Culture
European culture: art, music, film, books and ideas.
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A queen, a guillotine, and a mailbox: Marie Antoinette still gets letters, even yours
Celebrating the last Queen of France this year, the Château de Fontainebleau has already received 4,000 letters as part of their "…
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Pelléas et Mélisande review – luminous semi-staging but Debussy’s elusive opera keeps its secrets
Snape Maltings, Suffolk This year’s Aldeburgh festival opened with a stripped-back concert staging by Rory Kinnear with Ryan Wiggl…
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Lovers, housewives, deserts and dogs: David Hockney’s greatest works – in pictures
From his taut, sun-kissed portraits of LA to his vast psychedelic Yorkshire landscapes to his 70m iPad Normandy epic – here’s our …
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David Kemp obituary
Artist who built up an imaginative and playful picture of the world using the detritus of defunct industrial plants In 1981 the ar…
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A Life in Four Seasons review – dancers of all ages have spring in their steps
Regent’s Park Open Air theatre, London Performers representing the four seasons of life – and a wide range of styles – dance to a …
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Atlantis review – Welsh climate crisis drama is a parable for our times
Theatr Clwyd, Mold Emily White’s lyrical, if contrived, play is based on a real coastal village whose residents are being made cli…
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‘I have a naughty schoolboy attitude’: Anish Kapoor reveals his latest epic creations
As he opens a career-spanning show in London, the Turner prize-winning artist gives us a private view of his giant studio and talk…
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‘Suggestive toothpaste tubes shooting into mouths’: David Hockney’s winking celebration of queer life
He challenged homophobia not through sexualised imagery but by reshaping ideas of beauty, intimacy and desire. The result? From po…
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Nigerian author accuses hospital of stalling review into her son's death
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's 21-month old son died in a Lagos hospital, which she says is trying to stop an inquest into the circums…
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For your ears only: How music brought the new James Bond game to life
The BBC went behind the scenes as the score for the blockbuster James Bond video game was recorded.
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How Myles Smith turned five years of therapy notes into a debut album
The singer songwriter's first collection is inspired by the experiences that shaped him before he was famous.
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‘Hyper-stylised, ultra-cool visions’: 10 ways David Hockney changed art
He pushed landscape painting into the stratosphere, demolished one-point perspective, invented the Los Angeles look, embraced iPad…
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‘Why would you put a toxic product into the hands of a young child?’: director turned activist Beeban Kidron on why big tech needs its ‘tobacco moment’
In her work as an online safety campaigner, the baroness and Bridget Jones director has seen things she can never unsee – and she’…
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‘It reminds me of the love I felt for my faithful companion’: Tony Hertz’s best phone picture
Shadows glimpsed on a wall at sunset inspired this evocative portrait of the photographer and his dog, Lolly Lolly – a chow-chow-c…
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Thefts of rare Pushkin editions in France: perpetrators face up to 7 years in jail
French magistrates say these flights may reflect a drive to repatriate Russian cultural heritage, amid rising tensions between Mos…
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Theft of rare Pushkin editions in France: up to 7 years in prison for perpetrators
According to French magistrates, the flights may be intended to repatriate Russian cultural heritage, against a backdrop of height…
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‘A movie for everyone, not just Drag Race fans’: stars of drag comedy Stop! That! Train! on making the summer’s funniest film
Director Adam Shankman and drag queen actors explain putting a brilliantly madcap twist on Airplane! style parody Drag queens are …
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Linkin Park to make Download Festival history
Linkin Park will make history as the first female-fronted band to headline Download Festival.
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What to read this summer by Mark Haddon, Samantha Harvey, Zadie Smith and more
Leading authors including Sarah Waters, William Dalrymple, Bernardine Evaristo and Anne Enright reveal their perfect holiday readi…
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‘He outlived four of his doctors’: David Hockney loved smoking, he really really loved smoking
His passion got him into scraps with the Paris Metro and numerous other bodies. Was it a social crutch? A Freudian response to his…
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Authors Blackman and Donaldson made dames in honours list
Noughts & Crosses author Malorie Blackman and Gruffalo creator Julia Donaldson are made dames, as the rugby league star is knighte…
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Lena Dunham’s romcom Too Much convinced me to propose on the spot
I had always dreamt of a grand fairytale wedding, but my boyfriend hated being the centre of attention. Watching a couple negotiat…
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The Guide #246: Does World Cup fever leave you in a cold sweat? Here’s how to escape the footie
In this week’s newsletter: Are you indifferent to office sweepstakes and bored by endless stats? Fear not – there’s a bounty of fi…
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G’wed: this underrated gem of a comedy is filthy, heartwarming and packed with ideas
Now on its third season, the Scouse sitcom doesn’t shy away from huge topics such as class, anoxeria and neurodiversity. But also,…