Epoch Arts 6-10-2016

PDART

All-Day Chopin Marathon

GERRY GOODSTEIN

Theater Review: ‘A Doll’s House’ and ‘The Father’

Rondos, nocturnes, scherzos, études, mazurkas, ballades, waltzes—the list goes on.

Trailblazing playwrights look at disintegrating marriages.

See C3

See C5 COURTESY OF FRANCK MULLER

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To produce each watch, you have to have more than 60 different skills.

FRANCK MULLER’S

most complex watch has 36 complications, 1,483 components, and underwent 5 years of R&D.

The new sporty-yet-modern Vanguard Tourbillon Skeleton.

Franck Muller

Master of Complications

Marble statue of a youth, Greek, early first century B.C., from the Antikythera shipwreck.

By Emel Akan | Epoch Times Staff

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t comes as no surprise that at a time when digital technology has allowed us access to the most accurate timekeeping since the beginning of known history, the nostalgia and demand for all things mechanical remain unabated.

Increasingly, watchmakers seek to heighten the pleasure of owning a mechanical timepiece by revealing its moving parts.

Muller created, for the first time, a tourbillon visible from the front.

The tourbillon, invented over 200 years ago in an attempt to achieve greater accuracy for timepieces, is no longer necessary. But necessity and luxury don’t exactly go hand in hand.

From a very young age, Franck Muller seemed to shun simplicity and chose to delve into the mechanical world of watch complications. He is among the few watchmakers who have been given the title of Master of Complications, and even though the timepieces that carry his name are no longer made by Muller himself, they still carry the title.

See Franck Muller on C7

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June 10–16, 2016 TheEpochTimes.com/EpochArts FLYING CLOUD

‘The Bleeding Edge’ Wins the Gabriel Award Thriller based on true events sheds light on China’s organ harvesting

By Cat Rooney, Sharon Kilarski, & Xiao Shao | Epoch Times Staff ST. LOUIS—After swaying film critics and taking home a prestigious Peabody Award for his documentary “Human Harvest,” director Leon Lee has set his sights on winning over the public with his new thriller, “The Bleeding Edge.”

Accepting the Gabriel Award on June 2 may be Lee’s first step toward that goal—a goal that he sees not as a personal victory, but as a chance to raise awareness about the plight of Falun Gong practitioners in China today, and especially about their suffering of forced organ harvesting.

“Hundreds of thousands of prisoners of conscience in China have been killed for their organs. The victims are Falun Gong practitioners, Tibetans, Uyghurs, house church members, and sometimes political dissidents. They are the reason we made the film, and on behalf of them I say thank you. This award brings encouragement, hope, and also moral support, and we will carry on the fight until forced organ harvesting in China has ended,” said Lee in accepting the award.

Sponsored by the Catholic Academy of Communication Professionals, the Gabriel Awards honor excellence in film, network, cable television, radio, and social media for “work that entertains and enriches with a true vision of humanity and a true vision of life,” as the website states.

“The Bleeding Edge” follows two stories on different sides of the globe. In China, Chen Jing (Anastasia Lin), a Falun Gong practitioner, is imprisoned and tortured for her beliefs. On the other side of the world is a Canadian software developer, James Branton (Jay Clift), who sold to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) surveillance technology, which aids the CCP in tracking those it finds troublesome.

It’s only when Branton wakes up after receiving an emergency heart transplant in China and wonders how the doctors managed to find him a match so easily that he starts to uncover the horror of state-sanctioned forced organ harvesting.

Thus, through two personal stories, the film tracks Western complicity in thousands of

Ninety percent of the scenes in the film come from true events.

FLYING CLOUD

Canadian software developer James Branton (Jay Clift) has received a new heart. Where did it come from, he wonders.

deaths of Chinese prisoners of conscience, and also highlights the dignity of people trying to hold on to their spiritual beliefs in the face of overwhelming pressure, and in a world that is seemingly deaf to their plight.

Although the film is fiction, Lee, who spoke to the Epoch Times before the ceremony, says that 90 percent of the scenes come from true events, culled from extensive research on Internet censorship and surveillance technology.

He also researched Falun Gong practitioners who survived the tortures of their imprisonment in China.

Lee considers this the most difficult film he has ever made.

First was the problem of casting. Although Anastasia Lin showed unwavering courage and commitment to the film, other actors considered for the male lead backed out, fearing repercussion to their careers. Film companies are trying to break into the Chinese market, and actors hoping to work with these companies don’t want to risk being blackballed.

Actors need look no further than Lin herself for an example of what can happen. As the crowned Miss World contestant representing Canada, Lin found herself deemed persona non grata by China and was denied access to the pageant finals held there.

Also difficult was the huge topic of organ harvesting and its historical significance. Lee felt it especially important to get it right: “The persecution of Falun Gong is one of the largest violations of human rights in modern China, if not in the world, and to put all of this together in

one little film, what you do to give people some Falun Gong practitioner understanding of what is going on, we felt a very Chen Jing heavy responsibility on our shoulders.”

(Anastasia Apparently the film bore that responsibility Lin) faces a well. According to the Gabriel Awards presentchoice: sign ers, the film was hard to watch. a document Susan Wallace, this year’s awards chair, felt renouncing that despite the fact that the film is so distressing her faith and upsetting, it was important for the story to or face the be told, not only for the victims and their famielectric batons lies but also “to get people to pay attention and in the hands make changes in the world.” of communist David Hains, president of the Catholic Acadregime's emy said, “The judges were blown away by the police. quality of the film, especially because of the subject matter,” and hope that people will be convinced these atrocities are completely unacceptable.

“There isn’t a country anywhere that should be afraid of bringing to light human rights abuses.

We are all brothers and sisters; we are all children of God, and our lives and countries need to reflect our brotherhood and it simply cannot be denied,” Hains said.

Lee added that very few films are being made on this topic, so this film presents a chance to learn something about a country that, as the world’s second-largest economy, impacts us all.

“It’s tremendously important that we all learn more about what’s going on there,” he said. “If we all play a part, we can make a huge difference.”

To find out how to see “The Bleeding Edge,” now making the festival circuits, visit TheBleedingEdgeMovie.com/join

Your Art Can Save Lives And you can win up to $1,000

Are you a college student?

Use your creativity and design skills for a good cause: To raise awareness of the brutal persecution of Falun Gong meditators in China.

For 17 years, the Chinese communist regime has been subjecting its own citizens to torture, rape, and worse in secret prisons— all in an attempt to eradicate their faith

in the universal principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance.

Submit a poster design supporting Falun Gong practitioners’ freedom of belief and get the chance to have your poster printed and displayed throughout Washington D.C. this July.

Open to all students of 2- or 4-year university or college programs.

Deadline June 15. See details online.

www.FoFG.org/act-now

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June 10–16, 2016 TheEpochTimes.com/EpochArts PD-ART

WQXR Radio Presents All-Day Chopin Marathon Romantic composer Frédéric Chopin.

By Diana Barth

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EW YORK—On June 4, lovers of Frédéric Chopin’s music were in seventh heaven as WQXR, the No. 1 classical music station in New York City, presented an allday marathon of his piano music in a public performance at the Greene Space in downtown Manhattan.

Hosted by WQXR’s Elliott Forrest and Terrance McKnight from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., attendees were immersed in a great quantity of Chopin’s rondos, nocturnes, scherzos, études, mazurkas, ballades, waltzes—the list goes on.

As the event was presented in 1 1/2-hour segments, one could purchase tickets for the whole day or for individual segments, at a nominal fee. The total selections reached over 200.

David Dubal, a distinguished pianist, author, and teacher at Juilliard and previously at the Manhattan School of Music, curated the musical selections and pianists, who numbered a total of 26. Particularly interesting was that the majority of performers were women, and most, including the men, were of Asian descent. Most were young, up-and-coming virtuosos.

I was present for the first two segments and will endeavor to relate what I saw and, most importantly, heard from the eight performers in these segments. All were remarkably technically adept. Differences lay in individual style or, in some cases, unique physical attributes. All have received major awards, concertized widely, and studied with major teachers.

In Part One, Taiwanese Ching-Yun Hu was delicate and poetic both in sound and appearance. Her touch was subtle but became powerful when required. She presented both an audial as well as visual entity, attired in a taste-

Particularly interesting was that the majority of performers were women.

SACHIKOKATO.COM

Sachiko Kato, one of the 26 performers at the WQXR all-day Chopin Marathon on June 4. Kato played the familiar “Grand Waltz Brillante,” among other Chopin pieces.

ful one-strap gown that bared her right shoulder and upper back to the audience. Altogether entrancing in her presentation of a rondo, nocturne, and scherzo she is the winner of several major competitions.

American Steven Beck might be considered almost a marathon in himself, performing nine études consecutively, a feat of endurance as well as of piano technique. He returned for Part Two with a prelude and three mazurkas. He has previously performed the entire Beethoven sonata cycle on WQXR and elsewhere. He is tall and might pass for an athlete, with large hands that easily rove the keyboard. He has a rather flat-fingered but effective technique.

Tall, elegant Alexandra Joan played Four Mazurkas Op. 24 with particular clarity of tone and power. Her interpretation marked a striking contrast between dissonance and consonance. And, like virtually all of the performers, she conveyed a remarkable stage presence. She is an active soloist and chamber player and has performed at major venues and festivals in Europe, Israel, and in the United States, including important venues in New York City, such as Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall and Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center.

Sophia Agranovich, who emanated maturity, confidence, and experience, easily performed the Nocturne in C Minor, Op. 48, No. 1 and Ballade No. 3 in A-flat Major with great richness of tone. She is an internationally acclaimed soloist, chamber musician, recording artist, and educator. As a native of Ukraine, she won the Ukrainian Young Artists Competition at the age of 10, the youngest participant.

In Part Two, Japanese-born, Los Angelesraised and Juilliard-trained Sachiko Kato displayed strong emotional content in her program consisting of the familiar Waltz No. 3 in A minor (“Grand Waltz Brillante”), two other waltzes, and particularly in two nocturnes,

which were exquisitely played.

From Taiwan, Shih-Yi Chiang performed only one piece: Fantasy in F minor, Op. 49, but it was a tour de force. Also notable were her particularly long fingers, which even host Elliott Forrest remarked on. She currently teaches privately in Manhattan.

Yoonie Han, who knew from the age of 8 that she wanted to make performing Chopin her major career, played a mazurka and nocturne with a subtle and poetic approach. She considers Chopin to be a “pianist’s composer.”

Slight, slender Taiwanese Steven Lin immediately captured the audience’s attention with his complexly colored interpretations. He seemed to be telling a story, a drama almost, with his detailed playing of two impromptus. His physical movements also appeared to reflect his emotional states, which changed to match the piece’s emotional content. He recently performed in all three spaces at Carnegie Hall and has won several major music awards. His performance marked a fitting close for Part Two of the presentation.

Other pianists heard later in the day include David Aladashvili, Alexandra Eames, Gloria Chien, Vatche Jambazian, Daniel Hsu, Benjamin Laude, Zhenni Li, Timo Andres, KoEun Yi, Kariné Poghosyan, Charlie Albright, Anna Shelest, Abdiel Vásquez, Dmitri Shelest, Vassily Primakov, Min Kwon, Liza Stepanova, and Rachel Kudo.

In sum, a marvelous program and a gift to classical music lovers, particularly lovers of the great Polish composer, Frédéric Chopin.

For future programs at the Greene Space, contact 866-811-4111.

Diana Barth writes of the arts for various publications, including New Millennium.

She may be contacted at diabarth@juno.com

Theater Review

Yankee Doodle Dandy Dazzles New York

By Nanci Callahan NEW YORK—If you have not had the opportunity to learn more about James Cagney, the multitalented actor/singer/dancer, go to the Westside Theatre and see Robert Creighton, an Outer Critics award winner for Best Actor in an Off Broadway Musical. This is your chance.

The short, stocky, and very determined Irishborn New Yorker is re-invented in “Cagney: The Musical” by Robert Creighton at the Westside Theatre. Fortunately, in addition to singing, dancing, and tapping a mean streak, Creighton bears a striking physical resemblance to Cagney.

Perhaps this fact led to his commitment and creation of this project. He teamed up with Christopher McGovern to write the additional music for the show and arrangements that added to the George M. Cohan standards.

The actors other than Creighton all have multiple roles to play, but their shining moments are due to the tap choreography by Outer Critics award winner Joshua Bergasse.

Cagney’s Story As many actors then and now, Cagney had a somewhat checkered career. Coming from

CAROL ROSEGG

As many actors then and now, Cagney had a somewhat checkered career.

Robert Creighton (C) as James Cagney, with his supporting cast (L–R) Bruce Sabath, Ellen Zolezzi, Jeremy Benton, Danette Holden, and Josh Walden, in “Cagney: The Musical.” a terribly poor Irish family in Brooklyn, his career began dressed as a woman in a speakeasy, where he met his wife, Willie (Ellen Zolezzi). Shortly after began his troubled relationship with Jack “Make Me Happy” Warner, brilliantly performed by Bruce Sabath.

Cagney was a liberal idealist, and he fear-

‘Cagney: The Musical’ Westside Theatre 407 W. 43rd St. Tickets 212-239-6200, or CagneytheMusical.com Running Time 2 hour, 20 minutes (one intermission) Open Run

lessly paid the price, even resulting in an investigation (and eventual clearance) by the Dies Committee, which preceded the House UnAmerican Activities Committee.

His idealism also led to a parting of the ways at Warner Bros. Though he had become a star through his tough guy roles, he did not want to be pigeonholed that way.

His own company’s films were not exactly successful, so he renewed his association with Warner, who begrudgingly bailed out Cagney and his company.

Though nominated two other times, the only Oscar that Cagney won was for George M. Cohan’s life story, “Yankee Doodle Dandy.” As the epitome of Cagney’s career, it’s fitting that this number closes the show, with the most famous quote from that show: “My mother thanks you, my father thanks you, my sister thanks you, and I thank you.”

If accessibility is an issue, the show is performed on the second floor up a steep flight of stairs with no elevator.

Nanci Callahan is the founder and managing director of the West Side Cultural Center. She has written for many publications, including New York magazine and Noticias del Mundo.

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June 10–16, 2016 TheEpochTimes.com/EpochArts PUBLIC DOMAIN-US

Essence of China

Legendary Foundations of Chinese Civilization: The Virtue of Emperor Yao

By Leo Timm & Juliet Song Epoch Times Staff

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his is the second in a series of articles by Epoch Times staff describing the foundations of Chinese civilization, and setting forth the traditional Chinese worldview.

The series surveys the course of Chinese history, showing how key figures aided in the creation of China’s divinely-inspired culture. This installment introduces the legendary emperor Yao. The Birth of Yao Following the creations of the universe and mankind and the reign of the yellow emperor, classical Chinese legend give prominence to the rulers Yao, Shun, and Yu the Great.

Yao was born to a woman named Qing Du, a concubine of Emperor Ku. The “Ji Tomb Annals,” a chronicle of legendary China from the Han Dynasty, records that Qing Du gave birth to Yao after meeting a dragon that showed her an image of her future son. Her pregnancy was unusual as well: Yao spent a full 14 months in the womb before birth.

The boy was named Fang Xun; posthumously, he was referred to as Yao. Yao demonstrated virtue and competence from a young age. At 13, he was placed in charge of the city of Tao. Two years later, he was made marquis of the Tang region and aided his brother in court administration.

Song Dynasty depictions of emperors Yao (R) and Yu the Great.

[Emperor Yao’s] virtue and character were as broad as the sky; his wisdom matched that of gods.

Sima Qian, scholar, Han Dynasty

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The Reign of Zhi commoners could point out shortcomings in In his latter years, Emperor Ku practiced divthe emperor’s rule.

In the “Records of the Grand Historian,” ination and determined that among his sons, Han Dynasty-era scholar Sima Qian praised four were good candidates for the throne. Ku decided to crown his eldest son Zhi as the new Yao’s imperial merits: his “virtue and charemperor because of his age. acter were as broad as the sky; his wisdom Following Ku’s death, Zhi became emperor. matched that of gods. To approach him was The reign of Emperor Zhi was not a good as to approaching the sun, a light that illuone. The three ministers he placed in charge minated the world. From afar, he appeared of government, industry, and natural environlike the rose-tinted clouds. He was rich but ment were corrupt and impudent. They undernot domineering; noble without arrogance. mined traditional customs, the natural order, He treated the people with virtue and benevand led Zhi into a life of sensual indulgence. olence. His heart filled with thoughts of all He became unconcerned with his imperial the commoners, he brought the nine degrees responsibilities and distanced himself from of kinship into intimacy and the people into administration. harmony.”

Over time, natural disasters ravaged the land A folk ode from the time of Yao praises the and the common folk became restless. It was monarch for his “benevolence as broad as said of Emperor Zhi that his rule had deviated heaven, his wisdom the equal of gods; as the from the Dao. A rebellion broke out in the land sun warms the heart and clouds blanket the of Dongyi and Yao was sent to quell it. earth, his virtue shines brightly and all the In the Huainanzi, a text of scholarly disworld rejoices in him.”

According to another Han Dynasty text, the courses from the second century B.C., it is recorded that six monsters plagued the peo“Garden of Legends,” Emperor Yao’s concern for the well-being of his subjects was such that ple during Yao’s time. The first of these were a man-eating beast, a humanoid flesh-eater “If there is but a single man who goes hungry,” with long fangs, and the Jiu Jing, a hydra-like Yao said, “it is I who is responsible.” nine-headed monster with the ability to spit Hou Yi Shoots Down the Nine Suns water and fire. The others included a fearsome bird of prey with the face of a man, a monOne of the popular heroes of Chinese folklore strous two-headed boar, and a leviais the archer Hou Yi, known for complet- US than snake. ing his mission to shoot down 9 of AIN M DO A famous account of leg- PUBLIC 10 suns that scorched the earth endary geography and during the reign of Yao. culture, the “Classic of It is said that the appearMountains and Seas,” ance of nine suns was prerecords that the cipitated by a number of inauspicious omens, heavenly emperor including the sighting Jun dispatched a divine warrior, Hou of a snake-like monYi, to help humanster with six legs and ity weather these four wings. great disasters that Soon afterward, there befell them. were droughts and one day the people awoke to a On Yao’s orders, Hou sky with four suns. The comYi slew the six monsters, alleviating the great sufmoners condemned the extra three as demon stars. Emperor Yao fering they had brought to A Qing Dynasty era the people. ordered Hou Yi to use his strength depiction of Emperor Yao. and eliminate the abominations.

Yao Inherits the How shall I distinguish the lone true star, Hou Yi wondered, not wanting to Throne by Divine Right As time passed, it became evident that Yao commit a grave sin. “The genuine sun cannot possessed greater virtue and ability than his be shot down,” Yao reassured him. half-brother Zhi. The marquises of the four Before long, there were fully 10 suns in the directions indicated their preference for Yao, heavens, and despite his superb aim, none of and, after nine years on the throne, Emperor Hou Yi’s arrows could affect them.

The “Classic of Mountains and Seas” records Zhi issued an imperial edict announcing his that the heavenly Emperor Jun had 10 sons abdication in favor of Yao. In legends, it is said that before his ascenwith his wife, who became the 10 suns residsion to the throne, Yao had a dream in which ing beyond the eastern seas. The current dishe encountered an azure dragon that took him aster had arisen when the 10 suns decided to to the zenith of Mount Tai and beyond to the rise in unision. Rivers dried and plants withered. The soil burned and the air itself became gates of heaven, where he saw the splendors difficult to breathe. and riches of a divine city.

Yao thus took the throne and made his As Emperor Yao burned with impatience and capital at Pingyang. To support his rule, he worry, a minister suggested that the emperor sought talents among the common folk and abstain from meat and wine, and carry out conducted investigations to give voice to and sacrifices to the gods in sincere prayer before understand the people’s concerns. heaven, Earth, and the ancestors.

“Hou Yi may have his divine arrows,” the Additionally, the new emperor visited four ascetic cultivators residing at Mount Gunshe, minister said, “but the matter rests with the greeting them with the proprietous modesty piety of the sovereign.” of a disciple asking a teacher for instruction.

Yao then bathed and carried out the proper abstinence for three days. At the same time, he made sacrificial offerings to heaven and Yao’s Rule Earth. Hou Yi too made a trip to Mount KunThe reign of Yao was characterized by a senlun where he prayed devoutly to heaven and sitivity for the people and their opinions. The emperor divided China into the Nine States begged the suns to spare the Earth. and frequently toured them. In his adminisThe suns would not budge, and Hou Yi was tration, Yao sought advice and assistance from forced to draw his bow. He brought down the marquises of the four directions. At the nine of the suns and the climate cooled to its city gates, he set up wooden boards on which normal state.

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June 10–16, 2016 TheEpochTimes.com/EpochArts ALL PHOTOS BY GERRY GOODSTEIN

(Left) Nora (Maggie Lacey) and Thorwald Helmer (John Douglas Thompson) in a scene from “A Doll’s House,” possibly Henrik Ibsen’s most famous play.

Trailblazing Playwrights Look at Disintegrating Marriages

By Judd Hollander

Seeing both plays together makes it easy to understand why ‘A Doll’s House’ is the more frequently performed work.

Theater Review

NEW YORK—Henrik Ibsen’s 1879 work “A Doll’s House” and August Strindberg’s 1887 play “The Father” present two very different takes on the disintegration of marriage. Both pieces start from the premise of a lack of trust.

Theatre for a New Audience presents the two works in repertory at the Polonsky Shakespeare Center in Brooklyn to great effect. The company uses the seldom seen Thornton Wilder adaptation of “A Doll’s House” and a new version in English of “The Father” by David Greig.

In “A Doll’s House,” set in late 19th century Norway, Nora Helmer (Maggie Lacey) is the pampered wife of the hardworking and wellrespected Thorwald (John Douglas ThompJohn Douglas son), who is about to become manager of the local bank.

Thompson While he totally adores his wife and children, won an Obie Award for his Thorwald is obsessed with propriety and his performance in reputation. For this reason he is planning to “Tamburlaine dismiss Nils Krogstad (Jesse J. Perez), a bank employee with a checkered past, even though the Great.”

Krogstad has been making an effort to turn his life around.

Years ago, when Thorwald was seriously ill, Nora secretly borrowed money from Krogstad so she could take her husband on a trip to recuperate. She’s been paying back the sum ever since, juggling her household allowance and taking on various little jobs to make the payments.

In order for Krogstad to agree to this loan, he had Nora get her father to co-sign the agreement he drew up. Nora forged the signature as her father was dying at the time.

Now Krogstad, who has long known of Nora’s deception, is threatening to expose her secret— (Right) the ensuing scandal sure to ruin Thorwald— The Captain unless she makes sure that Krogstad keeps his (John Douglas job at the bank.

Thompson) Thorwald refuses to cooperate, especially and Laura since he intends to hire Christina Linden (Maggie Lacey), (Linda Powell), an old friend of Nora’s, in Krogin a scene from stad’s place.

“The Father,” Strindberg detested “A Doll’s House” and its in which a pro-feminism slant, and wrote “The Father” domineering in direct response to that play. wife has her way.

In “The Father,” the Captain (Thompson) is

‘A Doll’s House, and ‘The Father’ Theatre for a New Audience Polonsky Shakespeare Center 262 Ashland Place, Brooklyn Tickets 866-811-4111, or TFana.org Running Time ‘A Doll’s House’: 2 hours, 10 minutes (one intermission) ‘The Father’: 1 hour, 45 minutes (no intermission) Closes June 12

(Right) (L–R) Nora (Maggie Lacey) and her old friend Christina Linden (Linda Powell), who is now in need of a job and hopes that Nora’s husband will provide one.

a soldier in rural Sweden in a dead-end post.

Any attempt he has made to advance, either militarily or otherwise, has been stymied by his domineering wife, Laura (Lacey).

The couple is in constant battle, and Laura has the rest of the all-female household wrapped around her finger. Their current bone of contention is the future of Bertha (Kimber Monroe), their only child.

Laura’s brother (Perez) warns the Captain of the danger in trying get one’s own way when it comes to his sister.

Strindberg made his title character far more open-minded than Thorwald ever could be when it comes to the women in his life. At the same time, he makes Laura far more determined than Nora to have the upper hand in her marriage, to the point where Laura causes the Captain to question his very sanity and gets others to question it as well.

Both plays deal with couples who long ago lost the ability to find common ground. Nora has gone from being the child of her father to the child of her husband. She has never been given a chance to find out for herself who she truly is and constantly fears asserting herself in any way that will cause her husband to treat as something other than a precious doll he sees her to be.

In “The Father,” both the Captain and Laura entered into their relationship with open eyes.

The Captain had been perfectly willing to be dominated by a strong-willed woman behind closed doors. Yet every time he tried to assert his independence through his career, Laura made sure to emasculate his efforts, either by direct confrontation or quiet duplicity. Their situation has deteriorated to a war for survival in which there can be only one winner.

Seeing both plays together makes it easy to understand why “A Doll’s House” is the more frequently performed work. The Ibsen play is layered in terms of subplots and character development, with the only real villain being the ignorance and restraints of society.

“The Father,” however, is played mostly on a single level: The males are helpless to defend themselves against strong-willed women— whether or not they know the women’s motives.

Thompson gives two standout performances here, playing Thorwald as self-absorbed and unsympathetic, but never truly evil. His performance as the Captain is a particular tour de force, taking him from an outwardly stern and commanding person to one tormented by passion and the continual destruction of his dreams.

In Laura and Nora, Lacey plays to perfection what is essentially both sides of the same woman. In one case, she uses her wits to help her husband even at the risk of going to jail herself and learns to respect the person she has become.

In the other situation, her character uses her intelligence and feminine wiles to destroy her husband, with absolutely no regrets.

Arin Arbus’s direction of both plays works well here, especially in terms of building the tension of who will be found ultimately in the wrong. The work of scenic designer Riccardo Hernandez is essential in showing a happy and comfortable home for the Helmers and a much more somber and stark place for the Strindberg piece.

Offering up very different commentaries in regards to the age-old battle of the sexes, both productions of “A Doll’s House” and “The Father” are very well done indeed.

Also in the casts are Christian J. Mallen, Nigel Gore, Laurie Kennedy, Ruben Almash, and Jayla Lavender Nicholas.

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

Theater Review

Secrets and Loss in ‘Shining City’

By Diana Barth NEW YORK—Under Ciarán O’Reilly’s probing direction, Conor McPherson’s evocative “Shining City” can be said to delve into the very souls of its participants.

Seen on Broadway some years ago, the current production at off-Broadway’s Irish Repertory Theatre—now back at its original home on 22nd Street after a lengthy and successful renovation—marks a welcome revival of this provocative play.

Starting off simply enough, Ian (Billy Carter) is a psychotherapist with a new practice in Dublin. He is visited by his first patient, John (Matthew Broderick), who has suffered a recent terrible personal loss: His wife has been killed in an auto accident.

Not only is that occurrence terrible in and of itself, but John has been plagued by severe sleeplessness, and to make matters worse, he has seen his wife—his dead wife—in their home at various times.

Ian, though understandably puzzled, tries to comfort John in the belief that the matter will be successfully resolved.

Ian, however, has problems of his own. He has recently left the priesthood and is suffering from what might be termed separation anxiety. The Church had been his whole life up until that point. So it was a difficult decision to make the break, but he was helped along by Neasa (Lisa Dwan), a young woman he had met.

He and Neasa have been living together,

and he has fathered a daughter with her. But recently he has been suffering in the belief that their relationship is not working out, and that he must make a break.

A passionate scene ensues between the couple. Lisa Dwan executes a heartfelt and heartbreaking performance as the woman about to be scorned, as the saying goes.

In the course of the scene, Neasa reveals a secret to Ian that sets him off even more, and it appears that the relationship may indeed be severed.

An odd scene ensues in which Ian has picked up a strange man (James Russell) in the park and brought him back to his office. There is a suggestion of intimacy. But the main thread of the story goes back to John and his inner turmoil.

As John becomes emotionally more forthcoming, he tells of past events that very likely created guilt in him. These events broke the bonds of loyalty that a valid marriage should contain and, he admits, unfairly redounded on his wife.

Over time, as John succeeds in admitting his shame and guilt, his emotional pressures appear resolved, and he can terminate treatment.

Ian too is doing better; he has apparently resolved his issues with Neasa, and they plan to move to a smaller town, one less pressuring than bustling Dublin.

There is one final event, however—something very theatrical. Did the playwright insert it

‘Shining City’ contains a lot of talk, but it is not a talky play.

‘Shining City’ Irish Repertory Theatre 132 W. 22nd St. Tickets 212-727-2737, or 866-811-4111 Running Time 1 hour, 40 minutes (no intermission) Closes July 3

from a sincere storytelling standpoint? Or was it gratuitous, to make a startling effect—which it certainly does.

This is a play about secrets, about hiding or revealing them. There is talk of what appear to be ghosts, but it is not a ghost story as such.

Interestingly, of the three characters, only Ian has not revealed a secret. Perhaps the brief scene with the strange man contains Ian’s secret—possibly an unresolved one.

“Shining City” contains a lot of talk, but it is not a talky play: The talk reveals aspects of character and events that are unusual, things generally not discussed. The viewer feels pulled into these other people’s lives; there is a sense of intimacy.

Performances, under Ciaran O’Reilly’s stewardship, are among the best to be viewed on a New York stage, or anywhere for that matter.

Matthew Broderick, who carries the heaviest load of dialogue, acquits himself admirably. Billy Carter’s Ian is strong yet contains an underlying complexity. Lisa Dwan is outstanding as Neasa. James Russell conveys a lot of intensity in his one brief scene.

Sets by Charlie Corcoran and costumes by Martha Hally are appropriate and unobtrusive, which is proper for this play.

“Shining City” is an exciting theater piece.

Diana Barth writes on the arts for various publications, including New Millennium. She may be contacted at diabarth@juno.com

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June 10–16, 2016 TheEpochTimes.com/EpochArts

RUFUS WAINWRIGHT June 16 at 8 p.m.

Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall For two nights in 2006, Rufus Wainwright performed a love letter to Judy Garland’s “Judy at Carnegie Hall” concert with a tribute of his own, “Rufus Does Judy at Carnegie Hall.” Backed by a 36-piece orchestra, he performed Judy’s epic 1961 Carnegie Hall performance in its entirety. On June 16 and 17, Rufus returns to perform the shows at Carnegie Hall in celebration of the ten-year milestone with musical director Stephen Oremus. $45–$200. CarnegieHall.org MIKE COPPOLA/GETTY IMAGES FOR LILYSARAHGRACE

THINGS TO DO COMMUNITY EVENTS NEW IN MANHATTAN TCYOLI Third Annual Concert June 11, 7:30 p.m.

Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall The Tzu Chi Youth Orchestra of Long Island’s mission is to provide young musicians with the opportunity to work in an ensemble setting to sharpen their musical skills and knowledge, as well as broaden their performance techniques. $50–$70. CarnegieHall.org Carnegie Kids: Shine and the Moonbeams June 12, noon Resnick Education Wing at Carnegie Hall Singer-songwriter Shawana “Shine” Kemp and her band bring soulful R&B and funk music to audiences of all ages through their interactive, family-friendly concerts.

Free. CarnegieHall.org Falun Dafa (Falun Gong) Exercises Mondays 11 a.m.–noon, June 6–July 25 (skipping July 4) Columbus Library, 742 10th Ave. A class of five exercises including meditation. Come relieve your stress and anxieties, increase your energy and vitality, and enjoy peace of mind. Free. en.FalunDafa.org American Crafts Festival

COURTESY OF AMERICAN CONCERN FOR ART AND CRAFTSMANSHIP

Lincoln Center Plaza June 11, noon–9 p.m. & June 12, 10 a.m.–7 p.m.

380 juried craft displays selected from every region of the United States.

Continuous entertainment, craft demonstrations. Free.

CraftsAtLincoln.org

ONGOING IN MANHATTAN Falun Dafa (Falun Gong) Exercises June 14, 1 p.m.–2 p.m.

Tompkins Square Library, 331 E. 10th St. A class of five exercises including meditation. Come relieve your stress and anxieties, increase your energy and vitality, and enjoy peace of mind.

Free. en.FalunDafa.org Falun Dafa (Falun Gong) Exercises June 12, 6 p.m.–7 p.m.

Countee Cullen Library, 104 W. 136th St. A class of five exercises including meditation. Come

relieve your stress and anxieties, increase your energy and vitality, and enjoy peace of mind.

Free. en.FalunDafa.org Magical Designs for Mozart’s Magic Flute Through August 27 New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, 40 Lincoln Center Plaza An exhibition that compares scenic and costume designs from a select group of 20th and 21st century productions extolled for their remarkable visual achievement. Since its premiere in 1791, this opera has inspired countless teams of directors and designers to create a cornucopia of imaginative productions that have beguiled audiences of all ages. Free. LincolnCenter.org New York & The Nation Ongoing The Robert H. and Clarice Smith New York Gallery of American History, 170 Central Park West Explore the story of New York and America in the Robert H. and Clarice Smith New York Gallery of American History. $20 adults, $12 students, $15 seniors. NYHistory.org Family Sundays at Rubin Museum Ongoing 150 W. 17th St. Bring your family to the Museum for a Sunday afternoon full of familyfriendly activities. Drop into the Education Center for some art-making, enjoy our 2 p.m. family exhibition tour, or go on your own thematic gallery search. Free.

RubinMuseum.org Film Society of Lincoln Center Ongoing Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center, 144 W. 65th St.; Walter Reade Theater, 165 W. 65th St. Year-round programming that includes premieres of new films from an international roster of established and emerging directors. $14.

FilmLinc.com

ONGOING ELSEWHERE Falun Dafa (Falun Gong) Exercises Wednesdays, 1 p.m.–2 p.m., June 15 Coney Island Library, 1901 Mermaid Ave., Brooklyn A class of five exercises including meditation. Come relieve your stress and anxieties, increase your energy and vitality, and enjoy peace of mind. Free. en.FalunDafa.org Brooklyn Film Festival Through June 12 Various Venues BFF aims provide a public forum in Brooklyn in order to advance public interest in films and the independent production of films and to

draw worldwide attention to Brooklyn as a center for cinema. Single ticket $13, full festival pass $100.

BrooklynFilmFestival.org

VISUAL ARTS NEW IN MANHATTAN First Folio! The Book that Gave Us Shakespeare June 7–July 17 New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West Containing the first published scripts of 36 of Shakespeare’s most famous plays—including “Hamlet,” “Macbeth,” and “As You Like It”—the First Folio will be on display at the New-York Historical Society for 6 weeks.

NYhistory.org Ceramics by Francis Delille Editions Paris June 8–Sept. 30 Vallois America, 27 E. 67th St. Ceramics will showcase a selection of rare pieces of the most prominent contemporary ceramics artists, all produced in La Tuilerie Manufacture in France, a workshop dedicated to preserving the traditions and pushing the limits of ceramic work. Vallois.com

ONGOING IN MANHATTAN Chinese Lacquer: Treasures From the Irving Collection, 12th–18th Century Through June 19 Metropolitan Museum of Art Lacquer, the resin of a family of trees found throughout southern China—as well as in Southeast Asia, Korea, and Japan—is an amazing material. When exposed to oxygen and humidity, lacquer hardens or polymerizes, becoming a natural plastic and an ideal protective covering for screens, trays, and other implements. Mixed with pigments, particularly cinnabar (red) and carbon (black), lacquer has been also used as an artistic media for millennia. $12–$25 suggested.

METMuseum.org Celebrating the Arts of Japan Through July 21 The Mary Griggs Burke Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art This tribute to a great collector reveals the distinctive features of Japanese art as viewed through the lens of fifty years of collecting: the sublime spirituality of Buddhist and Shinto art; the boldness of Zen ink painting; the imaginary world conjured up by the Tale of Genji and classical Japanese literature; the sumptuous colors of bird-andflower painting; the subtlety of poetry, calligraphy, and literati themes; the aestheticized accoutrements of the tea ceremony; and the charming

portraiture of courtesans from the “floating world” (ukiyo-e). $12–$25 suggested.

METMuseum.org Pergamon and the Hellenistic Kingdoms of the Ancient World Through July 17 Metropolitan Museum of Art The conquests of Alexander the Great transformed the ancient world, making trade and cultural exchange possible across great distances. Alexander’s retinue of court artists and extensive artistic patronage provided a model for his successors, the Hellenistic kings, who came to rule over much of his empire. $12–$25 suggested.

METMuseum.org Court and Cosmos: The Great Age of the Seljuqs Through July 24 Metropolitan Museum of Art Spectacular works of art created in the eleventh through thirteenth century from Turkmenistan to the Mediterranean. Approximately 270 objects—including ceramics, glass, stucco, works on paper, woodwork, textiles, and metalwork— from American, European, and Middle Eastern public and private collections will be shown. $12–$25 suggested.

METMuseum.org Global by Design: Chinese Ceramics from the R. Albuquerque Collection Through Aug. 7 Metropolitan Museum of Art Global by Design will focus on the period—from the late 16th to the 18th century—when Chinese porcelain became a global luxury, transforming both the European ceramic industry and styles of dining and drinking. Featuring 60 exquisite and unusual pieces, this presentation will challenge the longstanding, and overly rigid, tradition of cataloging Chinese ceramics as domestic or trade items. $12–$25 suggested.

METMuseum.org Expressions of Nature in Korean Art Through Sept. 18 Metropolitan Museum of Art The display shows how select motifs, especially plants and animals, have been illustrated on ceramics, painting, sculpture, lacquer, and textiles, and what they mean.

Some types of images and symbols are nearly universal across East Asia; others are specific to Korea.$12–$25 suggested. METMuseum.org

PERFORMING ARTS NEW IN MANHATTAN Swan Lake June 13–18 Metropolitan Opera Among the great classics,

“Swan Lake” remains the quintessential ballet, the one that defines the standards of the Company, tests its dancers and ennobles the spirit of the audience. This romantic fable of ill-fated passion, dreamlike transformation and ultimate forgiveness is set to Tchaikovsky’s glorious score.

From $20. MetOpera.org Handel’s Rinaldo June 14, 7 p.m.

Merkin Concert Hall, 129 W. 67th St. Operamission presents Handel’s “Rinaldo,” HWV 7, an opera in three acts featuring a concert performance with period baroque orchestra. $45–$75.

KaufmanMusicCenter.org Romeo and Juliet June 20–25 Metropolitan Opera Kenneth MacMillan’s masterful interpretation of Shakespeare’s enduring romantic tragedy has become one of ABT’s signature productions.

Against a sumptuous setting in Renaissance Italy, MacMillan weaves a dance tapestry rich in character nuance and sensuality, and Sergei Prokofiev’s instantly recognizable music underscores the lyric beauty and passion of this beloved ballet’s star-crossed lovers.

From $20. MetOpera.org

ONGOING IN MANHATTAN The Golden Cockerel Through June 11 Metropolitan Opera With his inimitable style and sensitivity, Ratmansky creates rich characters for the seductive Queen, a marvelously gullible Tsar and the darkly magical cockerel— all set against a kaleidoscope of vibrant color that evoke a mythical Russia. From $20.

MetOpera.org The Taming of the Shrew The Delacorte Theater in Central Park, 81 Central Park West Through June 26, 8 p.m.

Tony-nominated director Phyllida Lloyd turns Shakespeare’s zany comedy of the sexes “The Taming the Shrew” on its head, with an all-female cast and a bold new take. Free.

PublicTheater.org Mozart Forever: Fifty Years of the Mostly Mozart Festival Through Aug. 27 New York Public Library for the Performing at Lincoln Center Lincoln Center launched America’s first indoor summer music festival as Midsummer Serenades: A Mozart Festival in August 1966. The idea was a success from the start, and by 1970 the festival had transformed into Mostly Mozart. Free.

LincolnCenter.org

MUSIC NEW IN MANHATTAN New York Sounds of Summer June 10–14 Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall This will be the fourth annual concert for the New York Sounds of Summer International Music Festival; its success is credited to fine musical ensembles that look for the best performance experience possible, and we strive to provide just that. $10–$20. World-Projects.net Nam-Hoon Kim on Violin June 14, 8 p.m.

Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall Korean violinist Nam-Hoon Kim has performed since a young age, participating in programs such as the Bowdoin International Summer Music Festival. He has appeared as a soloist with many international orchestras. Currently, Mr. Kim is pursuing more artistic education in New York City. $30.

CarnegieHall.org Solar Flare: A Celebration of Women Composers June 19, 6 p.m.

Merkin Concert Hall, 129 W. 67th St. At a time of enormous creativity and productivity within the new music world, women composers are still under-represented on the concert stage, in competitions and in academia. In a program focused on inspiring young women to compose, large ensembles from NYC’s premier contemporary youth ensemble Face the Music will perform works by established composers as well as young women representing the next generation of compositional voices. $20.

KaufmanMusicCenter.org

ONGOING IN MANHATTAN Spiral Music Wednesdays Rubin Museum, 150 W. 17th St. Spiral Music presents acoustic music every Wednesday evening at the base of the museum’s spiral staircase.

Artists who specialize in music from the Himalayas and South Asia are invited to forge a connection between their music and the art in the galleries. Free.

RubinMuseum.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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June 10–16, 2016 TheEpochTimes.com/EpochArts PHOTOS COURTESY OF FRANCK MULLER

The distinctive Vanguard Gold Cobra is adorned with 3-D scales on the case, dial, and strap. The scales have been milled from a mass of gold material for a realistic effect, and the strap features genuine cobra leather.

The architecture of the Vanguard Lady line remains true to its original design, adorned with pink and white appliqué relief numbers and glamorous details.

Franck Muller

The sporty Yachting Collection features nautical details, from the deep blue of the sea to chronograph variant.

Master of Complications Franck Muller continued from C1 Muller created, for the first time, a tourbillon visible from the front. In all other brands, tourbillons could only be seen from the back.

Among the most eccentric of his creations is the Crazy Hours watch, introduced in 2003, that displays numerals in complete disorder while still keeping perfect time thanks to a jumping hour mechanism. In 2004, after years of development, Muller created the very first tri-axial tourbillon in the world.

In Switzerland earlier this year, Pamela Tsai of the Epoch Times spoke with Nicholas Rudaz, director of Franck Muller Watchland SA.

Uniqueness of the Brand Epoch Times: What is unique about the brand and why is it so successful?

Nicholas Rudaz: I think there are a lot of unique selling points for Franck Muller: the designs, the complications, the shapes, the numbers, and colors.

Founder Franck, before launching Franck Muller Geneve watches, was the master watchmaker for watch collectors around the world. So, if a big collector wanted some incredible complications, they would call Franck. He would do a limited number of watches with complications that no other brand at the time could do. It was unique in all aspects.

Epoch Times: How did the founder come up with the idea of customized watches?

Mr. Rudaz: If you look at the history of watchmaking, a lot of the big complications were already invented 200 years ago and they are actually very difficult to do. So, Franck Muller was one of the watchmakers who could actually produce and deliver them on time.

Franck was the first watchmaker to put the tourbillon on a wristwatch. He was also the first to do the double axis tourbillon and triple axis tourbillon. Today, we are the only watch company that makes the world’s largest and the fastest tourbillon.

Epoch Times: When Muller launched his own brand Franck Muller Geneve watches, what kind of clientele did he have in mind? Was he targeting collectors?

Mr. Rudaz: At the very beginning, yes it was for unique collectors, for people who have the know-how of watchmaking and who appreciate his complications, which at the time nobody was producing. But when he started his company, of course, it’s a different scale.

Before the company, he was only producing 4 to 10 watches a year. Today, we produce 50,000 watches a year.

Of course, the market, the end users are different today. But they are people who still want to have something different on the wrist, something unique. Franck Muller is very strong in creativity. We produce small numbers of each model.

The Crazy Hours is so unique. We have just celebrated its 12th anniversary.

Nicholas Rudaz, Franck Muller

COURTESY OF FRANCK MULLER

Customization

Strong Presence in Asia

Epoch Times: We saw the customized order for Hong Kong singer and actor Cheung Chi Lam. How many customized pieces do you make in a year?

Mr. Rudaz: We can do as many as possible. That is the strength of our production. We are vertically integrated and we can, therefore, react to requests in design and production.

Epoch Times: Where do you see the fastest growth for your company?

Mr. Rudaz: Today the growth in Australia and Malaysia is still very good. We’re very excited to be opening in Myanmar (Burma). This year, we also plan to open in Cambodia, so we see good growth potential in those countries.

The brand is No. 1 in Japan. The Japanese market is consistent and it does not fluctuate much. Hong Kong and Southeast Asia are also big markets for us.

In China, people do not want to buy locally due to high taxes on imported goods. That is why we see Chinese people buying when they travel to Europe and Asia.

In Hong Kong, we have around 34 boutiques.

Hong Kong historically has always been a No. 1 market for Swiss brands. This has been the case for more than 100 years. It is an important market for all watch groups, including us.

Epoch Times: What is the average production time for a timepiece?

Mr. Rudaz: It depends on the complications. In a very big complication, it is going to take 12 months. We are referring to the world’s most complicated watch, aeternitas mega 4. Other watches can be assembled much quicker.

Epoch Times: How many watchmakers do you have?

Mr. Rudaz: To produce each watch, you have to have more than 60 different skills. One is the watchmaker, one is the polisher, one is the diamond setter, one is the carver, and it just goes on. We have around 370 people working in the facility. Of those, around 80 are watchmakers.

Epoch Times: Could you please talk about your communication strategy?

Mr. Rudaz: The product is our force. The biggest and best publicity is the quality of our watches.

And that’s the strongest and most reliable form of publicity. If our customer talks to others about his watch, that is much more straight to the point.

Epoch Times: Can you please talk about the Crazy Hours collection?

Mr. Rudaz: The Crazy Hours is so unique. We have just celebrated its 12th anniversary. In a magazine, 80 percent of the people would not realize that the hours are different. And even today, when I wear the Crazy Hours, people don’t really see it. When I ask them to read the time, they are very surprised.

When you see the complication working, it’s even more striking. That is why visual effects are very important to market that watch. A magazine, a standard photo will not transmit the message to our clients, for sure.

Epoch Times: Do you have a centralized marketing service?

Mr. Rudaz: Yes, there is. We also focus on social media. I think the media landscape is changing. The whole world is changing because of the internet.

Epoch Times: How do you tell the story behind each piece?

Mr. Rudaz: We have got sufficient novelties to inspire people. For example, for the Color Dreams watches, the numbers are colored. It is all hand painted.

Marketing the Quality

Franck Muller entered the watch market with the goal of creating wristwatches with the same technical achievement presented in pocket watches.

WU LING/EPOCH TIMES

Nicholas Rudaz, director of Franck Muller Watchland SA, in Geneva on March 30.

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June 10–16, 2016 TheEpochTimes.com/EpochArts S I BY L L E ’ S S T Y L E D I A RY

Former strategic consultant in global affairs, Nicole DiCocco says it’s important her outfits make her feel approachable.

NICOLE DiCOCCO From Diplomacy to Philanthropy

PATRICK MCMULLAN

By Sibylle Eschapasse This week’s style diary is featuring Nicole DiCocco. The executive director of The H.O.P.E. (Helping Other People Excel) Foundation for a Better Tomorrow. She worked previously in diplomacy in Washington, and is now one of the most stylish socialites on the New York philanthropic scene. She is keeping the memory of her brother Frank DiCocco alive with the H.O.P.E. Foundation, which is an organization founded to help young people around the country, as Frank had done as a coach. Today, she is sharing with us her perspective on style.

Buy what looks good on you; and buy what you feel comfortable in.

Nicole DiCocco

Sibylle Eschapasse: Describe your style?

Nicole DiCocco: My style is simple, classic, elegant, understated, and functional. Whether I’m running around the streets of NYC with a delegation from the United Nations or volunteering for a charity, my style is always put together and chic—but it always has to be functional! The best fashion advice I ever received was from the Libyan ambassador during the 2009 visit of Moammar Gadhafi to the United Nations General Assembly. The ambassador looked at my shoes and said, “Nicole, the delegation is not going to wait for you.” To this day, I have never bought another pair of shoes I could not walk in.

Ms. Eschapasse: If a close friend were to describe your personality in three words, what would they be?

Ms. DiCocco: Inquisitive, determined, helpful.

Ms. Eschapasse: How did your style evolve since you were a teenager?

Ms. DiCocco: First of all, let me just say I had no style as a teenager. So much so that I am thankful to have grown up before the digital revolution, because I would never want to see pictures of me in some of those outfits on social media. As a teenager, I wore a uniform to school up until high school, so my style really began to evolve there. I bought what I liked, and over the years I honed my look based on trial and error.

Style to Nicole DiCocco is how a person presents him or herself to the outside world.

ANNIE WATT

Ms. Eschapasse: What is the wildest thing you ever wore?

Ms. DiCocco: Wild is a subjective term. On New Year’s Eve, I wore my hair in a bouffant and some people thought that was really wild. It took me three days to comb all the hairspray out, so I’m not sure if I’ll ever try that again.

For the Museum of Art and Design opening, I wore a ball skirt with the Grateful Dead bears. I always try to add something to every outfit that has a little bit of pizzazz. After all, “In order to be irreplaceable one must be different.” —Chanel Ms. Eschapasse: How do you dress on workdays versus weekends?

Ms. DiCocco: There’s generally no difference. My daytime uniform consists of black leggings and a black camisole paired with a three quarter length Chanel or St. John jacket or with a basic white shirt. The look is classic and crisp and functional. After 5 p.m., I usually wear a cocktail dress or evening wear, depending on the event.

Ms. Eschapasse: What are three accessories you can’t live without, and what’s one item that makes you instantly more confident?

Ms. DiCocco: My iPhone, my Hermès Kelly bag, and my French Sole ballet flats. My François Pinton Jacky 2 sunglasses immediately make me feel more confident. I have them in five colors! Everyone who goes to Paris brings me back a pair since they are not sold in the USA! Ms. Eschapasse: Who have been your greatest fashion influences?

Ms. DiCocco: Chanel and later St. John. It’s all about being functional while looking chic. During the first world war, Coco Chanel started designing women’s clothing out of jersey. As women joined the workforce, they still wanted to look elegant while wearing less constrictive clothing.

Ms. Eschapasse: Who is your style icon?

Ms. DiCocco: Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

Her style, in my opinion, was classic, simple, and regal. In a letter written from her to designer Oleg Cassini in December 1960, during the inaugural preparations, she set the tone for Camelot style: “put your brilliant mind to work for a day—Coats—dresses for public appearances—lunch and afternoon that I would wear if Jack were president of France—très Princesse de Réthy mais jeune.”

Ms. Eschapasse: What does having style mean to you? In other words, please define style.

Ms. DiCocco: Style to me is how a person presents him or herself to the outside world. It’s an outward expression of their character and personality. That’s why I think it’s so important to be slightly underdressed, because it makes other people feel more comfortable and more at ease. It’s always important to make others feel I’m approachable.

Ms. Eschapasse: What is one purchase you’re most proud of? What would you pay a lot of money for, and what would you never pay much money for?

Ms. DiCocco: I’m very proud of my vintage Hermès collection. The quality and craftsmanship are just exceptional, and some of the pieces are older than me and are still in pristine condition.

I always pay more for classic and staple pieces: a good black dress, a couple of Chanel jackets, an Hermès Kelly bag, a Cartier watch, and a good pair of sunglasses. Everything else is worth 10 cents on the dollar!

Ms. Eschapasse: When you go on the red carpet, how do you want your outfit to make you feel?

Which designers can achieve that?

Ms. DiCocco: Glamorous and confident. I wear a lot of Carolina Herrera, Harrison Morgan, Oscar de la Renta. I also buy a lot of vintage gowns from the 1960s and 1970s. It’s really not so much about the designer, in my opinion, but the way the piece is cut and whether or not it flatters a person’s particular body type. It’s all about the alterations! I alter everything to accentuate my best features and draw attention away from my flaws!

Ms. Eschapasse: What do you think of how others dress and what’s your advice to people who would like to develop their personal style?

Ms. DiCocco: I have none. Many times, people will see me in a particular outfit and ask if they could borrow it. I always lend it to them, but somehow they are always disappointed, because the outfit doesn’t have the same effect when they wear it. It’s the same thing when I see a friend wearing something and ask if I could borrow it.

Style is unique, and just because a bouffant and white gloves work for me does not mean they will work for someone else.

I tell anyone who asks me for advice to buy what you like; buy what looks good on you; and buy what you feel comfortable in, because if you don’t like the outfit and if it doesn’t make you feel comfortable and confident, then it will absolutely not work for you! Regardless of price.

I bought a $20 vintage dress at a flea market and wore it to opening night at the NYC Ballet and it was a winner!

Nicole’s Favorites Favorite color: Red. It’s bold, yet elegant.

Favorite perfume: For women: Carolina Herrera original fragrance. For men: Paco Rabanne eau de cologne.

Favorite restaurant in NY: Le Cirque for a glamorous evening, Amaranth for lunches with the girls, and Rosa Mexicano for fun nights on the town.

Favorite drink: Altaneve Prosecco, or a dirty Martini.

Favorite movie: “Valley of the Dolls.” After all, I am a single girl living in NYC! Favorite book: An audio book: “Jacqueline Kennedy: Historic Conversations on life with John F. Kennedy.”

Favorite quote: “Your dress should be tight enough to show you’re a woman and loose enough to show you’re a lady.”—Edith Head “Dress shabbily and they remember the dress.

Dress impeccably and they remember the woman.”—Coco Chanel Sibylle’s “Style Diary” is a column that explores style from the perspective of choices, and what that means for different people, with personal advice from some of the most stylish people in New York.

Sibylle Eschapasse is from Paris and now lives in Manhattan. She is a journalist and a contributing writer to various publications.

Sibylle is also the author of a children’s book, “Argy Boy!: A New York Dog Tale.” She may be reached at Sibylle.Eschapasse@gmail.com