Culture

SpotlightWhen Art Meets Faith: Antoni Gaudí on the Path to Sainthood

Bélinda Ibrahim 19/04 19:30 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Antoni Gaudi Barcelone Vatican Venerable Architecture

On April 13, 2025, by official decree, Pope Francis recognized the heroic virtues of Antoni Gaudí, bestowing upon the famous Catalan architect the title of “Venerable.” This recognition marks a major milestone on the path to beatification, which could ultimately lead to the canonization of the man often referred to as “God’s architect.” ...

Frances Mayes Awarded Italian Citizenship for Literary Merit

This is Beirut 19/04 13:00 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Author Literature US Italy

The Italian government announced Friday its decision to grant honorary citizenship to American author Frances Mayes, known globally for her best-selling memoir Under the Tuscan Sun. Officials cited “exceptional merit” as the reason behind the move. In an official statement, authorities confirmed that the Italian Council of Ministers had ...

Matthieu Chedid Revives 'Lamomali' with a Joyful Pulse

This is Beirut 19/04 10:35 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Music France Lebanon Africa Matthieu Chedid

Sequels? Not really his thing. “Stuff like Rocky II freaks me out, the idea of repeating the same thing.” And yet, eight years after blending voices and sounds from Mali into a groundbreaking choral album, -M- is back at the helm of a new Lamomali. “At first, I wasn’t into it at all. I thought doing a pale imitation would’ve been a ...

ExclusiveA Duo, Two Pianos, a Thousand Emotions: The Labèque Sisters Enchant Abu Dhabi

Bélinda Ibrahim 18/04 18:30 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Abu Dhabi Festival Labèque Sisters Piano Music Culture

For the 22nd edition of the Abu Dhabi Festival, at the Red Theater of NYU Abu Dhabi, Katia and Marielle Labèque captivated the audience. Their recital wove a striking dialogue between Glass and Cocteau, with Ravel as a musical bridge. The evening opened with Glass’s La Belle et la Bête, its hypnotic motifs unfolding across two ...

From Barbie to Blasters: Gosling Takes Lead in New 'Star Wars' Film

This is Beirut 18/04 16:40 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Entertainment US Ryan Gosling Movie Star Wars

After his scene-stealing turn as Ken in the 2023 blockbuster hit "Barbie", Oscar-nominated actor Ryan Gosling is taking on another huge pop culture franchise: the Star Wars universe. Gosling will star in the upcoming Star Wars: Starfighter, due for release in May 2027, Lucasfilm announced Friday at the Star Wars Celebration event in ...

Netflix Tops Forecasts Despite Tariffs and Uncertainty

This is Beirut 18/04 12:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Netflix US Culture Series Film

Netflix on Thursday reported quarterly earnings slightly better than analysts expected, saying it is staying focused on what it can control as the overall economy is roiled by US President Donald Trump's trade war. The streaming television service declared itself "off to a good start in 2025" with a profit of $2.9 billion on revenue of $10.5 ...

Mulatu Astatke’s Timeless Ethio-Jazz Legacy Continues Worldwide

This is Beirut 18/04 10:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Music Jazz Art Cuture Paris Ethiopia

Mulatu Astatke struggled for decades before his name became associated worldwide with a musical genre, and he was finally born as the father of Ethio-jazz. Now, despite that long journey and his 81 years of age, the Ethiopian music legend cannot even "think about retirement." A one-man band, equally at home with the vibraphone and the conga, a ...

Snow White Banned from Lebanese Theaters

Marilyne Jallad 17/04 21:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Europe Israel Kuwait

Ninety years after Disney’s pioneering animated version, Snow White is returning to the big screen in a live-action remake—screening in cinemas around the world, or almost. Lebanon and Kuwait have decided to outright ban this timeless tale intended for audiences young and old, from ages seven to 77. Due to the presence of an Israeli ...

Tragic Promise Drove World's first Michelin-Starred Woman Sushi Chef

This is Beirut 17/04 18:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

France Sushi Chizuko Kimura Michelin Star Japan Culture

Chizuko Kimura has become the first female sushi chef in the world to win a Michelin star, fulfilling a promise she made to her dying husband to continue his legacy. The 54-year-old Japanese chef regained the Michelin star her late husband Shunei Kimura won three years ago for their Sushi Shunei restaurant in Paris. For Shunei, the star was a ...

Georges Khabbaz Shoots Global Series in Canary Islands, Spain

This is Beirut 17/04 17:35 - Reading : less than a minute

Georges Khabbaz Arts Theatre Movies Lebanon

After starring in the acclaimed film Yunan by Ameer Fakher Eldin – which was selected for the official competition at the Berlin International Film Festival and won awards at the Bari and Milan film festivals in Italy – and after shooting Mille Secrets Mille Dangers last summer with Oscar-nominated director Philippe Falardeau, Georges Khabbaz ...

Jonathan Anderson takes helm at Dior Men

This is Beirut 17/04 17:15 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Fashion LVMH Dior Men Jonathan Anderson France Culture

French fashion giant Dior named the highly-rated designer Jonathan Anderson as creative director of Dior Men on Thursday. Anderson, 40, quit Loewe last month after more than a decade in which he turned around the fortunes of the heritage Spanish brand. The Northern Irish designer -- an influential tastemaker with many A-list fans -- made the ...

Sweden Goes into Eurovision as Punters' Favorite

This is Beirut 17/04 14:11 - Reading : 6 minute(s)

Music Eurovision Award Television Switzerland Sweden

Eurovision is the world's biggest talent show, featuring 37 national entries, but one country seems to regularly dominate the conversation and the winners' podium: Sweden. With a month to go before the grand finale in Basel on May 17, anything could happen. But Sweden, which has already won the glitzy glamfest seven times - tied with ...