THE MAGAZINE
Inside Handel’s Beehive: If Classical Pieces were Animals
In advance of Earth Day this Monday, imagining well-known classical pieces as animals offers new ways of bringing music to life!
No Halos at the Dinner Table: The Human Side of Leonardo’s “The Last Supper”
The Jewish holiday of Passover will begin in a few days. Did you know that Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” may have depicted a Passover Seder? Leonardo’s mural contains overlapping stories that not only show the intersection of the earthly and divine, but capture the depths of being a human.
3-D Printing: Increasing the Durability of Pointe Shoes
It’s Earth Day on 22 April 2024. Thinking about sustainability in our lives, consider the problem of pointe shoes. Professional ballet dancers go through several pairs per week. Can 3-D printing produce pointe shoes that last longer without compromising on comfort?
Spring Vibes!
Sometimes, an image says more than words. Spring is in the air!
From Mozart's "Lick My Ass" Canon to Scarlatti's Composing Cat: Humour in 17th Century Classical Music
Modern conceptions of “classical” music often describe composers like Mozart and Haydn as posh, stuck up, or boring. Humour in the classical era (1750-1810) may not have been as witty or as obvious as modern day comedy, but the blatancy of some of the references that historians have uncovered will shock you!
¡Viva Flamenco! From Spain’s Margins to its Center Stage
Think of Spanish culture, and chances are you are thinking of bullfighting, tapas - and flamenco. Flamenco is one of the most popular symbols of Spain, but for centuries, it was confined to the margins of Spanish society. It was the art of the Gitanos, the Roma (Gypsies) of Spain. Until dictator Franco decided to push flamenco centre stage.
Lights of Spiritual Growth: Ramadan Lanterns
We are right in the middle of Ramadan. One of Ramadan’s most beautiful and symbolic objects are the Ramadan lanterns, also known as “fanous” in Arabic. Learn more about the lanterns’ special symbolism – and take a moment to reflect upon yourself and what you are grateful for.
Pablo Picasso in Music: “Formes en l’air” by Artur Lourié
How can you possibly read this music score? Arthur Lourié’s “Formes en l’air” (1915) is dedicated to Pablo Picasso, an artist Lourié admired for his artistic boldness. It’s a powerful interpretation of Picasso’s Cubist paintings in sound.
Two Ballets for Easter
Are you looking for the perfect Easter ballet? Probably not – but maybe you should! TWoA has two suggestions for you: John Neumeier’s St. Matthew’s Passion and Frederick Ashton’s Tales of Beatrix Potter. These two ballets embody two very different aspects of Easter: its spiritual essence, and the cuteness of the Easter Bunny.
Eating the Opera: The Recipes Behind Three of Italy’s Most Celebrated Composers
Good music isn’t made on an empty stomach. Discover the stories behind the culinary pastimes of three of the most celebrated composers of the 19th century, Gioachino Rossini, Giacomo Puccini, and Giuseppe Verdi through three recipes they left behind.
Arguing for Instagram: How Algorithmic Addiction Can Advance the Dancer
It starts with one harmless minute on your phone, right? Just a few minutes on Instagram, one more video on YouTube, and soon enough hours have passed and nothing you originally set out to accomplish has been done. But you can learn to turn this form of procrastination into a vital tool for your own artistic education.
Let’s Get Corny: Grant Wood’s Portrait of Rural America
Grant Wood’s iconic painting “American Gothic” encompasses more than just a man and a woman, a pitchfork, and a Gothic window. It is a portrait of American history– of pioneer spirit, resilience, and a yearning for a place called home. But who are these two miserable looking people?
Sumina Studer, Violinist and Music Entrepreneur: London’s Hidden Music and Art Spots
Award-winning violinist and music entrepreneur Sumina Studer is a true citizen of the world who has captured the hearts of millions on her various social media platforms. She has now made London her home. TWoA talked to Sumina about her favourite music and art spaces in London, and about social media in the arts and de-pressurising classical music.
Inspiring Words at the 2024 Prix de Lausanne
From 29 January 2024 until 4 February 2024, dance students and ballet lovers all over the world got to experience the Prix de Lausanne in daily live streams. Apart from the dancing, one of this year’s highlight were the inspiring words spoken at the awards ceremony by two former prima ballerinas, President of the Jury Darcey Bussell and Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Alessandra Ferri.
Introducing Choreographer Merce Cunningham: Embracing Chance in Modern Dance
Many dancers often fear forgetting their dance on stage, or messing up the sequence of steps. Imagine your choreographer rolling a die just before the curtain opens to determine the order of the choreography that night. Merce Cunningham (1919-2009), a renowned American modern dancer and choreographer, did just that—relying solely on trust and chance, thereby taking collaboration to a new level.
A Kiss for Valentine’s Day
Today is Valentine's Day, and we have a painting to help you get in the mood for love: Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss (1907-1908). If you want to know more about this beautiful painting you are in the right place!
Tiffany Poon, Pianist: A Rising Star on Her New Album “Diaries: Schumann”
Pianist Tiffany Poon is about to launch her solo album Diaries: Schumann. Hong-Kong born, but New York-based, Tiffany is an artist with a mission: to demystify classical music by emphasising the human side of it. Her more than 323K subscribers on YouTube prove she’s on to something. TWoA talked to Tiffany about her first mini-toy keyboard, life and, of course, Schumann.
Dancer Dorms
Join Thy-Lan Alcalay on a tour of her dorm room turned mini fitness studio. Thy-Lan is a dance and architecture student at Barnard College of Columbia University, New York.
From the Eyes of a Young Photographer: Berk Kır, “Extimacy,” Merdiven Art Space, Istanbul, 5-31 January 2024
Berk Kır, 26, is a photography artist based in Istanbul, Turkey. GUP (Guide to Unique Photography) lists Berk among Europe's 150 Emerging Talents. Find out more about Berk’s current exhibition “Extimacy” and about his creative process: “I was using my camera as a tool to explore my surroundings and over time I can say that this practice evolved into me looking outside to discover myself.”
Three Curious Facts about Franz Schubert and his ‘Winterreise’
Austrian Composer Franz Schubert was born on 31 January 1797 in the deepest winter, making it particularly appropriate that one of his most famous compositions is set in winter. But beware – Schubert’s Winterreise from 1827 is no cheerful homage to Austrian winter joys. If you are looking for a composition to mirror your own depressing thoughts on a cold, dark winter day, look no further!