Epoch Arts 2-5-2016

THE MUSEUM AT FIT

C1 February 5–11, 2016

THE MUSEUM AT FIT

Clothing illustrating “The Snow Queen.” Cape, 2011, and dress, 2008, by J. Mendel.

Evening gown, 2012, by Marchesa illustrating “Sleeping Beauty.”

Fashion & Fairy Tales A Match Made in Parallel Worlds NORITAKA TATEHANA

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By Kati Vereshaka | Epoch Times Staff

EW YORK—Fashion might be ruled by pragmatism and practicality in ready to wear, but when it comes to the realms of fairy tales, nature, magic, and mystery merge to provide fertile ground for designers to mine.

Fairy Tale Fashion, a new exhibition at the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology (MFIT) examines the genre through the lens of high fashion.

Although most children would be initiated into the land of make-believe through animated versions of popular tales, fashion designers prefer to go to the source. Given that fairy tales are passed down either orally or in written form, there is ample room for interpretation.

In versions of numerous fairy tales by authors such as Charles Perrault, the Brothers Grimm, and Hans Christian Andersen, the dress of a character relies on cultural stereotypes, often with added touches of magic to underpin his or her role in the story.

Rags to Riches and Back Again “Cinderella”—the ultimate sartorial transformation and rags to riches tale, also has the irresistible element of a head-to-toe makeover courtesy of her fairy godmother. Her appearance in rags is represented in the exhibition by a Giorgio di Sant’Angelo ensemble with a skirt made from shredded chiffon, and dating from his 1971 The Summer of Jane and Cinderella collection.

And if the very concept of a glass slipper blew the imagination of readers contemplating such an accessory, it would almost compare with the pair of 2014 heel-less shoes by Noritaka Tatehana. These 3-D-printed, faceted acrylic creations do live up to all the fairy tale hype, possibly more than any other piece in the exhibition.

See Fairy Tale on C6

Noritaka Tatehana’s avant-garde take on the glass slipper: 3-D printed, faceted acrylic heel-less shoes.

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February 5–11, 2016 TheEpochTimes.com/EpochArts SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES

Shen Yun Performing Arts

From Warsaw to New York, a Search for Traditional Chinese Culture

By Amelia Pang | Epoch Times Staff

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Acclaimed dancer Piotr Huang, from Poland, found new meaning in life in reviving traditional Chinese culture.

Reclaiming a Lost Culture Huang pursued advanced studies in classical Chinese dance at Fei Tian Academy of the Arts in New York and showed an exceptional aptitude for dance.

He won first place in the adult male division of New Tang Dynasty Television’s 2014 International Classical Chinese Dance Competition.

Since joining Shen Yun, Huang has performed lead roles as fictional and historical figures such as a revered emperor in Chinese history and the Monkey King, a character from the classical Chinese novel “Journey to the West.”

STYLES of BLUE, GREEN, AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN.

By Ingrid Longauer | Epoch Times Staff

The state of mind and heart is directly related to the art one creates.

Piotr Huang, principal dancer SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES

t’s late, but Piotr Huang is still training.

The world tour is one month away and he doesn’t have all the details perfected yet in his mind. He runs, leaps, and drifts in the air. As his body twirls, defying gravity, his legs glide into a split.

Huang is an acclaimed classical Chinese dancer from Warsaw, Poland.

He is currently a principal dancer at Shen Yun Performing Arts, a New York-based classical Chinese dance company that tours the globe. Huang was preparing for a five-month tour that began on Dec. 22.

The group travels across five continents, performing at venues such as Lincoln Center in New York, the Opera Palace in the New National Theatre in Tokyo, and the Palais des Congrès de Paris.

Shen Yun’s mission is to revive and celebrate 5,000 years of Chinese civilization, a mission that is particularly poignant for Huang.

He had a predilection for ancient Chinese legends, literature, and spirituality. But growing up in Poland, he had always felt disconnected from his culture.

Huang knew he would not be able to find those things in China, where a considerable part of traditional culture was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution and is no longer celebrated today in its authentic form.

Instead, he went to New York.

Shen Yun Performing Arts Lincoln Center David H. Koch Theater Tickets Online: ShenYun.com/NYC Hotline: 800-818-2393

“It gives me meaning in life, to be able to promote traditional Chinese culture,” Huang said.

His lead role as Monkey King required him to perform complicated jumps, leaps, spins, and flips—such as a series of consecutive split jumps and aerials that smoothly merged into midair splits.

The tumbling techniques of classical Chinese dance share similarities with martial arts.

Such techniques have been used in China for thousands of years and have influenced present day acrobatics and gymnastics.

Through thrilling flips, jumps, and the grace of dance, Shen Yun performers portray ancient Chinese folklore and ethnic groups. Shen Yun also has story-based dances that depict minihistory lessons and scenes from classical Chinese literature.

The show is a comprehensive yet fun way to absorb a cultural education. Each dance is accompanied by a live orchestra that includes Eastern and Western instruments.

There is also an interactive digital backdrop that transports the audience to snow-laden Tibetan peaks and golden Tang Dynasty pavilions.

Huang said he was also interested in how Chinese culture is deeply rooted in Buddhism and Taoism.

Huang practices Falun Gong, a spiritual meditation practice based on truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance, and said it is the reason why he stands out as a dancer.

“It has greatly changed my heart and cleared my mind,” he said. “For an artist, the state of mind and heart is directly related to the art one creates.”

During the 2016 season, Shen Yun will make stops in over 100 cities worldwide. For more information about Shen Yun, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org Among the many things left to history by the great Han Dynasty (206 B.C.–A.D. 220) is its striking attire.

SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS

Running Time 2 hours, 15 minutes (one intermission) Date & Time March 2, 3, & 4 at 7:30 p.m.

March 5 at 2:30 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.

March 6 at 1:30 p.m.

March 9, 10, & 11 at 7:30 p.m.

March 12 at 2:30 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.

March 13 at 1:30 p.m.

Against the backdrop of an imperial court, male dancers exemplify the strength and ideals of a bygone era in “Han Imperial Air.”

BLUE AND GREEN: It’s a combination you’ll either defend the right to wear—or stay far, far away from. Lately, I’ve noticed the two colors are just inseparable on New Yorkers! Like dogs without clothes in the winter or NY without C. Shades fitting the freezing winter the best seems to be deep blues with emerald green. On coats, hats, scarfs, pants, and bags—this two-toned variation is everywhere. Other vivid colors are visible as well, shining on the streets as an early calling for spring.

RED TAKES COURAGE! AND A BIT OF TENDERNESS TO BALANCE ITS POWER.

THE LONG LINES AND WONDERFUL WIDE LAPELS OF THIS TRICOLOR COAT ARE PERFECT MATCH.

THE MOST ELEGANT PONCHO EVER SEEN. ALL PHOTOS BY INGRID LONGAUER/EPOCH TIMES

THE CHARM OF THE UNEXPECTED.

BURGUNDY! CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF THIS COMBINATION.

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February 5–11, 2016 TheEpochTimes.com/EpochArts COURTESY OF TUMBLEDOWN

Film Review

‘Tumbledown’: Sudeikis Solidifies Rom-Com Status

Hannah (Rebecca Hall) and Andrew McCabe (Jason Sudeikis) in “Tumbledown.”

A cozy rom-com set in Maine

By Mark Jackson | Epoch Times Staff How cozy is this? A comely lass living in a rustic, Maine woods cabin; great, bookish loftstudy; two dogs; recording-studio annex; vintage red Ford pickup truck—and she occasionally interviews townsfolk for the local newspaper out of the mom-and-pop bookstore on Main Street, while writing a book.

Who’s this poufy-lipped brunette with the chin dimple and Labrador retriever eyes? British actress Rebecca Hall, with an impeccable American accent. Her character’s named Hannah.

And it so happened that Hannah’s folk-singer husband, Hunter, had a horrible hiking hazard. Tumbled down a mountain named “Tumbledown.” He’s gone—but Hannah’s love isn’t.

So “Tumbledown,” the movie, is not-quitea-humdinger about a dead folk singer. It’s also a country comedy featuring funnyman Jason Sudeikis as a surprisingly effective romantic leading man, and a date movie. And as such— it’s right nice.

Folk Singer Husband Hunter Miles was a neo-folkie of the Horse Feathers and Bon Iver ilk (tracks sung by Seattle songwriter Damien Jurado, employing a similar breathy falsetto), the ghost of whom warbles over the movie.

And “Hannah” is a most excellent name choice for folk singing about sad-eyed ladies of the north country. Bob Dylan wrote “Visions of Johanna.” Ray LaMontagne wrote, “Hannah won’t you come on to me.” The name Hannah immediately makes you think of bandanas, blond braids, and snow. Wait, no, that’s Hannah Teter, snowboarder—never mind—but the Hannah in “Tumbledown” has plenty of snow too.

Anyway, Hannah can’t get over Hunter and the flame still burns, and she wants to honor COURTESY OF TUMBLEDOWN

The not-quitea-humdinger about a dead folk singer has offbeat, surprising physical comedy in small doses

Sudeikis is hysterical in spite of a lukewarm script.

Hannah (2nd L, Rebecca Hall) and Andrew McCabe (3rd L, Jason Sudeikis) in “Tumbledown.”

‘Tumbledown’ Director Sean Mewshaw Starring Rebecca Hall, Jason Sudeikis, Dianna Agron, Blythe Danner, Griffin Dunne, Joe Manganiello, Richard Masur Running Time 1 hour, 45 minutes Rated R Release Date Feb. 5

his legacy with a biography but doesn’t feel up to the task.

Rent-a-Writer Horror of horrors, she learns someone else wants to write that biography too—Hunter’s a one-album wonder, and his fandom is prodigious. She might have easily foreseen such a development, though; her Arwen-like, hubbytombstone lingerings reveal a constantly accumulating pile of fan flowers, poems, “hemp,” beads, and candles. She’s clearly not the only one grieving his loss, so why wouldn’t someone else be thinking about a book deal?

Who might that be? Andrew McCabe (Jason Sudeikis), a Manhattan-based, mildly lumbersexual professor in rolled slim-fits and requisite faux-19th-century man-booties, who lectures on Biggie Smalls and Tupac, and can hold forth with authority (to his credit not pompously) on the topic of suicide in singer-songwriters of the 21st century. He suggests they meet. At the bookstore.

And it’s almost a meet-cute, but not quite.

Hannah’s conflicted (and very rude)—knows she can’t handle the writing gig herself—but she’s also terrified her story might get outright stolen, as opposed to some kind of collaboration. As her bookstore boss (Griffin Dunne) explains to Andrew (after she shreds the notebook containing Andrew’s biography notes), “There are many stages of grief, Hannah’s currently going through vandalism.”

Long story short: Hannah hires Andrew to move in with her, the better to facilitate the biography. Andrew does say, after all, “I want to make your husband immortal.”

What Could Go Wrong?

Well, a few things. The dim-bulb (but built) former high school classmate-turned-Wichita-lineman (Joe Manganiello of “Magic Mike”), who shows up regularly at Hannah’s door, sporting a most bizarre Maine accent, along with a variety of rescued animals as an excuse for, you know, stuff. It’s lonely up in the Maine woods.

Then there’s Hannah’s “Home for the Holidays” family, with one toe over the line of overcutesy nudging and meddling. And Andrew’s one-note jealous girlfriend (Dianna Agron of “Glee”). And the too-cutesy dogs.

Had they found a truly magical folk singer who made you want to immediately tap iTunes for the soundtrack, or better yet, hold your phone up with the “SoundHound” app on and suck up the music—this movie would have been truly lovely.

All Jason The soulful-eyed Hall looks just like one imagines a folk singer’s widow named Hannah, in danger of interminably pining and sighing her life away, should look. And she does a more than satisfactory job of handling the comedy.

What really makes “Tumbledown” work, though, is Sudeikis. He’s hysterical in spite of a lukewarm script. The man just has a way with

the funny. He can take some “meh” lines like, “The lake? As in go see some ice? As in frozen water? That’s my favorite thing in the whole world!!” and spin it with such enthusiasm that you’ll be laughing for a good minute afterward.

While not a classic rom-com lead like, say, Josh Duhamel, Jason Sudeikis is the flip side of the coin that has Duhamel on the other side: Duhamel has lots of looks and a little less comedy; Sudeikis has a lot of comedy and less looks.

But here, he definitely makes you go: “Well, well—look at him being a leading man. That definitely works.”

The End “Tumbledown” turns into a romance, of course, and while the chemistry’s not immediately electrifying, you’ll find yourself eventually seriously rooting for it. The key component is patience—it takes a while to build. Slowly you start to realize the laughs are more potent than you’d expected; the chemistry too.

The not-quite-a-humdinger about a dead folk singer has offbeat, surprising physical comedy in small doses—watch for the ATV jumping the ridge with perfect comedic timing, to coincide with the kiss that seals the deal. Hunter who?

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February 5–11, 2016 TheEpochTimes.com/EpochArts ALL PHOTOS BY KEN HOWARD/METROPOLITAN OPERA

Opera Review

Sondra Radvanovsky Triumphs as

Maria Stuarda

By Barry Bassis EW YORK—The audience issued a collective groan when an announcer stepped on stage before the first performance this season of “Maria Stuarda.” He said that the star, Sondra Radvanovsky, was battling a cold but would go on anyway and asked for the audience’s indulgence. If he had not made the announcement, no one would have suspected that the soprano had any health issues because she sang this demanding music, which includes coloratura runs, pianissimos, and so on, with beauty and skill and the most powerful voice on stage. She also acted with her usual intensity, delivering a moving portrayal of the doomed Maria.

Gaetano Donizetti’s 1834 opera is based on Friedrich Schiller’s play “Mary Stuart” about the conflict between Queen Elizabeth I and Mary Stuart, also known as Mary, Queen of Scots, the title character of the opera. The work is one of the composer’s three Tudor queen operas; the others are “Anna Bolena,” which the Met produced earlier in the season, and “Roberto Devereux.”

This is the first time that the Met is presenting one singer in all three operas, and no one is better equipped for this daunting challenge than Radvanovsky.

“Maria Stuarda” is a tragedy about the rivalry between Elizabeth and Mary. The royals, who were cousins, could not have been more different. The first was Protestant, known as the

(L–R) Elza van den Heever as Elisabetta and Sondra Radvanovsky as Maria Stuarda in an opera about the strife between the cousins.

You won’t applaud the scenery, but you will be swept along by the music and drama.

‘Maria Stuarda’ Metropolitan Opera Tickets 212-362-6000, or MetOpera.org Running Time 2 hours, 46 minutes (one intermission) Closes Feb. 20

“virgin queen,” and the second was Catholic and had been married three times.

The two had an inherent conflict since some viewed Elizabeth (Elisabetta in the opera) as illegitimate and Mary as the rightful heir to the throne. Mary had been forced to flee from Scotland after the rebellion of the nobles there and sought asylum in England. However, her cousin had her imprisoned for a number of years.

The opera begins in the English court where the brother of the king of France is seeking, without success, to marry Elizabeth. The queen is in love with Robert (Roberto) Dudley, the Earl of Leicester, but fears that he harbors feelings for Mary. Dudley secretly agrees with Mary’s custodian, Talbot, the Earl of Shrewsbury, to seek Mary’s release and convinces the queen to ride on a hunt near Mary’s prison.

The meeting between the two queens never occurred in real life. It was the creation of Schiller and is incorporated into the opera, in which it is the dramatic high point. Mary is walking freely in the park outside Fotheringhay Castle, where she is incarcerated when she hears that Elizabeth is approaching. Dudley goes ahead of the others and urges Mary to be humble in order to obtain her release.

The meeting is a disaster. Elizabeth accuses Mary of treason, murder (of her second husband), and licentiousness. Mary then loses her temper and calls the queen illegitimate and other names, after which Elizabeth has her cousin sent back to prison.

Cecil, Elizabeth’s secretary of state, produces evidence that implicates Mary in a plot to assassinate the queen and convinces her to sign a death warrant for her cousin. When Dudley finds out, he tries to talk Elizabeth into rescind-

ing the order, but instead the queen commands him to attend the execution.

At Fotheringhay Castle, Mary is told that she will die the next morning. She is refused permission to confess to a Catholic priest but finally she unburdens her soul to Talbot, including her unwitting acquiescence in an assassination plan. As she is about to be beheaded, she urges her servants not to shed tears and leads them in prayer. Mary tells Cecil that she forgives her cousin. Appearing as a martyr, dressed in red, she ascends the scaffold.

Radvanovsky won the largest ovations in both acts of the opera, but the rest of the cast was strong as well. South African soprano Elza van den Heever, who had played Elisabetta previously at the Met, again makes the ruler a scary villain.

Tenor Celso Albelo is making his Met debut as Leicester, and he sang with a bright Italianate voice and considerable style. Whether he can act remains to be seen.

Patrick Carfizzi as Cecil and Kwangchul Youn as Talbot both gave noteworthy performances.

Sir David McVicar’s production is conventional, yet effective. Rather than indulge in flashy effects, McVicar, with set and costume designer John Macfarlane, concentrates on conveying the text. You won’t applaud the scenery, but you will be swept along by the music and drama.

The Met chorus and orchestra under the direction of Riccardo Frizza performed up to their high standards.

Barry Bassis has been a music, theater, and travel writer for over a decade for various publications.

CAROL ROSEGG

Theater Review

For Lovers of Words and Songs

By Diana Barth NEW YORK—To anyone who’s been following the doings of the entertainment world for any length of time, the name Len Cariou conjures up excellence, skill, and class. In this one-man presentation, which mixes and melds songs from beloved musicals with brief scenes from Shakespeare plays, Cariou first wins you over, then dazzles you.

His only helper onstage is pianist-music director Mark Janas, who accompanies Cariou, occasionally throws in a few lines of dialogue, and who co-conceived the show along with Cariou and director Barry Kleinbort.

Winner of the Tony and many other awards, and with an encyclopedic list of credits in all media, Cariou is able to project informality and intimacy. He is singing and acting for you. He also intersperses the selections with entertaining and informative chat on his experiences.

Just some of the contents: The show opens with the fitting speech, “If music be the food of love…,” (Orsino from “Twelfth Night”), followed by Stephen Sondheim’s “Love, I Hear,” and the lilting “Falling in Love With Love,” by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart.

Selections are sometimes related to one another, or oppose one another in tone or content, or simply stand by themselves. A piece as

Broadway veteran Len Cariou mixes musical songs with Shakespearean monologues.

Cariou is able to project informality and intimacy.

Henry in Shakespeare’s “Henry V” is powerful.

Then brief sections from “Applause” (Charles Strouse and Lee Adams) thoroughly pull you in, and you give Cariou the reward—applause— he’s seeking.

Cariou’s portrayal as the vicious Iago in “Othello” is quite compelling, and well accented here by Mark Berman’s sinister lighting. This is followed by the much lighter “The Taming of the Shrew,” as Petruchio, who demands complete obedience from a woman.

Fortunately for those who believe in women’s equality, this is followed by Frederick Loewe and Alan Jay Lerner’s “How to Handle a Woman,” espousing the opposite philosophy from that of Petruchio. Lerner and Loewe insist you must show a woman lots of love.

Cariou travels easily from speech to song and

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February 5–11, 2016 TheEpochTimes.com/EpochArts ALL PHOTOS BY JAN VERSWEYVELD

Mark Strong (C) as Eddie Carbone, surrounded by the cast of “A View From the Bridge,” Arthur Miller’s 1955 drama.

Mark Strong as Eddie Carbone and Nicola Walker as his wife, Beatrice, give standout performances in an exceptional cast.

Catherine (Phoebe Fox) and her uncle, Eddie Carbone (Mark Strong), who raised her.

Theater Review

Superb Cast, Compelling Story, Masterful Theater

By Judd Hollander NEW YORK—Director Ivo van Hove’s excellent staging and brilliant performances from the entire cast bring home the full power of Arthur Miller’s 1955 drama, “A View From the Bridge.”

The current Broadway production, first seen at the Young Vic in London, is a story of a misguided love, ignorance in the face of change, and complacency that leads to tragedy.

The story takes place in the Red Hook section of Brooklyn, described by Alfieri (Michael Gould), a local lawyer, as “the gullet of New York swallowing the tonnage of the world.”

It’s the home of longshoreman Eddie Carbone (Mark Strong), his wife, Beatrice (Nicola Walker), and their 17-year-old niece, Catherine (Phoebe Fox). Catherine has been raised by the couple since the death of her mom, Beatrice’s sister, long ago.

Catherine and Eddie have always had a special bond. She sits in the bathroom while he shaves in the morning and leaps into his arms when he comes home at night. Eddie is terribly protective of Catherine whenever she shows the slightest interest in a boy or the outside world in general.

This relationship has become a bit uncomfortable now that Catherine is a young woman.

Neither he nor Catherine acknowledges this problem, but Beatrice is acutely aware of it.

Things become more strained when the family takes in two illegal immigrants—a common practice in the area. The new arrivals are Beatrice’s cousins from Sicily, Marco (Michael Zegen) and his younger brother, Rodolpho (Russell Tovey).

The two have been smuggled in thanks to a series of payoffs involving people on both sides of the Atlantic.

While Eddie warms to Marco, the more somber of the brothers with a wife and family back home, it’s a different story with Rodolpho, a free spirit. Rodolpho has an infectious sense of humor, sings, and has no intention of returning to Sicily—at least until he earns enough to buy a motorcycle.

Rodolpho becomes attracted to Catherine, and the two go out on dates, becoming quite close. This situation makes Eddie uncomfortable, as he feels his own relationship with Catherine is being threatened.

As such, Eddie quickly convinces himself, and tries to convince others, that Rodolpho only wants to marry Catherine to become a U.S. citizen. Eddie never acknowledges or is even aware of the real issue.

This is a play filled with ironies. Eddie continually stresses the importance of loyalty, family, and respect, but in the end threatens to turn his back on all these in an effort

back again. His singing pipes are no longer those of the man he once was, but his technique, so implanted and seasoned by his many years of experience, and repertoire of roles and shows— his legendary Sweeney Todd (Tony and Drama Desk awards), “A Little Night Music” (Tony nomination), the aforementioned “Applause”—that he always comes through. And he moves easily and confidently about the stage, dressed in simple black shirt and trousers.

He tells of one experience when he served as associate director of the famed Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis. He had desperately wanted to portray Macbeth and had been promised the role by the director. Unfortunately, this did not come to pass; he was instead offered King Lear.

It’s about time you played character parts, the director opined. Cariou here remarks, “I was all of 35!”

But Cariou found Lear a very exciting experience, and he never regretted taking the part.

Then he treats us to a pained speech by the disappointed ruler, betrayed by one of his ungrateful daughters.

There are Marc Antony from “Julius Caesar,” more songs by Leonard Bernstein, by Stephen Sondheim, John Kander and Fred Ebb, and other choice selections. More drama: Prospero from “The Tempest,” the wonderful speech of Jacques from “As You Like It,” sometimes

Each of the show’s characters, all of whom can best be described as earthy, come across as completely real.

The plot is said to have been a true story relayed to Miller by a lawyer who worked with longshoremen.

to keep Catherine in his home.

Through it all there is a deep and utter denial about what is really going on and not only from Eddie. As Beatrice notes, “We’re all to blame.”

Catherine continues to act the same way she always has around Eddie (such as sitting in his lap) because she sees nothing wrong with it.

Beatrice, who in today’s world would be classified as an enabler, does nothing to try to change things until too late. Both women’s loyalty to Eddie takes priority over facing the truth.

Eddie cannot face the reality of change.

Change can sometimes be tough to deal with in a community that prizes family, tradition, and a code of honor above all else.

Yet people ignore change at their own peril.

Because Eddie resists allowing Catherine to date, she falls in love with Rodolpho, partly because he’s the first man she’s known who doesn’t treat her as a little girl. This results in Eddie’s halfhearted attempts to allow Catherine to see other men in an attempt to end this relationship—a case of too little, too late.

Quite powerful is the ominous feeling hanging over the entire production, one often magnified by Tom Gibbons’s exquisite sound design, which almost becomes its own character in the story. The feeling is best described by Alfieri, who in relating the story in flashback, remembers how he could almost see what was about to happen, but like Beatrice found himself helpless to stop it.

Each of the show’s characters, all of whom can best be described as earthy, come across as completely real. You don’t doubt their continual struggle to keep food on the table via a cyclical and backbreaking job, as in Eddie’s case; having to worry about a sick child, as with Marco; or the feeling of being treated as a perennial outsider, as it applies to Alfieri, with the community associating lawyers with bad news.

Even characters who never appear onstage carry weight. Vinny, someone from the area who went to the authorities about illegal immigrants in his home, was breaking an unwritten rule the neighborhood lives by.

An important element is the way the production has been envisioned by van Hove. All the action takes place in a relatively closed off space. It calls to mind a large boxing ring where the different characters interact with one another before moving apart and then coming together, albeit in different and everchanging combinations.

With Strong and Walker the standouts in an entire cast of them, and not a false note anywhere, this production of “A View From the Bridge” is a masterpiece of theater. As the person next to me said when it was over, “Wow!” Also in the cast are Richard Hansell and Thomas Michael Hammond.

Judd Hollander is a member of the Drama Desk and a reviewer for StageBuzz.com

SPECIALIZING IN FINE CHINESE PAINTINGS & WORKS OF ART

‘A View From the Bridge’ Lyceum Theatre 149 W. 45th St. Tickets 212-239-6200, or Telecharge.com Running Time 1 hour, 55 minutes Closes Feb. 21

referred to as “The Seven Ages of Man” speech.

One of the most moving selections is the poignant “September Song” (Kurt Weill and Maxwell Anderson); Cariou’s rendition brought tears to my eyes.

The show ends with a rousing “Brush Up Your Shakespeare” from Cole Porter’s musical “Kiss Me, Kate.

Altogether a delightful way to spend an evening (or afternoon), for lovers of words, songs, in the presence of an artful, seasoned performer.

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Collections purchased.

Diana Barth writes for various publications, including her own New Millennium, an arts publication. She may be contacted at DiaBarth@juno.com

‘Broadway & the Bard’ Lion Theatre 410 W. 42nd St. (Theatre Row) Tickets 212-239-6200, or Telecharge.com Running Time 1 hour, 20 minutes (no intermission) Closes March 6

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ALL PHOTOS BY THE MUSEUM AT FIT

The clothing of fairy tales are largely not outlined in texts and up to our imaginations.

Clothing illustrating “Furrypelts.” (L–R) 1930s dress by Mary Liotta, gown by Bibhu Mohapatra, 1980s dress by Zandra Rhodes, and coat by Diane von Furstenberg.

Ensembles illustrating “The Little Mermaid” by Charles James, Hideki Seo, Clothing illustrating “Little Red Riding Hood.” (L–R) 18th century cloak, Ensembles illustrating “Sleeping 19th century nightgown, 1970s cloak by Giorgio di Sant’Angelo, cloak by Beauty” by Dolce&Gabbana (L) Thierry Mugler, Norman Norell, Rodarte, and Jean Louis Sabaji.

Altuzarra, dress by Dolce&Gabbana, and ensemble by Comme des Garçons. and Alexander McQueen.

Fashion & Fairy Tales A Match Made in Parallel Worlds

Fairy Tale continued from C1 The main gallery space uses fashion to illustrate 14 classic fairy tales, arranged within four archetypal settings—the forest, the castle, the sea, and, according to curator Colleen Hill, the “parallel worlds” we find in “Alice in Wonderland” and “The Wizard of Oz.” The Case for Sparkles Among various versions of Little Red Riding Hood’s cloak, the Altuzarra (Fall 2010) example studded with Swarovski crystals pushes the concept beyond the tale into more modern day interpretations of fairy tale garb.

After all, and generally speaking, what sartorial depictions of the genre would be complete without the superlative sparkle of boundless riches, or better yet, precious materials conjured up by otherworldly beings like fairies?

As far as sparkly red attire and accessories go, the exhibition abounds with examples, from Dorothy’s ruby slippers (also by Noritaka Tatehana), to the sequined dress

by Rodarte, inspired by the Wicked Witch of the West—a fire witch. Most spectacular is the minaudière bag, in the shape of a luscious red apple covered in Austrian crystals

by Judith Lieber (Fall 2013). It is positioned at the feet of a Snow White reclined inside

If it weren’t for timetested archetypes, many of these symbols would not work their magic on our collective psyche.

a glass coffin, wearing a rhinestone-studded gown from the Alice + Olivia (Fall 2014).

Beauty’s Asleep but Fashion Moves Forward In a walk through the exhibition, curator Colleen Hill mentioned that “Sleeping Beauty” is the tale that inspired her approach to this exhibition.

“In the 1697 version by Charles Perrault, when she wakes up the prince finds her and thinks that she’s very beautiful, but he looks at her and says: ‘Oh but her clothing is so outdated, and she’s wearing a standing collar, like something my grandmother would have worn.’

I thought that was really great because he was referencing fashion, and it showed how fashion affected the prince’s view of Sleeping Beauty,” Hill said.

While Charles Perrault did not describe more exacting details of what she was wearing, on view is a diaphanous Marchesa gown (Spring 2012) that somehow evokes the theme of “Sleeping Beauty,” while next to it is a beaded Zuhair Murad haute couture creation (Spring 2015) that references the high collar mentioned by the prince.

Speaking of “Sleeping Beauty,” Hill notes the two kinds of fairy etiquette. Even the benevolent variety can be fickle, and in the exhibition, they can usually be identified by their bright and sparkly dresses. The other kind, like the

one who curses Sleeping Beauty, wears the symbols of her sinister nature. The Alexander McQueen evening gown (2007) exemplifies the theme through the dark print of a castle with skeleton fairies that fly around.

Hill reminds us that through these tales all reference fairies, we’re never told what they look like, only that they have all different kinds of temperaments, or even different sizes.

“Basically, there’s no one way to be a fairy,” she said.

The Comfort of Archetypes Most interesting about this exhibition is the fact that if it weren’t for time-tested archetypes, many of these characters, and fashions thereof, would not work their magic on our imaginations, or collective psyche.

In the spirit of Charles Perrault, who would write a moral note following each of his tales, it seems that as long as we still respond to these types, it validates the distance between our concepts of good and evil, what’s worth fighting for, and what we should fight against.

It also reminds us that the perfected worlds that seem out of reach—much like the fairy tale castle—might not be so far when we strive for them.

Fairy Tale Fashion is showing at the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology through April 16, 2016.

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February 5–11, 2016 TheEpochTimes.com/EpochArts ROSE ANNE JARRETT

Keith Jarrett

Feb. 9 at 8 p.m.

Stern Auditorium/ Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall

Keith Jarrett is internationally known as a pianist and improviser.

Jarrett’s career spans more than 40 years, featuring numerous improvised solo piano concerts and recordings incorporating a broad spectrum of musical languages from jazz and classical to blues, folk, and ethnic music traditions. His release “The Köln Concert” celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2015 as the best-selling solo piano recording in history. $45–$125. CarnegieHall.org

THINGS TO DO COMMUNITY EVENTS NEW IN MANHATTAN Winter Carnival Feb. 5 & 6 Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park This two-day event will feature activities and attractions for the whole family, including a silent disco, skating performances, curling lessons, an outdoor brew house and more. Free. WinterVillage.org/ visit/wintercarnival The Share Series: Somewhere A Place For Us Feb. 8 at 7 p.m.

University Settlement 184 Eldridge St. Dynamic and diverse artists creatively respond to the lyrics of “Somewhere” and offer visions of the New York they would like to build. This performance is part of the Share Series, a bimonthly salon honoring artists at all stages of development on one equal platform.

Free. CarnegieHall.org/ WestSideStory

NEW ELSEWHERE Neighborhood Concert: Chris Washburne and the SYOTOS Band Feb. 5 at 7:30 p.m.

Bronx Museum of the Arts 1040 Grand Concourse at 165th St. Trombonist Chris Washburne and his innovative Latin jazz group the SYOTOS Band consistently push Latin jazz into new territory with their dissonant, driving sound and contemporary, up-tempo beats. Free.

Bronxmuseum.org

VISUAL ARTS NEW IN MANHATTAN Picturing Prestige: New York Portraits, 1700-1860 Opens Feb. 5 Museum of the City of New York 1220 Fifth Ave. at 103rd Street An ensemble of iconic New Yorkers presented by intricate and elegant portraits, which were commissioned as status symbols and painted by the very best artists a young nation had to offer. $14 suggested. MCNY.org Vigée Le Brun: Woman Artist in Revolutionary France

Feb. 15–May 15 Metropolitan Museum of Art Elisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun (French, 1755–1842) is one of the finest eighteenthcentury French painters and among the most important of all women artists. An autodidact with exceptional skills as a portraitist, she achieved success in France and Europe during one of the most eventful, turbulent periods in European history. $12–$25 suggested.

METMuseum.org

ONGOING IN MANHATTAN Stacks: Three Decades of Writing Fellows Through Feb. 12 NYFA Gallery, 20 Jay St., Suite 740, Brooklyn An exhibition of published works from over 100 NYFA Literary Fellows featured within a site-specific installation by Anne Muntges (fellow in Printmaking/ Drawing/Artists’ Books ‘14).

Free. NYFA.org Emotion, Discovery and Illusion: Between Art and Fashion Through Feb. 28 1083 Fifth Ave. at 89th St. An exhibition examining the forms, colors and shapes that influence and thus synthesize the worlds of fashion and art. Visual artists of the National Academy School explore the relationship between these two creative pursuits, through pieces by designers from the early 19th century to today, including Christian Dior, Issey Miyake, and Hermès. Free.

NationalAcademy.org

ENDING IN MANHATTAN Girolamo dai Libri and Veronese Art of the Sixteenth Century Through Feb. 7 Metropolitan Museum of Art Girolamo dai Libri (Italian, 1474–1555) was the leading artist in the northern Italian city of Verona during the early sixteenth century, producing altarpieces and illuminated manuscripts for numerous churches in and around the city. $12–$25 suggested. METMuseum.org In Light of Venice Through Feb. 12 Otto Naumann Ltd., 22 E. 80th St. More than thirty important

works of the Renaissance, baroque, and rococo periods—many never before seen publicly—will be on view for this milestone event honoring David Rosand.

OttoNaumannLtd.com

PERFORMING ARTS NEW IN MANHATTAN Billy Bewitched Feb. 12 at 8 p.m.

Carnegie Hall Theaterpalooza Children’s Conservatory presents “Billy Bewitched,” a children’s opera inspired by Maurice Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortilèges. $15– $50. CarnegieHall.org Maria Stuarda Jan. 29–Feb. 20 Metropolitan Opera The second chapter of soprano Sondra Radvanovsky’s quest to sing all three Donizetti Tudor queen operas in the same season has her playing the doomed Mary, Queen of Scots. Sir David McVicar’s stunning production turns on the dramatic confrontation between Mary and her arch nemesis, Queen Elizabeth— compellingly portrayed by soprano Elza van den Heever.

Riccardo Frizza conducts.

From $32. MetOpera.org

ONGOING IN MANHATTAN Cavalleria Rusticana/ Pagliacci Through Feb. 26 Metropolitan Opera Opera’s indomitable double bill returns in Sir David McVicar’s searing production from the 2014–15 season.

Tenor Yonghoon Lee and mezzo-soprano Violeta Urmana star in Cavalleria Rusticana, the tragedy of ancient codes and illicit love, Sicilian style. From $25.

MetOpera.org

MUSIC NEW IN MANHATTAN A Festival for New Songs Feb. 11 & 18 at 7 p.m.

America’s National Opera Center, 330 Seventh Ave. (at 29th Street) NYFOS Next looks to the future, opening a forum for the next generation of song composers and interpreters. $20. NYFOS.org

Chamber Orchestra of New York Feb. 11 at 7:30 p.m.

Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall Chamber Orchestra of New York’s winter program includes Rossini’s “Overture to La scala di seta”; Bach’s “Air” from “Orchestral Suite No. 3 in “D Major,” BWV 1068; and Schubert’s “Symphony No. 5 in B-flat Major,” D. 485. The evening also showcases violinist and 2015 Respighi Prize winner Irene Abrigo in the New York premiere of Dirk Brosse’s Black, White and In Between, and the US premiere of Vaughan Williams’s Burley Heath. $30–$40.

CarnegieHall.org

New England Symphonic Ensemble Feb. 13 at 1 p.m.

Stern Auditorium/ Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall MidAmerica Productions’ Principal Guest Conductor Giuseppe Lanzetta conducts Beethoven’s “Fidelio” Overture and Mendelssohn’s “Violin Concerto” with soloist Pavel Sporcl; David Thye conducts John Rutter’s “Magnificat”; and Cory Mendenhall conducts “NESE” and his ensemble, the Maple Mountain High School Choirs from Spanish Fork, Utah, in Vivaldi’s “Gloria.” $40–$110.

CarnegieHall.org The Cleveland Orchestra Feb. 14 at 7 p.m.

Stern Auditorium/ Perelman

Stage at Carnegie Hall Revered for the grace, taste, and vitality of her Mozart, Mitsuko Uchida conducts The Cleveland Orchestra from the piano in two of the master’s concertos.

The Piano Concerto No. 17 charms with its delightful melodies and engaging wind writing. The blend of the heroic and humane has made the Piano Concerto No. 25 one of Mozart’s most popular. $24 to $150.

CarnegieHall.org

Dear Readers If you have an event to suggest, please send details to NYC_Arts@ EpochTimes.com in the format you see here.

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February 5–11, 2016 TheEpochTimes.com/EpochArts PHYLLIS LUCAS GALLERY/OLD PRINT CENTER

PHYLLIS LUCAS GALLERY/OLD PRINT CENTER

(Top left) “ Le grand Oiseau de paradis Emeraude No. 1,” an etching by Jacques Barraband (1767– 1809). An example of 18th-century French ornithological art.

Published circa 1950 by the Paris Etching Society (Sidney Z. Lucas).

PHYLLIS LUCAS GALLERY/OLD PRINT CENTER

(Left) Wall Street in the winter. The building to the right is Federal Hall, the church in the left foreground is the First Presbyterian Church, and the Merchants’ Exchange building is shown as it was built in 1827. Published by Paris Etching Society and engraved in aquatint, 1938. Unframed.

Restrike color woodblock (circa 1930) of the original woodblock “Hunters In The Snow Mountain”

by Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849) from the series “One Hundred Poems Explained by the Nurse (Hyakunin isshu uba ga etok).” Unframed.

BENJAMIN CHASTEEN/EPOCH TIMES

PHYLLIS LUCAS GALLERY/OLD PRINT CENTER

Michael Lucas at the Phyllis Lucas Gallery - Old Print Center in Manhattan on Jan. 25.

BENJAMIN CHASTEEN/EPOCH TIMES

Satirical cartoons at Phyllis Lucas Gallery - Old Print Center.

Digital Tools Reveal New Details in Old Prints

(Bottom center) “Boss Tweed,” one of the most famous caricature images from a wood engraving of Boss Tweed by Thomas Nast for Harpers Weekly.

Published in Harpers Weekly on Jan. 6, 1872.

By Kati Vereshaka | Epoch Times Staff

Through the Digital Eye The Internet has revolutionized the way people look at prints.

“Historically, in terms of the evolution of looking at art on the Internet, there was an initial skepticism of looking at an image, that can be changed and photo shopped,”

It opens up art to new levels of perception and understanding.

Michael Lucas, director, Phyllis Lucas Gallery Old Print Center

An aerial view of New York published in 1875, depicted with the help of an early photograph taken from a hot air balloon flying over the city.

BENJAMIN CHASTEEN/EPOCH TIMES

NEW YORK—There aren’t many galleries selling prints anymore in New York City. Times have changed, people’s habits of looking to acquire works of art have changed as well.

Antique bookstores used to be print stores during the 1940s and 1950s—those are all gone according to the director of the Phyllis Lucas Gallery - Old Print Center, Michael Lucas. This is partly because of real estate prices, but also because the dominant taste has moved from traditional styles of art to contemporary abstract art.

In 1928 Sidney Z. Lucas founded in downtown New York the Camilla Lucas art gallery and the Paris Etching Society, the firm’s art publishing division specializing in French etchings. In the 1950s the firm expanded with the opening of the Phyllis Lucas Gallery - Old Print Center under the direction of his wife, Phyllis Lucas.

The gallery gained renown in the mid-1960s as a result of its collaboration with Salvador Dali, who became a frequent visitor to gallery’s 52nd Street and 2nd Avenue location at that time. Nowadays it is run by son, Michael from the new premises at 133 E. 54th St. Unlike a traditional galley, at least at the moment, it is a repository—read Alaadin’s cave—of treasures on paper and canvas. Serious buyers will revel in the abundance of works in various media: photography, painting, engravings, etchings, and lithography, as well as restrikes of antique prints and maps. Visiting the gallery is definitely an adventure in itself. But cyberspace is actually where much of the action takes place.

said Lucas, adding that on the plus side, “It opens up art to new levels of perception and understanding.”

High resolution images have introduced the possibility of enlarging the image in whole or in parts, for close scrutiny and appreciation. Previously, this would only be something that could be experienced by someone standing right in front the work and examining it through a magnifying glass. In larger works in paint, this may not be a preferred method of enjoying a painting. But when it comes to prints, chromolithographs, or Old World maps, the details are so intricate that closer examination reveals worlds of detail that are a pleasure to discover.

This is a welcome change for Lucas who has many such works for sale on 1stdibs.com and One Kings Lane.

Looking at a chromolithograph online is as satisfying as holding it and examining its lovely colors. When they are well done, the works in this medium show deep saturated colors that are different from digital prints. “That’s part of the beauty of chromolithographs,” said Lucas pointing out that there was a high point of chromolithography in the 19th century in England due, in part, to the popularity of botany.

The gallery carries some great examples of lithographs after the ebullient floral still lifes painted by Joseph Nigg (1782–1863) as well as botanical chromolithographs published by Joseph Paxton.

The 19th century was also a time when ornithology and zoology were popular and many species of animals started to become known to the general public through the work of artists whose renditions ranged from naive to carefully detailed. Among the latter type are the works of famous American artist John Jay Audubon (1785–1851). The gallery has a sizable collection of hand-colored engravings and lithographs depicting animals.

When Political Cartoonists Made a Difference If you love political and social satire, Lucas will rummage with you to find your favorites in the drawer labeled English Caricatures with works by George Cruikshank (1792–1878), James Gillray (1757–1815), Thomas Rowlandson (1756–1827) and William Hogarth (1697–1764).

The American drawer has gems by Thomas Nast, the most important political caricaturist of the 19th century, also considered to be the father of the American cartoon. Lucas held a print by Nast depicting the Republican Party as an emaciated elephant, that in subsequent panels is shown as growing in size until it finally explodes.

Historical Maps The media which reveals a greater richness of detail with the advent of digital technology are historical maps.

Lucas held up a print of an aerial view of New York published in 1875. It is intriguing to say the least. First of all, it looks like it was taken from a helicopter—a highly unlikely prospect for obvious reasons. The point of view is inspired by the building of the Brooklyn Bridge, he explains. The bridge was completed in 1883 but a depiction of it was conveniently included for posterity even prior its completion. The aerial vantage point was achieved by an early photograph of New York from a hot air balloon flying above the city. The photograph was then used by an artist to create the lithograph.

It is hard to say how many works Lucas has at the gallery. A thorough search through the gallery’s real, as well as digital files is more than likely to yield the best results to find that rare print by that well known artist, and quite a few gems by anonymous artists and printmakers that simply have to be stumbled upon as part of the adventure.