The celebration of Ludwig van Beethoven’s 250th birthday this year is reaching a crescendo in Germany. The composer and pianist was born in Bonn on December 16, 1770, and his musical legacy carries on. In this reel, we meet concert pianists putting a new spin on Beethoven’s work. Susanne Kessel, for one, put out a call to composers for 250 new piano pieces inspired by Beethoven and is now in the midst of performing them. Elsewhere, the duo known as Pianotainment is using humor and serious piano chops to make the work of the likes of Beethoven accessible to all. We wrap up this ode to Beethoven with a visit to a museum full of self-playing musical instruments. And, yes, some of them even play Beethoven.
Despite being built around the time of William the Conqueror almost a thousand years ago, Cardiff Castle, with its 150-foot-tall clock tower, remains an iconic feature of the Welsh capital.
Cardiff is a city and the capital of Wales. It is the United Kingdom’s eleventh-largest city. As Wales’ chief commercial centre, Cardiff is the base for the Senedd, most national cultural institutions and Welsh media.
You know you need to get enough sleep, but the question remains: How much is enough? Sleep scientist Matt Walker tells us the recommended amount for adults and explains why it’s necessary for your long-term health. Sleeping with Science, a TED original series, uncovers the facts and secrets behind our nightly slumber. (Made possible with the support of Beautyrest)
In this week’s episode of “Travels with a Curator,” Deputy Director and Peter Jay Sharp Chief Curator Xavier F. Salomon takes viewers on a journey through the grand halls of the Château de Chantilly, one of his favorite places in France. Like the Frick, Chantilly began as an opulent residence and was once the home of the Grand Condé, a cousin of Louis XIV. Today, the château houses one of the best collections of European paintings in France as well as the world-famous illuminated manuscript “Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry.” Watch closely for a guest appearance by Jadwiga, Xavier’s kitten.
The Château de Chantilly is a historic French château located in the town of Chantilly, Oise, about 50 kilometres north of Paris.
As the 77th edition of the Venice Film Festival opens this Wednesday, life is slowly returning to normal in the northern Italian city, which was hard hit by the Covid-19 crisis. It’s the first time since the start of the pandemic that a major international festival is allowing the public to attend. This comes as good news for Venice, whose economy relies heavily on mass tourism, despite adverse effects on the environment and locals. Can La Serenissima steer away from this model and invent a new one? Our correspondents report.
Set Privately on a Lush Knoll Top Boasting Sweeping 360 Views of the Pacific. Built in 1914 by Prominent Santa Barbara Native Frederick Forrest Peabody and Designed by Architect Francis T. Underhill, the 22,000-square-foot Estate at 256 Eucalyptus Hill Drive, Which is Known as Solana, Was a Precursor to Other Sprawling West Coast Properties Such as Hearst Castle and the Getty Villa. Located on an 11.2-acre Knoll-top Property, the Castle-like Compound Offers 360-degree Views of the Pacific Ocean and Santa Ynez Mountains. From 1958 to 1978, the Estate Served as the Site of a Prominent American Think Tank, and Revered Guests Ranging From John F. Kennedy to Martin Luther King Jr. Visited to Discuss Pressing Policy Issues.
Global satellite data indicate wildfires are becoming bigger and more intense. WSJ talks with NASA’s Doug Morton to understand the science behind what’s making the planet more flammable and making fires harder to control.
Today, AD takes you inside the elegant New York City home of ballet superstar Misty Copeland. Two years ago Copeland and her husband purchased their dream apartment on Manhattan’s Upper West Side and enlisted in-demand, L.A.-based AD100 interior designer Brigette Romanek to completely reimagine the space. From the bedroom turned walk-in closet to the colorful and spacious open living-dining room, the groundbreaking dancer, author, and social activist achieves perfect balance in her new Manhattan home.
Bordeaux is best known as France’s wine HQ. But over the past decade, this wonderful old metropolis ten times smaller than Paris has been enjoying a new lease of life thanks to huge investment in culture and transport – that includes a whopping great wine museum. Eve Jackson travels to this UNESCO-listed city to discover its buzzing arts scene with a visit to the Cité du Vin and a tour of the regenerated banks of the Garonne river.
News, Views and Reviews For The Intellectually Curious
