THE MAGAZINE
A Walk with Erik Satie: Paris, Piano and Peculiarities
Explore the life and music of Erik Satie, the eccentric French composer whose unconventional piano compositions helped shape modern classical music. From the bohemian cafés of Montmartre to his solitary walks through Paris, discover how his peculiar habits, artistic philosophy and fascination with everyday life inspired works such as the Gymnopédies and Socrate.
“I must do something new with my dancing!” How Valeska Gert reinvented dance in the 1920s
Valeska Gert revolutionised dance in the 1920s, combining grotesque movements, exaggerated facial expressions and biting social satire. From her performances in Weimar-era Berlin to her experimental cabaret in New York, she challenged artistic conventions and redefined the possibilities of dance and performance. Discover the extraordinary life and legacy of one of modern dance’s most unconventional pioneers.
An Act of Resilience: The National Circus of Ukraine in Wartime
How does circus art survive in a country at war? From medieval entertainers to the Ukrainian avant-garde, explore the rich history of the National Circus of Ukraine. In an interview with Teen World of Arts, discover how the Kyiv institution continues to preserve Ukrainian cultural heritage, nurture young performers and stage productions despite the challenges of war.
From New York with Love: Happy Halloween
From Halloween costumes in the West Village to a spine-chilling screening of Get Out with a live orchestral score at the New York Philharmonic, discover the magic of Halloween in New York City. In her latest City Letter, Olivia Merola explores the theatrical spirit of the holiday, the art of dressing up and the music that brings horror cinema to life.
From London with Love: Above the Fray
What happens when classical music meets heavy metal, multimedia and techno? At London's Roundhouse, the Jasmine Quartet's Above the Fray challenged traditional concert conventions with an experimental string quartet programme. From innovative compositions to electrifying performances, discover how the ensemble is redefining the contemporary classical music experience in this latest London City Letter.
From London with Love: The October Gallery Craze
For London’s art world, October is a peculiar exercise in endurance. Between Frieze, gallery openings, auction previews and an endless procession of champagne flutes, even the most devoted art lovers risk growing tired of masterpieces. Our latest dispatch from Mayfair takes us through Gagosian and Opera Gallery, offering a glimpse into what it’s really like to live, work and survive London’s frenetic autumn art season.
The Last Bow: Dorothée Gilbert’s Farewell
On 15 October 2026, Paris Opera Ballet étoile Dorothée Gilbert took her final bow after 26 extraordinary years. Performing Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon alongside longtime stage partner Hugo Marchand, she received a 25-minute standing ovation in an unforgettable farewell at the Palais Garnier. Victoria Grigorenko takes us inside the historic evening, from the anticipation of the audience to the tears and applause that marked the end of an era.
When the Dead Return: Halloween and a Century of Nosferatu
As pumpkins light up our doorsteps, skeletons return to shop windows, and the nights grow longer, Halloween is creeping up on us once again. But where does our fascination with the frightening come from? From ancient Celtic traditions to a century of Nosferatu, we explore the history of Halloween and how our fears have changed over time. So, dim the lights, and join us for a journey through the darker corners of history and cinema. Who knows what might be lurking in the shadows?
Why Do Basquiats Sell for Millions?
Basquiat’s paintings have commanded extraordinary prices at auction, despite a seemingly sloppy visual language that continues to divide opinion. What makes his work so valuable, and what does his market reveal about the uneasy relationship between artistic merit, cultural significance and commercial value? Read on to find out.
The Sound of Sociability: The evolution of the string quartet
Four instruments, four voices, but one conversation. What was once a social amusement among friends, the string quartet became an ideal of harmony and equality as it moved from private salons to public concert halls. Were its four musicians ever truly equals? A look at the curious relationship between music, sociability, and the art of conversation at the turn of the 19th century.
Ryan Wang, Pianist and Harvard-New England Conservatory Freshman: “You cannot have a proper musical education without knowing about the world around you.”
Canadian pianist Ryan Wang just started the Harvard-New England Conservatory Dual-Degree program. TWoA talked to Ryan about attending Eton, the importance of every musician experiencing life in many different ways, his unorthodox method for combating performance anxiety, sunsets and much more. Get ready for a smile on your face.
Wendy Carlos - Twentieth-Century Music’s Electronic Pioneer
What happens when Bach meets a synthesiser? For Wendy Carlos, the result was Switched-On Bach, an unlikely bestseller that helped bring electronic music into the mainstream. From her pioneering work with the Moog synthesiser to her experiments with alternative tuning systems, Carlos transformed not only how music could sound, but how it could be made. Read on for more.
From London with Love: On the Disappointments of Fridamania
Frida Kahlo has become one of the most recognisable faces in art, but has her celebrity begun to eclipse her work? At Tate Modern, an exhibition tracing the artist’s transformation into a global icon raises an uncomfortable question: how much Frida is too much Frida?
Ballerina in Flames: The Tragic End of Emma Livry
In 1862, twenty-year-old ballerina Emma Livry caught fire during a rehearsal at the Paris Opera, suffering burns that would claim her life eight months later. Behind the tragedy lay the dangerous realities of Romantic ballet, where the pursuit of ethereal beauty came at a considerable human cost, and the careers of female dancers and choreographers remained at the mercy of men.
Art for the Invisible: On Childe Hassam’s Women
Who sees you when you start to disappear? For women blending into the home, and the tasks that came with it, it was Childe Hassam: the American Impressionist who painted them not as they were expected to appear, whether in reality or in men’s imaginations, but as they experienced themselves. Read on to discover how Hassam made women visible by painting their invisibility.
Rave Culture in China
What happens when dancing becomes a threat to the state? China’s rave scene arrived in the 1990s with smuggled CDs, ecstasy and a promise of freedom from authority, only to be driven underground almost as quickly as it appeared. Read on to discover why the problem with raves may never have been the drugs at all.
From Berlin with Love: A Reminder to Hold Each Other Close
Berlin has no shortage of art, even without an Art Week. But at the Gemäldegalerie, among Cranachs and shirtless men in running gear, Alternde Meister made a case for looking at something we usually prefer not to: getting old. Read on for more.
From New York with Love: “Noguchi’s New York”
Isamu Noguchi had plenty of ideas for New York. New York, unfortunately, didn’t always want them. At the Noguchi Museum in Queens, his unrealised playgrounds reveal an artist determined to make the city a little less serious — and a lot more playful. Read on for more.
From Lisbon with Love: The Museum of Contemporary Art
Lisbon wasn’t quite what we expected. Its Museum of Contemporary Art was even less so. Somewhere between Bourgeois, Bacon, and a lobster telephone, my mother and I found ourselves in one of the best museums I’d visited in a long time. Read on to find out why.
Eat With Your Eyes: Japanese Food Replica Culture
Japan has been making food you can’t eat for more than a century. Shokuhin sampuru began as practical visual menus, helping diners see what they were ordering; today, these hyper-realistic replicas have become an art form of their own.