Music & Film

This bronze portrait bust of German composer Richard Wagner, sculptured by artist Arno Breker, resides in Bayreuth, Germany, home of the annual festival honoring his work.

The Brilliant, Troubled Legacy of Richard Wagner

As the faithful flock to the Bayreuth Festival in his bicentennial year, the spellbinding German composer continues to fascinate, inspire and infuriate

Johnny Depp’s Tonto Isn’t Offensive, Just Weird, Says the Director of the American Indian Museum

We sent the Director of the American Indian Museum to the Lone Ranger; here's what he thought

Gwyneth Glyn, a Welsh singer who performs original and folk songs in her native tongue, will perform at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival this year as part of the “One World, Many Voices” program.

Can Musicians and Educators Bring Welsh Back?

The Welsh language is spoken by few, but people like Gwyneth Glyn, a Welsh folk musician, are helping to revitalize it and renew interest in the culture

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Sheila E. On Her Glamorous Life, Upcoming Album and Future Collaborations

The diva on the drums, Sheila E. says she has no plans to slow down as she works on a solo album and autobiography

Zachary Quinto and Chris Pine in the 2013 ‘Star Trek Into Darkness.’

Air and Space Curator Margaret Weitekamp Explains Why ‘Star Trek’ Matters

With the release of the 12th Star Trek film, curator Margaret Weitekamp explains why the franchise is so influential

Gil Goldstein and Bobby McFerrin

Gil Goldstein and Bobby McFerrin’s New Project at the Kennedy Center

Gil Goldstein lends an experienced hand to Bobby McFerrin's new concert series and recording project that honors familiar spirituals with a new spirit

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What the Great Gatsby Got Right about the Jazz Age

Curator Amy Henderson explores how the 1920s came alive in F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel

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Q+A with Chadwick Boseman, Star of New Jackie Robinson Biopic, ’42′

The actor talks about getting vetted by the baseball legend's grandchildren, meeting with his wife and why baseball was actually his worst sport

Educating Americans for the 21st Century

The 10 Worst Teachers and Principals From Pop Culture

From Ferris Bueller’s Day Off to Mean Girls, on-screen educators have a talent for causing trouble. Here are the worst offenders.

Astronauts float in zero gravity outside the Challenger space shuttle in 1984.

How IMAX Pulled Spaceflight Down to Earth

The 1985 film that famously revealed the lives of astronauts in zero gravity returns to the big screen

Frank Sinatra singing on the stage of the Sands Hotel.

How to Tour Frank Sinatra’s Las Vegas

Even though most of 1950s Vegas is long gone, there are still many ways to relive the haunts of Ol’ Blue Eyes and the Rat Pack

A crew member dives overboard in the film.

Kon-Tiki Sails Again

A new film recreates the epic voyage—and revives the controversy over its legendary leader, Thor Heyerdahl

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Sounds of 1950s New York City and More from Folkways Magazine

Under a new editor, the latest issue features a day in a dog's life, audio postcards from around the world and more

The Aloha Boys bring island sound to the East Coast.

Can’t Afford a Trip to Hawaii? Here’s Some Aloha Right Here in D.C.

Families preserving the old ways in the young keep Hawaiian culture blooming in DC area

Delicious Peace, out April 9, features 16 tracks that cover a range of Uganda’s musical styles. The songs all have the same message, though: spread peace.

Give the World a Cup of Joe and Teach It Harmony

Musicians in a fair trade coffee cooperative hope to change the world through song and coffee

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The Greatest R&B Singer Who Never Existed

How the make-believe alter ego of an imaginative teen in the 1970s won him the fame he always dreamed of 40 years later

Classic Celtic Music

There’s More to Celtic Music Than “Danny Boy”

A new album from Smithsonian Folkways will brighten anyone’s St. Patrick’s Day

Lipstick stencil, 1920s

The History of the Flapper, Part 2: Makeup Makes a Bold Entrance

It's the birth of the modern cosmetics business as young women look for beauty enhancers in a tube or jar

Delphine Atger, 1920s

The History of the Flapper, Part 1: A Call for Freedom

The young, fashionable women of the 1920s define the dress and style of their peers in their own words

Superhero origin stories help us cope with adversity.

The Psychology Behind Superhero Origin Stories

How does following the adventures of Spider-Man and Batman inspire us to cope with adversity?

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