Arts & Culture Europe

Arts & Culture -- list of articles in the section Arts & Culture Europe

  • Readings by James Joyce
    Ulysses, passage from Aeolus episode, reading by James Joyce on November 27, 1924 in Paris Finnegans Wake, Anna Livia Plurabelle, read by James Joyce, 1924 Chamber Music I – XX XVI, read by …
  • Radio play: “Erasmus in the underworld”
    This radio play was among the finalists selected for production in the Golden Windmill Radio Drama contest organised by Radio Netherlands together with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting in the …
  • Pete Myers interviews Victor Borge and Peter Enahoro (1972)
    This programme is part of the series Pete Myers' interviewsPete Myers introduces us to world-famous Danish comedian and musician Victor Borge (1909-2000). We also hear from Nigerian writer Peter …
  • Pete Myers interviews Shirley Bassey (1972)
    This programme is part of the series Pete Myers' interviews18-year-old Shirley Bassey caused a sensation as the “Tigress from Cardiff Bay” when she first appeared in a London West End …
  • Pete Myers interviews Ingrid Bergman (1973)
    This programme is part of the series Pete Myers' interviewsIngrid Bergman (1915-1982), one of the greatest screen actresses of the 20th century, looks back with Pete Myers on her career but also …
  • Pete Myers interviews Juliette Gréco (1973)
    This programme is part of the series Pete Myers' interviewsPete Myers introduces us to the great French chanson singer Juliette Gréco (1927-2020). From singing in the streets as a child, she became …
  • Out of the Blue: Progressive rock of the 1970’s: Part 1 to 3 of 6 – The Velvet Underground, Lou Reed, JJ Cale
    This programme is part of the series Out of the Blue“Out of the Blue” was a series of broadcasts produced in the mid-1970’s on the sound and development of progressive rock. In the …
  • Out of the Blue: Progressive rock of the 1970’s: Parts 4 and 5 – David Bowie
    This programme is part of the series Out of the Blue“Out of the Blue” was a series of broadcasts produced in the mid-1970’s on the sound and development of progressive rock. In this …
  • The story behind “Silent Night”
    The popular Christmas carol “Silent Night” was first performed in the Saint Nicholas parish church in Oberndorf, Austria on Christmas Eve 1818. This 1977 radio play reenacts a version of …
  • Roald Dahl
    Roald Dahl (1916-1990) was without a doubt the most successful 20th-century children’s book author in the pre-Harry Potter age. In 1982, he was guest of honour at the annual Children’s …
  • The making of the film “Gandhi”
    David Attenborough’s epic film biography of Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948) presents a sweeping, masterful image of the life of India’s great pioneer of independence and 20th-century …
  • That reminds me: Pete Myers
    Pete Myers remembers his earliest exposure to music, from his childhood in India to the days he accompanied African performers to the Soviet Union. Part 1: Childhood memories of Fred Astaire, …
  • Monument to Jules Verne
    Aural Tapestry – Under the sea with Jules Verne
    David Swatling indulges his childhood fascinating with Jules Verne. We get some biographical information on the writer and reading from his work. We hear from a French Verne fan and a Dutch actor who …
  • The 1989 Edison classics
    The Edison Award, the annual Dutch distinction for achievement in music, is one of the world’s oldest music awards. First presented in 1960, the Edison goes to musicians and performers in many …
  • Brief encounters: Pete Myers’ diaries, Part 3 of 3
    As a young rising star in radio at the BBC, Pete Myers interviewed some of the most memorable people in the entertainment world of his time. He decided in 1972 to keep a record of his impressions of …
  • Nevil Gray meets Paul Theroux
    Paul Theroux is one of the world’s most famous and successful travel writers and an award-winning author of fiction. His description of Britain (“The Kingdom by the Sea”) and of …
  • Derek Jarman
    David Swatling presents a portrait of British film-maker Derek Jarman (1942-1994). His first film was “Sebastian”, spoken in Latin. Others include “Caravaggio”, “The …
  • Images: Pierre Audi, Mozart & Ed Craanen
    In this edition of Radio Netherlands’ weekly cultural programme, Images, Pierre Audi, artistic director of the Netherlands Opera, talks about the coming opera season in the Netherlands. …
  • In so many words – Language cultures of the European Community: Part 4, Greek
    This programme is part of the series In So Many WordsWithin the European Community, Greek has the unique distinction of being a language spoken uninterruptedly for four thousand  years. It has …
  • Riccardo Chailly on Gershwin and his love of jazz
    Riccardo Chailly, was chief conductor of Amsterdam’s prestigious Concertgebouw Orchestra from 1988 to 2004, and in 2017 he was appointed music director of the world’s most famous opera …
  • Radio Netherlands’ drama competiton: “So many surprises”
    Radio drama is an old and illustrious art. In 1970, Radio Netherlands organised a radio drama competition to attract listeners in America. This play, “So Many Surprises” was one of the …
  • Saturday Stage: Part 3 of 3, Back “in” Holland
    Saturday Stage was a short entertainment series introduced by Jonathan Marks in early 1992. In this programme, four British comedians present a show mildly sending up Holland and the European …
  • Pierre Audi about Monteverdi’s “Il Ritorno d’Ulysse in Patria”
    Pierre Audi, artistic director of the Dutch National Opera from 1988 to 2018, explains why he chose to direct one of the world’s first operas by the Italian priest-composer Claudio Monteverdi …
  • Cultural boycotts
    This special edition of the weekly cultural programme “Mirror Images” focuses on a debate in Amsterdam, entitled Hostages of Stupidity. The discussions dealt with the sense or otherwise …
  • Copenhagen: More than a little mermaid
    Copenhagen currently holds the title of Cultural Capital of Europe, and Denmark’s capital is grabbing this opportunity to put on the biggest cultural event in its history. Throughout the year, …
  • Millennium: Waiting for the end, Part 1 of 2
    In Western Christian culture, the arrival of a millenium, a one-thousand-year milestone measuring the time since the birth of Jesus Christ, is a date of great psychological significance. This …
  • Hans Christian Andersen
    From “The Ugly Ducking” to “The Emperor’s New Clothes”, the timeless tales by Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875) have been told, read and filmed worldwide. But perhaps …
  • Johannes Brahms
    Robert Green and Michele Ernsting remember Johannes Brahms on the centenary of his death in 1897. With music, anecdotes and readings.  Producers: Robert Green & Michele Ernsting Broadcast: …
  • Contemporary art: Documenta 10
    Roughly every five years, a world summit of contemporary art is held in Kassel, Germany. In 1997, “Documenta”, as this 100-day event is called, was held for the tenth time. Documenta X …
  • Maria Callas
    Maria Callas
    Dheera Sujan remembers Maria Callas, 20 years after her death. What was so special about this great icon of the 20th century? With archive material from Callas herself, with Sigrid Koetse who played …
  • Frank McCourt & Fergal Keane
    Dheera Sujan’s guests are both Irish, both are writers and both had alcoholic fathers. Frank McCourt, at 66, gained international literary stardom with his Pulitzer Prize-winning book …
  • Berlin arts
    Marijke van der Meer takes us on a tour of Berlin’s cultural scene, eight years after the fall of the Wall and a year before Berlin will be the seat of government again. In the 1920’s, …
  • Edinburgh Festival
    In 1997, the famous Edinburgh Festival celebrated its 50th anniversary. In a two-part series, Dheera Sujan went along to sample the goodies on the show.  Part one includes interviews with three …
  • Hildegard Knef and Christopher Isherwood
    In this series of highlights from the Radio Netherlands’ archives marking the station’s 50th anniversary, two interviews: one with British-born writer Christopher Isherwood, but we begin …
  • Joan Sutherland
    In this gem from our archives, arts producer Nevil Gray speaks with fellow Australian, Dame Joan Sutherland (1926-2010), one of the great opera sopranos of the 20th century. In 1982, Nevil caught up …
  • “He who does not howl with the wolf”: Composer Richard Wagner’s great-grandson speaks out
    In 1997, a book appeared in German that provided more troubling insights into the dark reputation of the Nazi cult around the composer Richard Wagner. But this time the criticism came from the …
  • Aural Tapestry: Gay Games 1998
    In 1998, Amsterdam hosted the first Gay Games to be held outside of North America. The Games are open to gay and lesbian participants of all ages and are meant to bring LBGT people together from all …
  • One-man showmanship
    David Swatling meets American solo-artist Frank Sheppard who, among other things, performed a one-man Othello, juxtaposing Shakespeare’s tragic Moor with OJ Simpson in Holland. David also talks …
  • Weimar: Cultural Capital of Europe in 1999
    In 1999 the German city of Weimar was honoured as the Cultural Capital of Europe. This title is awarded annually to cities with an especially rich cultural heritage. Weimar was not only home to some …
  • The castrati
    In the 18th century, it wasn’t the soprano or the tenor who ruled the operatic stage. It was the castrato. The likes of Farinelli and Gaspare Pacchierotti were huge stars. George Frederick Händel, …
  • Mary Cassatt
    In the late 19th century, Mary Cassatt was the only American artist invited into the Impressionist circle in Paris. She was a close friend of Edgar Degas, who said of her work: “I am not willing to …
  • Scopitone
    Scopitone and Yol
    Scopitone was a cultural phenomenon of the 1960’s in France and the United States. It combined a jukebox and a film projector, a kind of forerunner of the music video-clip. David Swatling …
  • Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
    Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) was the greatest writer of his time and even Napoleon insisted on meeting him when the French conqueror happened to be passing through Germany with the Grande …
  • Goethe’s Faust
    The play “Faust” by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe created a sensation when the first part of this drama was published in 1808. Now considered a milestone of world literature, it is the story …
  • Saratoga: The wickedest city in America
    During the 19th century, a small town in upstate New York quickly grew into America’s most popular resort. With its natural mineral water spas, luxury hotels, horse racing and gambling casinos, …
  • Dog day afternoons: Our canine muse
    A literary journey with man’s best friend from the faithful hound Argus in Homer’s The Odyssey to the Russian space dog, Laika. It was Shakespeare’s Hamlet who said: “every dog will have his day”. So …
  • Dutch Horizons: Opus one
    Bertine Krol’s very first edition of Dutch Horizons, a weekly programme on the Netherlands,  features three items: Bertine interviews in his workshop Dutch master violin builder Jaap …
  • Rembrandt’s mirror: The later self-portraits, Part 2 of 2
    In 1999, the famous Mauritshuis Museum in The Hague hosted one of its most spectacular exhibitions: the self-portraits of one of the greatest painters of all times, Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-1669). …
  • To be or not to be: Suicide and writers, 2 Parts
    Part 1: From Antiquity to the 19th Century   In spite of the great riches they have left behind and the immortality that many of them have achieved through their works, writers have long had a …
  • James Joyce in Trieste
    The great Irish writer James Joyce (1882-1941) left Ireland with his wife Nora Barnacle in 1904 and spent the following years in Trieste. This Adriatic port city is now in Italy but was part of the …
  • Celluloid myths: Monsters, Part 1 of 4
    Cyclops and dragons, vampires and mummies – monsters have been there since the days of the first storytellers. There are the monsters of nature, the monsters who are man made, the visible …
  • Celluloid myths: The virtuous woman, Part 2 of 4
    The Virgin Mary set an impossible standard for women brought up under the influence of Western mythology. She incorporated two mutually incompatible states of being – a Virgin AND a Mother. And …
  • Celluloid myths: The femme fatale, Part 3 of 4
    Eve started it all, and women have never been able to live it down since: seductress, tempter, destroyer of men’s lives. There were the sirens who lured sailors to jump overboard by the beauty of …
  • Celluloid myths: Heroes, Part 4 of 4
    The heroic exploits of Odysseus and Lancelot entertained generations of people hungry for heroes. They are what we secretly long to be. We create heroes so we can have someone to reflect our own …
  • 30 years of Poetry International
    Radio Netherlands recorded the programming of Rotterdam’s Poetry International Festival from its inception in 1970. A wide variety of international poets are heard reading their own work, including …
  • Dutch tulips
    Tulipomania.dotcom, Part 1 of 2 – The hype
    In this two-part series, David Swatling compares the tulip mania of the 17th century with the latest new economy hype. Producer: David Swatling Broadcast: June 11, 2000…
  • Lorenzo de Medici
    Florentine Trilogy, Part 1 of 3: Lorenzo the Magnificent – Patron and poet
    In part one of his Florentine Trilogy, David Swatling profiles the incredible life of Lorenzo de’ Medici (1449-1492), a member of the most prominent Florentine family. Apart from being a poet, …
  • The Concert by Johannes Vermeer
    Stolen art and antiquities
    The stealing of art and artifacts is said to be as old as man itself. To find out how prevalent it is today (and historically), David Swatling spoke to the editor of Minerva, the International Review …
  • Memorial to the writer Agatha Christie erected in 2012 at the eastern end of Cranbourn Street at the corner of St Martin's Lane.
    Queens of Crime
    David Swatling meets three crime writers of the post-Agatha Christie era who have made their mark on crime fiction. However, the ladies – P.D. James (1920-2014), Ruth Rendell (1930-20115) and …
  • Jan Steen - Beware of Luxury
    Sex and the masters
    In this programme, David Swatling turns his attention to sex and the masters. While tame to modern eyes, many paintings from the 17th century were full of sexual symbolism. Some paintings of …
  • Utrecht Early Music Festival
    In this documentary, David Swatling visits the Utrecht Early Music Festival and talks to the organisers about why this type of music is becoming increasingly popular. Producer: David Swatling …
  • Girolamo Savonarola
    Florentine Trilogy, Part 2 of 3: Girolamo Savonarola – Renaissance Ayatollah
    In the second part of his Florentine Trilogy, David Swatling focuses on Girolamo Savonarola (1452-1498), a Dominican friar who arrived in Florence in the late 15th century. His sermons were said to …
  • Santi di Tito_-Niccolo Machiavelli's portrait
    Florentine Trilogy, Part 3 of 3: Nicolo Machiavelli – Cynical politico
    In the last part of his Florentine Trilogy, David Swatling examines the life of Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527), the Florentine statesman and political writer who advocated resorting to morally …
  • Purely flamenco
    Jane Murphy visits the Flamenco Festival in Jérez in the flamenco heart of Andalucía, pure heaven for lovers of the dance. She meets some of its stars, including Paco Peña and Angelita Gomez. In the …
  • Chris Chambers meets Eva Besnyö
    This programme is part of the series Chris Chambers meets  In this unedited interview for the programme “Talking it Over”, Chris Chambers talks to Hungarian-born photographer Eva …
  • Addicted to Greek music
    David Swatling visits Dutch correspondent Frans van Hasselt (75) who has lived and worked most of his life in Athens. During that period, he developed a great love of Greek music. During a stroll in …
  • Silencing words
    Almost since the first words were written down, attempts have been made to censor them. But those who try to suppress the word (for religious, political or other reasons) by punishing writers have …
  • The margins of history: Barry Unsworth
    David Swatling meets author Barry Unsworth (1930-2012), one of the great contemporary masters of historical fiction. He’s written about medieval traveling players, 18th century slave traders …
  • A Song for Brother Francesco: Saint Frances of Assisi
    David Swatling tells the fascinating life story of Saint Frances of Assisi, with the help of Valerie Martin, author of the book “Salvation: Scenes from the Life of St. Frances”, and …
  • If wishes were horses
    The relationship between humans and horses can be traced back as far as the cave drawings of early man. And ever since, artists and writers have tried to capture the beauty and grace of these …
  • A Good Life: The role of culture
    Hélène Michaud takes a look at what role culture plays in various stages of a country’s development. In Bosnia, the Sarajevo film festival helped create a feeling of solidarity in the besieged …
  • Saints Alive
    For well over a thousand years, the saints have been held up as examples for Catholics around the world. Though the Church sets the standards for sainthood, the choice of saints is often dependent on …
  • Salman Rushdie, author of the Dutch book week gift 2001
    Indian-born author Salman Rushdie was invited to write the Netherlands’ book-week gift in 2001. The theme was writers between two cultures. The book Rushdie wrote was called …
  • Dance theatre
    The human body in art: The body corporal – Part 2 of 2
    Of all the images that artists have had at hand, none have had as much representation as the human body, which has been a source of boundless fascination through the ages—to the artists who try to …
  • Two tales of the city: Water and land in Amsterdam, Part 2 of 2 – The windmiller’s tale
    In this new millennium, Amsterdam, like so many cities around the world, has been facing the challenge of building for an expanding population, a changing economy and new technologies. In these two …
  • Vincent Van Gogh painting Sunflowers, painted by Paul Gauguin in 1888
    Vincent Van Gogh and Paul Gauguin
    Vincent Van Gogh and Paul Gauguin were two of the greatest painters of their age. The nine stormy weeks they spent working together in Arles in the south of France at the end of 1888 marked one of …
  • Cinema diaspora: The impact of the Indian film industry outside of Asia
    Hindi cinema or Bollywood films are a major source of entertainment for many Indians. But these movies are also a major influence on the millions of South Asians who have settled all over the world. …
  • Von Trapped
    In the programme, a woman talks about her obsession with “The Sound of Music” and what she’s tried to do about it. It’s produced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and …
  • Remembering Marlene (Dietrich)
      To mark the 100th birthday of one of the great sex goddesses of the 20th century, David Swatling presents an impression of the lady, as seen through the eyes of some of her fans. It includes …
  • Scarecrows: A personal essay
      In this edition of “Aural Tapestry”, David Swatling weaves together many threads of stories, legends and personal memories relating to the humble scarecrow. Starting with his …
  • Goddess of the Netherlands: Belle van Zuylen
    Isabella Agneta Elisabeth van Tuyll van Serooskerken (1740-1805) was her full name at birth, an impressive enough name on its own. She came to be known as simply Belle van Zuylen, the future Isabelle …
  • Among the ruins: From Acropolis to metropolis
    When this programme was made at the start of the century, Athens was undergoing a radical face-lift in feverish preparation for Greece’s hosting of the 2004 Olympics. What started out as a …
  • Old trades, new hands: Building a castle in Burgundy
    Hélène Michaud visits Guédelon in France where a medieval castle is being built with the same tools and techniques as 800 years ago. The workers are volunteers or people without jobs. The point is to …
  • Donald Mitchell meets Valery Gergiev
    Donald Mitchell talks to Russian conductor Valery Gergiev after a performance of Mahler’s 6th symphony with the Rotterdam Philharmonic in September 2002. The live interview took place before a …
  • Enid Blyton: 20th century Mother Goose
    Books can be a comfort, an escape from the demands and unpleasant realities of life. In this programme, the Sound Fountain looks at the very different public and private life of Enid Blyton, the 20th …
  • Love story: In love with the romance novel
    Dheera Sujan reveals the secret she’s kept for half a lifetime – her teenage addiction to romance novels. She talks to the people who create the handsomer than life heroes and write the books one …
  • Journey to the well: A visit with poet Cathal Ó Searcaigh
    Irish poet Cathal Ó Searcaigh lives in the north of County Donegal on land his family has farmed for generations. Tucked in a beautiful glen under the shadow of Mount Errigal, his house is decked …
  • Jacques Brel
    Jacques Brel
    In this programme, David Swatling portrays Jacques Brel, who’s been called a historian of the human heart. The programme visits an exhibition on Brel and talks to contemporary singers or his …
  • Leonardo’s magnificent failure and the Mona Lisa
    This programme was produced in 2003 to mark the 500th anniversary of what many consider to be the most famous painting in the world. The mysterious smile of Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa” has …
  • Poetry in a small Language: Minority languages at Poetry International
    Rotterdam’s Poetry International Festival 2003 had a special programme to highlight minority languages, such as Welsh, Mayan, Corsican and Livonian. This programme features interviews with the Welsh …
  • Pascal Khoo Thwe: The land of green ghosts
    Destiny brought together two men from different worlds: one a Padaung tribal from the Hill Tracts of Burma, the other an ivory tower Cambridge don. The meeting would change both their lives forever. …
  • Berlin in 1926, the Haller Revue Ensemble at the Admiralspalast Theater, Foto BPK from Berliner Zeitung
    Berlin cabaret: The film and historical reality
    This 2003 documentary was made to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the release of the film “Cabaret” and looks at whether the portrayal of Berlin cabaret was anything like the reality of …
  • Walking the black dog: Depression
    In the early 17th century, Robert Burton’s exhaustive study “The Anatomy of Melancholy” was an immediate best-seller. Nearly four hundred years later, Andrew Solomon included Burton in his own …
  • The Volga boatmen: The wanderings of an icon
    The programme traces the story of the Volga boatmen in art, starting with Ilya Repin’s painting of the Barge-Haulers in the Russian Museum in Saint Petersburg, and an interview with art historian …
  • The girl at the window
    In 1959 a German artist – Ursula Pusch-Wennrich – painted a striking portrait called ‘The Girl At the Window’. A quarter of a century on, the painting hangs on the wall of …
  • The intriguing theremin
    People fainted when the Leon Theremin was first performed onstage in Paris in 1927. Its haunting sound resembled voices from beyond the grave. It was the first electronic instrument, and at that …
  • The story of the Carmina Burana
    It has been used to advertise coffee and perfume, to rouse the spirit at football games and even been hijacked for house music and rap. The Carmina Burana does indeed seem indestructible. But who …
  • Beethoven’s 9th: A beginner’s guide to the Ode to Joy
    It was a favourite of the Nazi Party; it was adopted by Communists to celebrate Marx’s ideals; it was played at the fall of the Berlin Wall to celebrate the collapse of Communism; and it’s currently …
  • James Meek: “The people’s act of love”
    Acclaimed by Newsweek magazine as one of the top ten best works of fiction of the first decade of this century, “The People’s Act of Love” is a novel by British writer and …
  • Will the real Shakespeare please stand up?
    The question surrounding the authorship of plays and sonnets by William Shakespeare has been debated for centuries. Two books take very different points of view on the issue. Amsterdam-based author, …
  • Becoming Rebecca West
    A portrait of British journalist and writer Rebecca West (1892-1983),  whose life spanned most of the 20th century, with memories from her great-niece and thoughts from an actress who portrays …
  • Flamenco
    Paco Peña’s Passion
    David Swatling meets Paco Peña, the master of flamenco and composer of the “Misa Flamenca”. The interview covers the origin of flamenco and the idea behind his flamenco mass. The …
  • Sheep and insomnia
    Counting sheep: Notes from an insomniac
    David Swatling focuses on insomnia and how it has appeared in literature, with readings from William Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, Emily Bronte, Franz Kafka, Sylvia Plath, among others. Producer: …
  • Imagination is the instrument of compassion
    New York author Jonathan Safran Foer’s novel “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close” is part of a wave of what has been dubbed “post-9/11 fiction”. But some critics say not enough time has passed to …
  • Two Vincents: The bond between Vincent van Gogh and Vincent Polakovič
    Was it fate or chance that brought them together? Theirs is probably one of the most unbelievable yet most fruitful encounters one could imagine. Vincent Polakovič, a lawyer from Slovakia, had always …
  • British psychic Gordon Smith, 2010
    Gordon’s gift: The British psychic Gordon Smith
    Gordon Smith has a remarkable gift. Since he was a child, he has claimed to be able to speak to the dead. He’s now acclaimed as one of the greatest clairvoyants of his generation, whilst still …
  • Mr. Boswell goes to town
      A programme looking at the writings of the Scottish writer James Boswell who spent nine months in Utrecht in 1763. Three historians talk about life in Holland during this period based on …
  • Mozart marathon
    If you were born on January 27, 1756, you are precocious, liable to perform feats of extraordinary virtuosity and may be prone to shouting obscenities in public. We all know about Wolfgang Amadeus …
  • The Dutchman behind the revival of Cossack culture
    When Cossack culture was rehabilitated after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the once suppressed Cossack music was revived, having been silenced for decades in Russia. A young Dutch conductor who …
  • Lorenzo da Ponte
    Lorenzo da Ponte is best known for his collaborations with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, writing the librettos for The Marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni and Cosi fan Tutti. However, that was just a small …
  • Mozart as a child, 1763 (coll. Mozarteum, Salzburg)
    A Dutch divertimento: Mozart visits the Netherlands
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791), one of the greatest musical talents of all times, was only a child when he first acquired fame throughout Europe for his virtuosity at the piano and his …
  • Song of a troubled heart: Mahler and Freud meet
    In 1910, two of the greatest minds in European culture decide to meet, not in their native Vienna, but at the train station of Leiden in the Netherlands: Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, …
  • A bohemian in Amsterdam: Jan Amos Comenius
    The programme looks at the life and work of Jan Amos Comenius (1592-1670). Hélène Michaud examines the last 14 years of this Czech humanist’s life which was spent in exile in Amsterdam, and she …
  • Seamus Heaney: Bogging in again
    Northern Irish poet Seamus Heaney won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1995. Since then, his lines have been quoted by world leaders, his new translation of “Beowulf” has become a …
  • Radio Books: Contemporary Dutch and Flemish short stories – Lieve Joris
    Lieve Joris: “Bollieke” Lieve Joris is an internationally acclaimed, award-winning travel writer from Belgium. Her writing focuses chiefly on Africa, the Middle East and eastern Europe, …
  • Radio Books: Contemporary Dutch and Flemish short stories – Ivo Michiels
    Ivo Michiels: “Amandine or the thousand letters of love” Every now and then, she has to open doors for colleagues of the Red Cross aid agency, but she also writes love letters to Ludović …
  • The State We’re In: Preserving Afghanistan’s cultural heritage and identity
    One of the lesser noticed side-effects of war and violence is the immeasurable loss to humanity and to a nation’s sense of identity when its art treasures and cultural traditions are destroyed. In …
  • Banned Books (©MvdMeer)
    The State We’re In: Banned Books
    Ever since the invention of printing, books have been banned, blacklisted, boycotted, burned and bowdlerized. Books can be dangerous, but the right to produce and distribute a book is essential to …