THE MAGAZINE
Whispers in the Wings: Meet Josephine Baker, Dancer and Spy
Josephine Baker (1906-1975), an icon of the Jazz Age, was a woman of many talents. In addition to being a groundbreaking dancer, singer, and actress—even being the first Black woman to star in a motion picture—Baker was a World War II spy and a civil rights activist.
The Swing of the Affair: Fragonard, Infidelity, and the Art of Heedlessness
The Swing, explained. Fragonard’s brush captures the rush of infidelity—before the fall, before the consequence.
The Mathemagical Music of Michael Maier
If you’ve ever heard a piece of music and thought, “That’s magical!” you probably just meant that the music made you feel a sense of wonder. But what if sound actually had special powers? What if you could use music as a key for learning ancient secrets about the cosmos?
From New York With Love: The New York Philharmonic
Find out what awaits our New York correspondent as she walks from Hell’s Kitchen to Lincoln Centre.
Chun-Wing Lam, Paris Opera Ballet: “I never danced so well before I had my wealth management firm.”
Paris Opera Ballet’s Chun-Wing Lam is probably the only dancer in the world to combine a successful dance career with running his own wealth management firm. TWoA talked to Chun about moving from Hong Kong to Paris when he was fourteen, about the unique promotion system at the Paris Opera Ballet, and about the artistic and mental benefits of having two careers at the same time.
Death in Springtime: The Uncanny Power of Stravinsky’s “Rite of Spring”
Perhaps you notice patterns within yourself that stir as the winter colours into spring or the summer burns into autumn. Russian avant-garde composer Igor Stravinsky captures this most masterfully in The Rite of Spring.
Guest Artist: Motomitsu Fujiwara, Tokyo University of the Arts
Explore the world of our guest artist, Motomitsu Fujiwara, Tokyo University of the Arts.
From Sicilian Fisherwomen to Pious Folk Hymns: Cathy Berberian’s “New Vocality” Style
Is this a comic strip or a music score? Find out.
From Berlin With Love: The Philharmonie Berlin
When it comes to classical music, Berlin is definitely one of the global capitals. Find out what it’s like to attend a concert at the Philharmonie Berlin in our insider city letter.
The Architecture of the Oscar Nominees
The 2025 Oscars came and went, and with no shortage of excellent films nominated from this past year. What many of the films have in common is a stunning and real focus on multifaceted architecture within their stories and cinematography.
Palazzo Medici: Scandal, Power, and Politics
The Medici mastered money—but their real genius was in perception. When too much grandeur could kill you, the Medici built smarter—not bigger.
Choreographer Spotlight: Jean-Christophe Maillot
Choreographer spotlight on Jean-Christophe Maillot of Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo! His choreography appears so naturalistic on his dancers, it seems to flow from the soul onto the stage…it’s tough to think of anything better than that.
Celestial Soundtracks: Hollywood and the Music of György Ligeti
Some pieces of twentieth century classical music sound as if they've come from another planet. György Ligeti's Atmosphères is one of those pieces. And if you think that avant-garde classical music and Hollywood don’t go together, think again: director Stanley Kubrick was so intrigued by Ligeti’s music that he used it in his 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey.
From the Bosphorus With Love: The Istanbul Museum of Modern Art
Istanbul’s location between Europe and Asia makes it one of the most special cities in the world. Experience the city’s special vibe in our correspondent’s letter from Istanbul, and find out how Japanese artist Chiharu Shiota and Icelandic-Danish artist Olafur Eliasson draw inspiration from the city’s location.
Artful Anchovies: The Art History Behind the Tinned Fish Revival
Canned seafood has transformed from cheap staple to a vibrant luxury that is quickly becoming a bespoke influence on the culinary and aesthetic world. There is another element that has been snatching the attention of small businesses, social media users, and consumers: the artwork that the fish comes wrapped in.
Adapting to Loss of Limbs: The Stories of Two Musicians - Django Reinhardt and Paul Wittgenstein
Having strong and competent hands is important to being a musician. But what about those who are missing limbs? Here are two snapshots of influential musicians, Django Reinhardt and Paul Wittgenstein, who rose to prominence through adapting their technique to a physical disability.
The Wall of Memory: The Lost Ukrainian Monument
Almost forty years ago, in 1986, the Soviet authorities destroyed the largest work of art in Europe, The Wall of Memory. The Ukrainian artists Ada Rybachuk and Volodymyr Melnychenko had spent thirteen years constructing the monument in Kyiv, just to find it forbidden by the Soviet authorities. Today, the AVRM foundation is still working for its restoration, against the backdrop of the war that started on 22 February 2022 with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
From London With Love: The Thursday Gallery Crawl
When it comes to art and culture, there’s hardly a city as hecticly eclectic as London. In this exclusive letter, TWoA spills the tea on all the going-ons in the London art scene, giving you insider information into the British art world, its peoples, and its dramas.
Rhyuhn Green, 18, Pianist and Composer: Creating a Melting Pot in Classical Music
Rhyuhn Green is a young composer and pianist with a vision: classical music should become a melting pot of different cultures. The Juilliard student is a recipient of a prestigious Kovner fellowship and has just released his debut album, ph3onix3s. TWoA talked to the Philadelphia native about his musical journey, leadership in the classical arts, and, of course, his album.
Reclaiming Venus: How We Misunderstand Beauty
The rise of imperfection as a new aesthetic challenges Renaissance ideals, but Botticelli’s Venus reminds us that beauty is more than skin deep—it’s a gateway to the divine. To find out why, read this article and discover how her beauty is just as moral and philosophical as it is physical.