, performance, and experimental music. Read on for more.
From New York with Love: Frida and Diego at the MoMA
What does a cobalt-blue bed, a crimson tree, and two legendary artists reveal about love? Visiting Frida and Diego: The Last Dream at MoMA, Olivia Merola reflects on modern relationships, Frida Kahlo's resilience, and the enduring power of art to preserve memory. Read on for her full reflections.
Margarita Balanas, cellist and conductor: “Live by Your Own Rules and Don’t Have Any Regrets!”
From busking on the streets of Latvia to conducting major orchestras and performing as a soloist, Margarita Balanas reflects on ambition, resilience, and why saying yes before you feel ready can change the course of a musical career. Read more in Part I of our exclusive interview.
From Plantation Song to Concert Stage: The Fisk Jubilee Singers and the Birth of the Concert Spiritual
Born just years after the abolition of slavery, the Fisk Jubilee Singers carried the spirituals of their childhood from plantation communities to the world's great concert halls. Their remarkable journey reshaped choral music, preserved a cultural legacy, and gave rise to the Concert Spiritual. Read on for the full story.
Bridging the World: The Balcony in Art and Literature
Whether framing a royal kiss, a political speech, or Shakespeare's most famous declaration of love, the balcony has long occupied a unique place in popular culture. Georgia Dougherty explores how this architectural feature became a symbol of romance, modernity, power, and performance across art and literature. Read on to find out more.
Inside the Art Collections of a Cultural Icon: Yves Saint Laurent
Yves Saint Laurent collected art with the same vision that transformed fashion. From Picasso and Matisse to Brancusi and Mondrian, his eclectic collection offered an intimate portrait of one of the twentieth century's greatest creative minds - and culminated in one of the most significant auctions in art market history. Read on for more.
From London with Love: “Samson et Dalila”
What begins as a rain-soaked dash through London ends with one of the most memorable evenings of the season. In this City Letter, TWoA’s London reporter, Maya Stoilova, attends the Royal Opera House’s Samson et Dalila, reflecting on Saint-Saëns’ music, the cast’s magnetic performances, and the unique sense of connection that only the arts can create. Read on for more.
Before the Met Gala, Power-Dressing Was a Matter of State. Here’s Why.
AI fooled me into liking this year’s Met Gala outfits. So I went back through art history in search of fashion’s true power dressers. Read on to discover how clothing became a political language, and how you, too, can dress to rule.
Career Spotlight: Artist Liaison
What does an artist liaison actually do? In the first instalment of TWoA’s Career Spotlight series, Melis Seven takes us behind the scenes of gallery life, where artists’ ideas turn into deadlines, exhibitions, logistics—and more. Read on to discover who helps contemporary art move from studio to public view.
Everything Old is New Again: Bob Fosse, “All That Jazz,” and the Obliteration of the Movie Musical
What happens when a choreographer turns his own death into a musical? In All That Jazz, Bob Fosse made the movie musical darker, stranger, and more honest, transforming show business, self-destruction, and the fear of being forgotten into a spectacle. Read on for a portrait of an artist who danced on the edge.
From Riga with Love: On Singing, Soft Power, and the Very Best Food of My Life
In Riga, music once operated as a political weapon. But it was not alone: art, too, played a part. Writing from the Latvian capital, TWoA explores how the country's art and culture have long served as instruments of resistance, continuity, and national self-definition, from the Singing Revolution to the modernist painters and contemporary artists who challenged Soviet control. Read on for a portrait of a city shaped by occupation and a meditation on art’s power to preserve identity against political erasure.
From Paris with Love: The Annual Performance of the Paris Opera Ballet School at the Palais Garnier
Some opera house are so legendary, they have entered popular culture. The Palais Garnier in Paris is one of them. Find out some surprising facts about this iconic opera house and join our correspondent at the Paris Opera Ballet School’s triumphant annual school performance.
From London with Love: The Southbank Centre - Culture as a Democratic Social Good
Wondering around a jungle of concrete on a cold and drizzly spring day may not be everyone’s idea of fun. But London’s Southbank Centre is a place where you can experience art and culture as a democratic social good for everyone to access. Read on and plan your visit!
Can and Should Contemporary Operas Engage With Controversial Topics?
With Innocence, Kaija Saariaho brings one of the most unsettling realities of contemporary life to the operatic stage. The result is a work that asks whether opera should comfort audiences, or confront them. Read on for more.