Culture News in English
Latest culture headlines from Dutch news, translated into English.
Review Brahms Klavierstücke: every note sounds with a longing for the next
Pianist Andras Schiff has released a two-disc recording of late piano works by Johannes Brahms, performed on an authentic 1859 Bluthner grand piano. The veteran musician is also scheduled to perform t...
Review: Paul Simon's voice on his live album is significantly better than it was in Amsterdam in April
Paul Simon returned to the stage in 2025, performing several concerts in Amsterdam before releasing a live album recorded in Seattle. The new recording shows the octogenarian in better vocal form than...
Dopamine Chamber review: on the new Fontaines D.C. album, the band's identity lies primarily in the vocals
Fontaines D.C.'s fifth album, Dopamine Chamber, expands the band's electronic and synth-heavy sound while maintaining their characteristic dark tone. Although the album features diverse collaborations...
Go drawing at the Royal Palace, celebrate ADE at the Wereldmuseum or cheer on the runners at the Amsterdam Marathon: here is what you can do in Amsterdam this week
Amsterdam is hosting a variety of events this week, ranging from the 51st edition of the TCS Amsterdam Marathon to several concerts, theater performances, and band competitions. Art lovers can also en...
De Munt was briefly renamed Sophiaplein, but Amsterdammers kept calling it De Munt
Historical structures in Amsterdam, such as the Waag and the Munt, evolved from city gates into landmarks named after their later functions. The Munt, specifically, earned its name during the 1672 dis...
Italian designer of E.T. and King Kong receives posthumous Hollywood star
Italian special effects pioneer Carlo Rambaldi has been awarded a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The artist, known for his work on films such as E.T. and King Kong, received three Acad...
Davina Michelle had security for some time due to 'bizarre fans'
Singer Davina Michelle revealed she previously hired security due to frightening encounters with delusional and aggressive fans that left her feeling unsafe at home. Podcast host Johan Derksen also sh...
Russian DJ dropped from ADE after hate message to Ukrainian
Russian DJ Komarov has been dropped from the Amsterdam Dance Event after a past hateful message directed at a Ukrainian colleague surfaced. While his removal has been confirmed, critics continue to ca...
Victim says Russell Brand became 'monstrous' before alleged rape
Russell Brand is on trial for seven criminal charges, including rape and sexual assault, stemming from allegations dating back to 1999. In court, a survivor described how the comedian's behavior turne...
Why is violence flaring up between Ajax and Hajduk supporters?
Violent clashes between Hajduk Split supporters and Ajax fans in Croatia have led to 57 arrests after police intervened to contain the situation. Ajax had previously warned supporters of the risks, ad...
Elif Shafak finally gives Emma Bovary a rebuttal in her monument to Flaubert
Elif Shafak's latest novel, De eeuwigheid in een kort moment, offers a complex reimagining of Gustave Flaubert's life through the perspectives of thirty different female characters. The narrative blen...
James Marriott outlines the catastrophic consequences of the decline in reading in ‘A World Without Books’
In his book Een wereld zonder boeken, James Marriott explores the dangerous societal and political impacts of declining literacy in the digital age. He argues that the loss of deep reading habits unde...
In this remarkable collection, violence is a disturbingly natural presence
In the collection Een topografie van geweld, poet Yasmin Namavar explores the presence of a violent figure who embodies both an external oppressor and an internal struggle. The work examines the distu...
Writer Jaap Robben: Our language is cold when it comes to describing migrant workers
Author Jaap Robben discusses his new novel, which explores the often overlooked lives of migrant workers in Europe. The book follows the story of a Polish character named Łukasz, using a detective-st...
Battle between Indian restaurant and municipality over odor nuisance now before the court
An Indian restaurant in Amsterdam's Jordaan neighborhood is challenging a municipal closure order resulting from years of odor complaints from local residents. The owners seek to reopen the business t...
Sainte Madeleine madeleines don't have a rounded belly like in France: 'Ours are flat'
Annemijn Kraak and Felix Massaut have opened Sainte Madeleine in Amsterdam, a bakery specializing exclusively in madeleines. Inspired by a trip to France, the pair produces a flatter version of the tr...
Amsterdam’s construction boom in pictures: ‘There must be room for lower earners, otherwise it will become a boring city’
Photographer Jesper Boot has been documenting the rapid construction and development taking place across Amsterdam. Driven by personal observations in the Amstelkwartier, his project captures the tran...
Weekend tips: things to do in Amsterdam from October 16 to 18
From October 16 to October 18, Amsterdam hosts a variety of events including the Amsterdam Marathon, denim and vinyl markets at De Hallen, and pop-up brocante sales. Residents and visitors can also en...
Will Mikky Keetels become the Jutta Leerdam of running? "I think she's amazing"
Top athletes Khalid Choukoud, Noah Schutte, and Mikky Keetels are preparing to compete in the upcoming Amsterdam Marathon this Sunday. The event will feature a friendly rivalry among the men, while Ke...
Blondie to release first new album in nine years on February 26
Blondie will release their first new album in nine years on February 26, which features the final recordings of the late drummer Clem Burke. The band describes the record as a blend of their signature...
Star Wars actor John Boyega a father for the first time: 'Our little miracle'
Star Wars actor John Boyega has announced the birth of his first child with his wife, Lashontae Heckard. The couple, who married in secret earlier this year, shared that their baby has already been wi...
Sophie Straat and Nicolás Keenan guests on new season of Boerderij van Dorst
The eighth season of the Dutch program Boerderij van Dorst, hosted by Raven van Dorst, premieres on October 28 on NPO 3. Guest duos, including singer Sophie Straat and hockey player Nicolás Keenan, w...
Kandinsky painting looted by Nazis from Amsterdam auctioned for 32 million euros
A 1907 painting by Wassily Kandinsky, which was stolen by Nazis from a Jewish family in Amsterdam during World War II, has been sold at auction for 32 million euros. The artwork was returned to the de...
Call for entries: sign up for De ontmoeting, Het Parool’s dating column
Het Parool is inviting readers to share the stories of how they met their partners for the newspaper's love column. Interested couples can submit their stories, including their names and ages, via ema...
Harry and Meghan make first working visit to UK: 'Great to be back'
Prince Harry and Meghan made their first public working visit to Nottingham since moving back to the United Kingdom from the United States. The couple met with several charitable organizations, though...
Sylvester Stallone regrets doing his own stunts: 'I feel like an idiot'
Sylvester Stallone regrets performing his own dangerous stunts during his career, citing severe, long-term injuries that have required numerous surgeries. The actor now advises others to leave such wo...
Everything you need to know ahead of Ajax vs Hajduk Split
Ajax will face Hajduk Split while missing several key players such as Bissouma, Adingra, Blind, and Berghuis. Despite these roster setbacks, the team remains focused on their goal of winning trophies ...
Professor sees families no longer keeping vigil for days at a dying relative's bedside: they have to get back to work
Professor Kris Vissers of Radboudumc expresses concern that patients at the end of their lives are too often rushed toward death. He notes that families who are unable to properly say goodbye due to w...
Video | Harry and Meghan in public for the first time since returning to the UK
Prince Harry and Meghan have been spotted in public for the first time since returning to the United Kingdom at the end of August. The couple had been living in the United States since 2020 before the...
Primeur at Artis: injured bird receives first fully 3D-printed beak
A southern ground hornbill at Artis zoo has successfully received the world's first fully 3D-printed prosthetic beak after its original was broken. The collaborative surgical procedure, which utilized...