News, reviews and analysis from WSJ, including books, movies, art, food, music, history, television and theater. https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/ en-us Copyright © Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All rights reserved. Sat, 16 May 2026 21:34:02 GMT https://www.wsj.com/img/wsj_sm_logo.gif https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/ WP-WSJ-0003283017 Among the groundbreaking innovations unveiled at U.S.-hosted exhibitions were the telephone, Ferris wheel and electric lighting. https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/history/worlds-fair-history-us-9108c563 Sat, 16 May 2026 14:00:00 GMT Heidi Mitchell AT&T Photo Service/Getty Images WP-WSJO-0000237024 Television programs, musical performances, special exhibitions and more mark America’s 250th birthday. https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/fine-art/america-250-calendar-ways-to-celebrate-the-nation-across-the-nation-airdigital-df7ecb23 Sat, 16 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT Yale University WP-WSJ-0003583377 Nate Bargatze, the country’s top selling stand-up comic, has a grand ambition: a $350 million theme park in Nashville, Tenn. https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/film/nate-bargatze-the-breadwinner-nateland-d811ec04 Fri, 15 May 2026 23:00:00 GMT John Jurgensen Whitten Sabbatini for WSJ. Magazine WP-WSJO-0000297368 The composer crafted his first major work in more than 20 years when he wrote his Mass, which was intended for an intimate group of musicians and filled with operatic highs, and would eventually be expanded into a fully orchestrated version. https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/music/little-solemn-mass-rossinis-singular-celebration-fa52e4f4 Fri, 15 May 2026 20:56:00 GMT Tim Page Getty Images WP-WSJO-0000265495 Nolan Ryan’s fastball, the power of ritual, musical daydreams and more. https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/books/13-books-we-read-this-week-2e6dcd59 Fri, 15 May 2026 17:09:00 GMT Uncredited WP-WSJO-0000273782 Across 27 seasons, Nolan Ryan threw blazing pitches with a consistency that shook even the strongest batters. https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/books/nolan-review-the-unhittable-man-b35fa18e Fri, 15 May 2026 15:23:00 GMT David M. Shribman AP WP-WSJO-0000297389 The more than 600 prints on view at the Yale University Art Gallery represent one of just two complete sets in the U.S. of the photographer’s monumental project, in which he attempted to document the full range of humanity by capturing a cross section of German society. https://www.wsj.com/opinion/free-expression/august-sanders-people-of-the-20th-century-review-a-census-of-individuality-at-the-yale-art-gallery-13d6f9ec Sat, 16 May 2026 11:00:00 GMT Yale University Art Gallery WP-WSJO-0000300903 Over thousands of years, collective rituals have evolved in tandem with religious practice. https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/books/a-time-to-gather-review-a-ceremonial-species-6dd69641 Fri, 15 May 2026 15:21:00 GMT Getty Images WP-WSJO-0000300901 We store memories as a jumble of sensory fragments. Music can snap the pieces together and conjure up old feelings. https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/books/transported-review-lost-in-a-musical-daydream-83d8f76d Fri, 15 May 2026 15:19:00 GMT Getty Images WP-WSJO-0000299484 Translating Kafka could be deeply affecting. Primo Levi once described emerging from the task “as if from an illness.” https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/books/kafkaesque-review-the-metamorphosis-of-a-voice-88f7e4e7 Fri, 15 May 2026 15:18:00 GMT Sam Sacks Heritage Images via Getty Images WP-WSJO-0000283524 A pair of scientists make the case for a natural law that accounts for emergent order. https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/books/times-second-arrow-review-life-as-a-drop-in-the-bucket-2107af8e Fri, 15 May 2026 15:11:00 GMT Andrew Crumey Uncredited WP-WSJO-0000298987 Bonds of family and friendship are tested in novels from Kathryn Stockett and Emma Straub. https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/books/the-calamity-club-and-american-fantasy-sisters-and-shipmates-a19a416b Fri, 15 May 2026 15:02:00 GMT ullstein bild via Getty Images WP-WSJO-0000300723 In many cultures, the spider’s ability to weave threads is understood as a symbol of divine, elemental power. https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/books/arachnomania-review-the-original-webmasters-557ed9c9 Fri, 15 May 2026 15:00:00 GMT Getty Images WP-WSJO-0000298361 In Zilpha Keatley Snyder’s 1965 novel for young readers, a 12-year-old girl investigates a mysterious mansion. https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/books/lost-treasures-the-velvet-room-dbed4c06 Fri, 15 May 2026 14:57:00 GMT Meghan Cox Gurdon Uncredited WP-WSJO-0000300262 In mysteries from Emma Garman and Catriona McPherson, the biggest dangers are in the most familiar settings. https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/books/the-kindness-of-strangers-and-the-dead-room-home-is-where-the-harm-is-40deeeb0 Fri, 15 May 2026 14:53:00 GMT Anna Mundow Uncredited WP-WSJO-0000283519 Thinking at cosmic and subatomic scales requires plenty of math—or some visual metaphors. https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/books/why-do-we-exist-review-fun-facts-in-modern-physics-749b80f0 Fri, 15 May 2026 14:52:00 GMT Andrew Crumey Uncredited WP-WSJO-0000282216 The jazz musicians push the boundaries of their genre—one with an electronic artist, the other with a prepared piano—on a pair of new records. https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/music/shards-by-jason-moran-and-for-the-space-you-left-by-marta-sanchez-reviews-pianos-strike-a-new-key-59d7ec81 Wed, 13 May 2026 20:03:00 GMT Martin Johnson Red Hook Records WP-WSJ-0003572950 The Toronto rapper’s “Iceman” is his first solo album since his bitter feud with Kendrick Lamar. https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/music/drake-iceman-new-album-music-industry-43386e47 Wed, 13 May 2026 15:47:00 GMT Elias Leight Getty Images WP-WSJO-0000301503 The indie singer-songwriter fills his new record with a plethora of musical references while using quiet locales to meditate on heady concepts. https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/music/little-wide-open-by-kevin-morby-review-small-towns-big-ideas-dc700840 Tue, 12 May 2026 19:11:00 GMT Chantal Anderson WP-WSJ-0003551580 From the Backstreet Boys to the Jonas Brothers to Boyz II Men, adult women are paying up to see their favorite grown-up boy bands this summer https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/music/nkotb-the-backstreet-boys-boyz-ii-men-tour-97f915e0 Wed, 06 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT Steve Knopper Christopher Polk/Penske Media/Getty Images WP-WSJO-0000297605 After the memoiristic detour of her previous album, the singer returns with a record of smart musical storytelling and sharply observed, often funny character studies. https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/music/middle-of-nowhere-review-kacey-musgravess-clever-country-songwriting-d472fd24 Tue, 05 May 2026 20:56:00 GMT Mark Richardson Kelly Christine Sutton WP-WSJO-0000301884 The latest entry in Taylor Sheridan’s ‘Yellowstone’ universe follows a couple who move to Texas in hope of wrangling business and connections but find plenty of foes in their new frontier. https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/television/dutton-ranch-review-disarray-on-the-range-821584b8 Thu, 14 May 2026 19:38:00 GMT Emerson Miller/Paramount+ WP-WSJO-0000301122 The latest episode of the nature series reveals how woodlands help humanity in ways financial, ecological and medical. https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/television/shared-planet-forests-review-the-secrets-of-trees-on-pbs-9e48f288 Tue, 12 May 2026 19:08:00 GMT PBS WP-WSJO-0000300540 Matthew White and Howard Jacques’s stage-musical take on the 1935 Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers film, captured for this ‘Great Performances’ program on PBS, fails to achieve the irresistible charm of its source material. https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/television/irving-berlins-top-hat-review-an-adaptation-hits-a-flat-note-99a9fb9b Tue, 12 May 2026 19:05:00 GMT Johan Persson WP-WSJ-0003565169 Kareem Rahma is making programs for the one screen everyone’s watching https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/television/kareem-rahma-subway-takes-keep-the-meter-running-bf6dc591 Tue, 12 May 2026 15:45:00 GMT Sam Schube Tonje Thilesen for WSJ. Magazine WP-WSJ-0003561745 The Emmy-winning actor stars in a new Apple TV show about a small island town that’s quite possibly haunted. https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/television/matthew-rhys-widows-bay-keri-russell-0f0200dd Mon, 11 May 2026 12:00:00 GMT Lane Florsheim Michael Buckner/Variety/Getty Images WP-WSJ-0003579696 The sale of ‘Brown and Blacks in Reds’ helped kick off New York’s spring auctions, where renewed confidence in art values is expected to drive at least $1.7 billion in sales. https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/fine-art/mark-rothko-abstract-sells-for-85-8-million-dab34442 Thu, 14 May 2026 22:50:00 GMT Kelly Crow Sotheby's WP-WSJO-0000302969 The spring art fairs offer a whirlwind chance to take in works in every style and medium—from rococo- and Renaissance-inspired paintings to digital sculptures that destroy themselves. https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/fine-art/the-best-art-at-frieze-new-york-future-fair-nada-and-esther-iii-airdigital-71501052 Thu, 14 May 2026 18:51:00 GMT Brian P. Kelly Casey Kelbaugh / CKA WP-WSJ-0003579964 Ronald Lauder’s esteemed collection of German and Austrian art will be owned and operated by the Met starting in 2028. https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/fine-art/met-museum-neue-galerie-merge-lauder-b8797e9c Thu, 14 May 2026 15:34:00 GMT Kelly Crow Hulya Kolabas WP-WSJO-0000293920 An exhibition marking the 800th anniversary of the saint’s death shows how his humble life inspired the artists who adorned his namesake basilica and changed the way sacred figures were depicted. https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/fine-art/giotto-and-st-francis-a-revolution-in-14th-century-umbria-review-changing-what-holiness-looks-like-1210bb43 Mon, 11 May 2026 20:59:00 GMT A.J. Goldmann GALLERIA NAZIONALE DELL'UMBRIA WP-WSJO-0000299384 Jude Law and Paul Dano star in a Kremlin satire, Martin Short gets the documentary treatment on Netflix, Drake and the All-American Rejects release anticipated new albums, and more. https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/fine-art/arts-calendar-happenings-for-the-week-of-may-10-airdigital-8db8f262 Sun, 10 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT Courtesy of Netflix WP-WSJ-0003565559 Young people can’t get enough of ground beef with rice, cucumber salad and ‘girl dessert’ https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/food-cooking/boy-kibble-food-trend-girl-dinner-93493e8e Thu, 14 May 2026 21:00:00 GMT Elizabeth Arvelos Coetzee Elizabeth Arvelos Coetzee/WSJ WP-WSJ-0003576515 https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/food-cooking/ramps-season-spring-how-to-cook-ramps-d14631ff Wed, 13 May 2026 22:00:00 GMT Ed Newton WP-WSJ-0003555221 From Chicago to Berlin, bakers are reimagining the bagel—and honoring its roots. Here’s where to try the very best. https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/food-cooking/the-world-has-officially-reached-peak-bagel-903c4c2e Sat, 09 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT Elizabeth Arvelos Coetzee/WSJ; Prop Styling by Emma Ringness; Food Styling by Thu Buser WP-WSJ-0003461134 Yasuo Yamamoto is the last man in his family upholding a 150-year-old family business, preserving a culinary technique of brewing in wooden barrels. https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/food-cooking/japan-soy-sauce-yamaroku-f895099b Wed, 15 Apr 2026 18:00:00 GMT Setareh Baig Kosaku Narioka Fumi Nagasaka for WSJ. Magazine WP-WSJ-0003494036 Long after Prohibition, a few high-end cocktail bars show it’s still possible to retain their speakeasy forebears’ air of mystery and adventure https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/food-cooking/when-every-bar-is-a-speakeasy-what-actually-is-a-speakeasy-a2d76563 Tue, 14 Apr 2026 15:45:00 GMT Mark Ellwood Elizabeth Arvelos Coetzee/WSJ WP-WSJO-0000301702 Hugh Jackman headlines a trio of monologues and Cecily Strong and Corey Stoll go on an awkward date in a pair of shows at the Minetta Lane Theatre. https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-born-and-what-happened-was-reviews-complicated-relationships-a8f3ecb8 Thu, 14 May 2026 20:04:00 GMT Evan Zimmerman WP-WSJO-0000301636 Highlights of the troupe’s current run included valedictory performances by Megan Fairchild, a debut by Mira Nadon and the return of Gilbert Bolden III, while a world premiere by Tiler Peck came off as overly ambitious. https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/theater/new-york-city-ballet-spring-season-where-individual-dancers-shine-85711155 Wed, 13 May 2026 20:15:00 GMT Erin Baiano WP-WSJ-0003555122 Many plays and musicals are supposed to draw chuckles, but theatergoers today are cackling like they’re at a comedy show. And that’s no laughing matter. https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/theater/broadway-has-a-problem-audiences-wont-stop-laughing-0b73a3cd Fri, 08 May 2026 09:30:00 GMT Max Kutner Amanda Chen/WSJ, Getty Images WP-WSJO-0000297917 The actor’s one-man show comes to New York from London, depicting 35 different characters to tell the story of a Missouri man’s crime spree. https://www.wsj.com/articles/kenrex-review-jack-holdens-wild-midwest-solo-283bea74 Thu, 07 May 2026 21:12:00 GMT Charles Isherwood Manuel Harlan WP-WSJO-0000291497 Sophocles’ Theban plays have dominated New York theater lately, but many other ancient dramas are crying out to be shared with the modern world. https://www.wsj.com/articles/greek-tragedys-untapped-canon-cd51acf3 Wed, 06 May 2026 20:33:00 GMT James Romm Julieta Cervantes WP-WSJO-0000301954 Paul Dano plays an influential aide to Jude Law’s Vladimir Putin in Olivier Assayas’s drama that stretches credulity. https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/film/the-wizard-of-the-kremlin-review-no-magic-in-moscow-367990c2 Thu, 14 May 2026 19:56:00 GMT Carole Bethuel WP-WSJO-0000302510 A group of digital-savvy Gen-Zers try to pull off a crypto caper in the impressively entertaining feature debut from writer-director Ronan Corrigan. https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/film/lifehack-review-a-high-tech-heist-4ed7c755 Thu, 14 May 2026 19:51:00 GMT Bazelevs Entertainment Limited and Screenlife Liverpool Limited WP-WSJ-0003577239 “The Sheep Detectives,” a cozy murder mystery, recalls a bygone era of children’s movies that grappled with hard subjects. https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/film/sheep-detectives-movie-craig-mazin-57356eb6 Thu, 14 May 2026 19:00:00 GMT Esther Zuckerman MGM/Everett Collection WP-WSJO-0000300782 Returning to the Castro Theatre following the venue’s restoration, the 29th edition of the event features lesser-known fare that nevertheless makes the case for the medium’s enduring appeal and influence on modern moviemaking. https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/film/the-san-francisco-silent-film-festivals-full-throated-message-d89601d5 Mon, 11 May 2026 23:47:00 GMT WP-WSJO-0000299378 The actor stars in one section of Ildikó Enyedi’s century-spanning drama, which cuts between three separate stories at the same university, shadowed by the same tree. https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/film/silent-friend-review-tony-leung-meets-a-ginkgo-tree-0396a286 Thu, 07 May 2026 21:39:00 GMT Zachary Barnes 1-2 Special WP-WSJO-0000292444 Philadelphia’s Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History illuminates the crucial relationship between the U.S. and a tiny Dutch Caribbean island during the Revolution. https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/history/the-first-salute-an-untold-story-of-the-american-revolution-review-friend-to-a-fledgling-nation-f3432cea Wed, 06 May 2026 20:14:00 GMT Julia M. Klein The Weitzman WP-WSJ-0003125624 Earthworks go back to prehistoric times. But our turbulent era is inspiring a new generation of artists. Here are six projects that stand out. https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/history/earthworks-land-art-america-ceee8e7b Sun, 15 Mar 2026 14:00:00 GMT Sarah Medford Copyright Agnes Denes, Courtesy Leslie Tonkonow Artworks + Projects WP-WSJO-0000254666 This little-known 1860 photograph offers a revelatory, full-length view of Lincoln from before he was elected president. https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/history/abraham-lincoln-caught-at-the-cusp-of-greatness-cc6449f7 Fri, 13 Feb 2026 22:04:00 GMT Harold Holzer Library of Congress WP-WSJO-0000245727 Through a years-long, nearly complete restoration project, the conservators of George Washington’s estate on the Potomac have brought the house closer to how the Founding Father would have known it. https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/history/mount-vernon-restored-to-its-original-vision-5b119887 Sat, 07 Feb 2026 12:00:00 GMT Judith H. Dobrzynski Nathan Ellgren/Associated Press WP-WSJ-0003076257 In the mid-1800s, she was a feminist firebrand—and the highest-paid newspaper columnist of her time. https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/history/fanny-fern-biography-profile-0ea612e1 Tue, 27 Jan 2026 17:00:00 GMT Lauren Mechling Miriam Martincic for WSJ