Recording Artist Doc Watson performs at the 2009 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival at the Fair Grounds Race Course on May 1, 2009. (Rick Diamond/Getty Images)

The 89-year-old folk legend Doc Watson remains in critical condition at a North Carolina hospital following a colon surgery last week, his management company said.

The company, Folklore Production International, posted an updated on Tuesday on its website saying that Watson “has somewhat deteriorated this morning.”

Watson, remaining in the hospital’s intensive care unit, underwent a surgery on Thursday at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center to remove a blockage in his colon. His family was called to his bedside on Sunday after Watson “had a difficult day, but seems to have pulled through OK.”

The company said that while Watson’s family understands and appreciates interest from Watson’s friends and well-wishers, they would appreciate privacy during this “trying” time.

Born Arthel Lane Watson in Stoney Fork Township, N.C., Watson was blinded from an eye infection as a baby. Watson, a Grammy-winning musician known for his flatpicking and fingerstyle technique on the guitar, toured with his son Merle before he died in a farming accident in 1985. Afterwards, he has played at an annual festival known as MerleFest in his son’s honor.

Watson has won seven Grammy awards and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. He was selected for the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in 2010.

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Olympic Beach Volleyball champion Misty May-Treanor answers questions at a press conference at the Lowes Hotel on August 5, 2009 in Santa Monica, California. (Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

Two-time beach volleyball Olympic gold medalist Misty May-Treanor has already secured herself a spot at the upcoming London Olympics. Now aiming into the fall, the 34-year-old athlete is rallying fans to vote for her to get back on the next season of “Dancing with the Stars” this fall.

Returning with an all-star season, ABC’s “Dancing with the stars” is collecting votes online for which athletes, movie or television stars, singers, or other celebrities its viewers wish to see in season 15.

“Hi everyone so wanted to write to ask you to vote to get me back on Dancing With The Stars. They are having an All Star show this Fall,” May-Treanor posted on Facebook.

“1. I would love to finish what I wasn’t able to when I was on the show the last time, 2. I wasn’t voted off, 3. I would love for my husband to see me dance and compete, 4. I want to perform for my fans!”

Soon after the 2008 Beijing Olympics, May-Treanor competed in the 7th season of “Dancing with the Stars” with partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy, a Ukrainian-American Latin ballroom dance champion. She ruptured her Achilles tendon during a training session for the show and was consequently unable to compete.

Other athletes who have competed in “Dancing with the Stars” include football star Hines Ward, who won the 12th season of the show, retired Canadian basketball player Rick Fox, NFL quarterback Kurt Warner, and five-time world heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield.

The Epoch Times publishes in 35 countries and in 19 languages. Subscribe to our e-newsletter.

Guests at the second annual AADLA Spring Show NYC. (Photo by Annie Watt, Courtesy of AADLA)

NEW YORK—Attracting a great crowd of art and antique enthusiasts and celebrities requires the right location, a good range of top-quality works, and thoughtful marketing.

Only in its second year, the four-day Spring Show NYC this month did just that, bringing in 63 top-tier international dealers to the historic Park Avenue Amory and gaining a genuine following. At this rate, the event is likely to become an annual mainstay of New York’s art and antiques scene.

Organized by Art and Antique Dealers League of America (AADLA), Spring Show NYC is produced by The Art Fair Company. Two savvy marketing maneuvers helped draw attention to the show: animal charity and a focus on the younger set of buyers and collectors in New York with an Arts Night Out party on the second evening.

“This is the second year for Spring Show, which has truly proven that it is really going places,” said Clinton Howell, president of the AADLA in a release. He noted the high interest generated by the show was evidenced by both attendance and sales. According to Howell, 90 percent of the dealers have already signed on to return next year.

Over 1,300 guests showed up for the show’s Opening Night Preview on May 2, which was sponsored by the online art and antiques marketplace 1stdibs and benefited the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). Participating dealers also donated a portion from the sale of animal-themed works during the show.

Among the big names seen perusing the aisles of booths were fashion personalities Carolina Herrera and Allegra Versace.

Praise and optimism flowed from the lips of many participating dealers during the show.

“The fair was particularly well marketed to new collectors, but at the same time, we saw all of New York’s top decorators and many of our important clients who had traveled here from out of town.” said Stefanie Rinza, managing director of Carlton Hobbs in the release.

“Like last year, we were delighted with the quality and variety of objects on offer, as well as the clients who attended,” Rinza added.

Attracting the Younger Crowd

To attract new collectors, young members of 20 prominent cultural organizations were invited to the Arts Night Out, drawing more than 600 attendees.

Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres in hand, a fresh audience of upcoming collectors, experts, and art lovers mingled with the established dealers, all of whom enthusiastically shared their expertise and knowledge. Kindling a passion in these new buyers for the beautiful and best art and antiques is an important factor in keeping the industry alive.

A younger crowd of upcoming collectors and art enthusiasts showed up for Arts Night Out at Spring Show NYC. (Courtesy of AADLA)

“The Spring Show was all the things an antiques fair should be, relaxed and fun,” noted first-time participant Nicholas Grindley in the release. “People seemed genuinely interested as opposed to just walking around and looking.” Grindley saw multiple purchases made during the show, from Indian to Chinese, Japanese, and American antiques.

“The Opening was such great fun, and there was a young crowd sporting good energy. And they loved what I had to sell, the mixture of it all! I had very good sales on Opening Night—pottery, Chinese export porcelain, a French red marble urn from the 1830s,” said Paul Vandekar of Earle Vandekar of Knightsbridge, naming only a few sales he’d had.

“It was a lively crowd, one … [that] clearly loved the show and came with a great collector mentality. We were very busy,” said Mark McHugh of Spencer Marks in the release.

Among the Spencer Marks sales was a silver art deco vase once owned by Andy Warhol; a Tiffany punch bowl with walrus-mask handles; an American silver figurative fish dish from 1884; an 1876 American trompe l’oeil silver plate; an English Regency sterling-silver epergne, circa 1819, by Rebecca Emes and Edward Barnard; and a Tiffany aesthetic movement coffee pot from the late 19th century.

Fine art also sold well, according to Alan Stone of Hill-Stone, who specializes in old masters prints and drawings.

“Even though there was enormous competition because of the Munch sale at Sotheby’s on the night of the opening, people still showed up in droves, and the evening went off very well indeed,” said Hill-Stone.

Hill-Stone sold Camille Pissarro’s “Bord de l’Epte (à Eragny),” from 1890, for $105,000; a Rembrandt etching from 1655 titled “Goldsmith”; a Giovanni-Domenico Tiepolo work titled “Family Setting Out for the Hunt”; and a 17th-century Italian drawing that went for five figures.

Next year’s Spring Show NYC, is set for April 24–28.

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A scene from American Ballet Theatre's “The Bright Stream.” (Rosalie O’Connor)

‘The Bright Stream’–American Ballet Theatre

This comedic 1935 ballet tells the story of what humorously unfolds when a sophisticated Moscow dance troupe arrives to bring culture to a Russian farm. Set to folk music by Dmitri Shostakovich and featuring new choreography by the acclaimed Alexei Ratmansky, formerly of the Bolshoi Ballet. Two acts. One hour and 51 minutes.

The Metropolitan Opera House, Lincoln Center
Now through June 2, times vary
Tickets: $20–$190
www.abt.org

‘The Musicians with Day Jobs’

Pianist Justin Levitt, pianist Bruce Maxwell, and cellist Howie Lee perform works by Bach, Chopin, Fauré, Massenet, Justin Levitt, and Bruce Maxwell.

Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall
Friday June 1, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $28–$35
www.carnegiehall.com

Pinchas Zukerman Plays and Conducts Bach, Mozart, and Stravinsky

Featuring the highly respected Pinchas Zukerman as violinist and conductor, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London performs Bach’s Violin Concerto in A minor, Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 5 (“Turkish”), Stravinsky’s Concerto in D, and Mozart’s Symphony No. 39.

Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center
June 6–9, times vary
$45–$137
nyphil.org

FINE ARTS

Casting the Divine
Highlighted by 15th and 16th century Buddhist sculptures from the Himalayas and nearby regions, this exhibition of more than 100 works represents the entire Nyingjei Lam Collection. The name Nyingjei Lam translates to “Paths of Compassion.”

Rubin Museum of Art, 150 W. 17 St.
Now through July 30
Admission: $10, children under 12 free
www.rmanyc.org

Old Master Paintings at Christie’s

An exhibition and sale of old masterpieces from Europe highlighted by Girolamo Romanino’s (Brescia 1484/7–1560) “Christ Carrying the Cross” (estimate: $2.5 million–$3.5 million) and a pair of masterpieces by French 18th century landscapist Hubert Robert, “The Ruins” and “The Old Bridge” (estimate: $800,000–$1.2 million).

Christie’s, Rockefeller Center
Exhibition: June 2–5, Sale: June 6, 5 p.m.
Exhibition is free, registration required for sale
www.christies.com

Jakob Philipp Hackert’s 1783 painting “A View of Giornico from the St. Gotthard Pass, Switzerland.” (Courtesy of Sotheby’s)

Old Master Paintings at Sotheby’s

An exhibition and sale of old masterpieces from Europe highlighted by an awe-inspiring landscape, Jakob Philipp Hackert’s 1783 painting “A View of Giornico from the St. Gotthard Pass, Switzerland” (estimate: $150,000–$200,000), and the “Madonna and Child Enthroned with Angels” by The Pseudo Dalmasio degli Scannabecchi, an artist working in Italy in the 14th century (estimate: $250,000–$300,000).

Sotheby’s, 1334 York Ave.,
Exhibition: May 31–June 5, Sale: June 6, 10 a.m.
Exhibition is free, registration required for sale
www.sothebys.com

Egyptian, Classical, and Western Asiatic Antiquities

An antiquities auction with 79 lots, featuring a nearly life size marble statue of the goddess Aphrodite, circa 2nd century (estimate: $300,000–$500,000), and an Egyptian Limestone Block Statue of the Transport Official Karo, from around 1187–1156 B.C. (estimate: $250,000–$350,000).

Sotheby’s, 1334 York Ave.,
Exhibition: May 31–June 6, Sale: June 7, 2 p.m.
Exhibition is free, registration required for sale
www.sothebys.com

Antiquities at Christie’s

An exhibition and sale of 260 antiquities lots highlighted by a 9,000-year-old limestone mask from the Judean desert (estimate: $400,000–$600,000) and a Roman marble portrait head of the Emperor Antoninus Pius, reign 138–161 (estimate $150,000–$200,000).

Christie’s, Rockefeller Center
Exhibition: June 2–7, Sale: June 8, 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Exhibition is free, registration required for sale
www.christies.com

FAMILY

Elizabeth Mitchell and her band. (Laura Levine)

Elizabeth Mitchell and You Are My Flower

Take a trip on the Staten Island ferry to see Elizabeth Mitchell perform kid-friendly folk music, accompanied by her musical husband and daughter, and violinist Jean Cook. Designed for children ages 3–6.

Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden,
1000 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, NY 10301–1199
Saturday, June 3, 2–4 p.m.
This event is free.
www.snug-harbor.org

Free Art Island Outpost

Take your children, ages 1–12, on a ferry to Governors Island where they can choose from a variety of hands on art projects and art-viewing experiences, including artist-led workshops, self-guided art stations, large collaborative projects, sound design, and animation.

Governor’s Island, inside and surrounding buildings 11 & 14 in Nolan Park
Every Saturday and Sunday, Now through Sept. 30
11 a.m.–3 p.m.
This event is free
www.cmany.org

Submit Arts Events

The arts at their best are not purely for entertainment or the reinvention of art itself. Rather, they strive forward with traditional forms, toward technical mastery, and place the highest value on virtue and the spiritually sublime.

Email events for consideration to NYC_news@epochtimes.com

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Da’vine Joy Randolph, Richard Fleeshman, and Jeremy Davis appear in 'Ghost The Musical.' (Joan Marcus)

NEW YORK—The final scene of Ghost The Musical is wonderfully magical. Unfortunately, much of what comes before sacrifices intimacy for the big bang, as it were.

With a book and lyrics by Bruce Joel Rubin, music and lyrics by Dave Stewart and Glen Ballard, and based on the Paramount Pictures film written by Bruce Joel Rubin, the stage show hews too close to the source material to establish its own identity.

Wall Streeter Sam (Richard Fleeshman) lives happily with his sculptress girlfriend Molly (Caissie Levy), though he is afraid to say “I love you” to her. Molly has been able to overcome her own commitment issues, never wanting to get married until now. Looking on bemusedly is their best friend Carl (Bryce Pinkham), who works in the same firm as Sam.

The happy couple’s romance is cut short when Sam is killed in a robbery. Yet Sam finds he still exists as a ghost and is desperate to protect the stunned and grieving Molly.

Aided by storefront psychic Oda Mae Brown (Da’vine Joy Randolph) and a very angry Subway Ghost (Tyler McGee), Sam learns his death may not have been simply due to a random act of violence.

The musical paints a powerful message of the fragility of life. Sadly, the creative team seems to have forgotten that “Ghost” is, at its heart, a love story, and all too often quiet moments are lost by adding unneeded bits of business.

For example, when Molly sings a haunting song about moving on, there are various people dancing in the background, blunting the emotional thrust of the number.

Elsewhere, the scene where Sam confronts his murderer (Michael Balderrama) is lit very dimly, with a screen between the audience and the actors, and so those watching are unable to see the reactions of either character.

Finally, Sam, after dying, is greeted by a Hospital Ghost (Lance Roberts), a touching moment which morphs into a song and dance number, destroying the horror Sam feels about what’s happened to him.

The show does take the art of special effects and projection to an entirely new level, making Sam’s spiritual ability to walk through walls and to disappear totally believable without distracting from the rest of the action.

The production is also able to perfectly capture the feeling of living in New York City, via excellent video work showing scenes of the skyline, Wall Street, and people running to and from their jobs—the last of these being both physical and projected.

Molly (Caissie Levy) and Sam (Richard Fleeshman) in a scene from “Ghost The Musical,” based on the movie starring Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore. (Joan Marcus)

Yet the show suffers from special effect’s overkill at times. In a love scene between Sam and Molly, images of their bodies intertwining are superimposed on them, as if not trusting the actors themselves to covey the emotions needed.

Fleeshman and Levy are excellent in their roles and one can certainly feel the romantic sparks between the characters. Fleeshman portrays Sam as a basically good man, determined to make things right even as he loses everything he holds dear.

Levy, meanwhile gives Molly a nicely earthy quality. The actress is also able to realistically deliver her musical numbers, ranging from songs about loss and yearning to ones of more happier times. The score itself, however, is completely forgettable.

Pinkham does a nice turn as Carl, someone who may know more about what’s happening than he initially lets on. Balderrama projects a menacing attitude as Sam’s killer and McGee has some very good moments as the Subway Ghost.

Randolph is fine as Oda Mae, but she often plays the character a bit too broadly, especially in a scene in Sam’s former office. She does have a great show-stopping number (“I’m Outta Here”), but one not necessary to the plot.

Direction by Matthew Warchus is okay as far as it goes, keeping the show moving nicely without any noticeable lags, but like Rubin’s script, his efforts fail to reach the heart of the material and make it soar.

The video and projection design work by Jon Driscoll is quite good and the illusions by Paul Kieve are wondrous to behold. Hugh Vanstone’s lighting and Bobby Aitken’s sound are both excellent, a good thing as this is one case where it is quite important for every technical aspect to come off entirely as planned.

“Ghost The Musical” has a wonderful love story at its center, but too many missteps distract from its ultimate message.

Also in the cast are Moya Angela, Carly Hughes, Jennifer Noble, Jason Babinsky, Jennifer Sanchez, Daniel J. Watts, Vasthy Mompoint, Alison Luff, Jeremy Davis, Sharona D’Ornellas, Josh Franklin, Albert Guerzon, Afra Hines, Joe Aaron Reid, Constantine Rousouli, and Daniel J. Watts.

Ghost The Musical
Lunt-Fontaine Theatre
205 West 46th Street
Tickets: 877-250-2929 or
www.ticketmaster.com
Running time: 2 hours, 40 minutes
Open run

Judd Hollander is the New York correspondent for the London publication The Stage.

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Maestro Dirk Brosse. (Courtesy of Dirk Brosse)

Music is structured sounds built around universal laws, and has the power to influence the moods and emotions of human beings, says Dirk Brosse, one of Europe’s finest composers and conductors.

Maestro Brosse has since extended his work beyond his Belgian homeland. He is the principal conductor of America’s world-famous Star Wars concert and also the Music Director of The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia.

In Philadelphia, “a wonderful place for classical music”, Maestro Brosse talked with The Epoch Times about his wide-ranging, multi-faceted musical endeavors which include marrying his music with lines written by Nobel laureate, Gabriel García Márquez, and composing soulful music for ancient Chinese instruments such as the Erhu. 

Retrieving the original beauty of classical music – A European Approach

When asked about his approach to directing an American chamber orchestra, Brosse said he wanted to introduce a new voice to refresh Americans’ experience with classical music. Bringing the European tradition to America is his artistic goal and he has applied that to his role as the musical director of The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia – a post he has held since 2010.

“The musicians (here) are top, they play as no one else. They are all graduates of Curtis and Julliard, the best musicians,” he said.

“I cannot teach them to play better,” he added. “The only thing I can bring is a different view. Putting on a different pair of glasses and say ‘well, let’s look at it that way, let’s do it that way.”

As a result he believes the level of the orchestra went up. “Every time we play, it is better and better and better.”

“As conductor, Maestro Brosse brings with him much experience. He’s conducted major orchestras around the world, including the London Symphony and Philharmonic Orchestras, the World Symphony Orchestra (Japan), the Camerata St Petersburg, the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra and the National Orchestras of Venezuela and Ecuador.

He believes the artistic goal of a conductor is “to recreate and reproduce the music written by the composers at the best possible level.”

“It is not like in jazz music where everything has to come from the performer. As re-creators of classical music, we (conductors) receive a printed piece of music and all the information is already there. So, the percentage that we can be different from other orchestras is quite small, but at the same time we have to use it to distinguish ourselves.”

Modern music owes much to the great European composers, he says.

“Without Johan Sebastian Bach, there would never be a Michael Jackson, there would never be the Beatles, there would never be Madonna. Because if you analyze their music, you go back to the principles of Johan Sebastian Bach—in the chords, the relation between the chords, the structure of a melody, and the structure of the rhythm.”

But people forget, not only modern musicians but also classical aficionados. In doing so, he warns, performers can lose the composer’s original vision of the music.

“When Beethoven wrote his symphony, he did not use 80 musicians. In Beethoven’s time there were 33 musicians. So, if you play a piece of music with 80 musicians, instead of 33, it is a world of difference.”

Sounds produced by orchestras using modern instruments is also completely different from those made by authentic instruments for which the classical music was originally created.

“Going back to the history and trying to come closer to the original idea of the composer” offers a source of new experience with classical music, he said.

Creating your own destiny—An American approach 

Maestro Brosse says American music culture is very different to that of Europe, the latter government- subsidized and the U.S. private sector supported. He is enjoying American culture, which he says puts the connections between musicians and community on a different level. The music industry in the U.S. has to constantly find new ways to attract and retain patrons in order to receive donors’ support. 

“In Europe you know you will always have your salary regardless of how many (audience members) are in the hall,” he said, “In the U.S. you have to create your own destination and your own tomorrow.”

Continued on the next page: Maestro Brosse’s destination becomes Star Wars: In Concert

Keone Young (L) and Tommy Lee Jones holding Spiky Bulba in the sci-fi action-comedy 'Men In Black 3.' (Wilson Web/ Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc)

The first “Men In Black” was an instant comedic classic. The premise has always been fun: A CIA-like, covert ops agency that keeps tabs on bizarre alien life forms that live among us and runs pest control on the more dangerous and ill-intentioned ones. Its brother in concept was “Ghostbusters.”

The main foundation that the MIB movies stood on, however, was always the comic chemistry between leads Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. So what could possibly go wrong with this formula? Threequel-itis, that’s what. MIB 1 was great, MIB 2 not so much, MIB 3—just not cuttin’ the mustard.

Boris The Animal (Jemaine Clement of Flight of the Conchords fame) is a particularly hideous alien, replete with zipper-like skin harboring dart-throwing killer ticks, reminiscent of the nasty face-hugger larvae in the Alien film series. He gets broken out of prison with a smuggled time-travel device and goes back to the future looking for Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones), who was responsible for putting Boris on lockdown and lopping off an arm.

There ensues extensive time travel by Agent J (Will Smith) to help and protect partner K. The act of returning to the year 1969 turns up a younger version of Agent K, played by Josh Brolin. The whole movie is a time-travel bonanza, to eliminate the ghastly Boris before he can sic his ticks on Agent K.

The trappings are all too familiar by now: the black suits, the sunglasses, the cool cars, and the “neuralyzer” that erases ordinary people’s memories after they’ve crossed paths with the aliens among us. It feels like all these things have maybe overstayed their welcome a bit. What’s the phrase? “It’s so 2002.”

Whereas MIB aliens have always been freaky and somewhat disgusting in a friendly, fun sort of way, Boris The Animal’s ticks crawl around in the gore genre. The original MIB was kid-friendly, more or less, but Boris is pure gross-out and nowhere near as funny as “Edgar,” the giant galactic cockroach antagonist played by Vincent D’Onofrio in the original film.

Will Smith (R) and Josh Brolin in the sci-fi action-comedy 'Men In Black 3,' a film about a time-traveling agent who changes the future.(Wilson Webb/ Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc.)

Again, the best thing about a MIB film is normally the odd-couple chemistry of Smith the clown and Jones the straight man. The original had novelty, plus great situations like deadpan-meister Jones saying to an alien bug in full-threat display, “Put up your arms and all your flippers.”

Here, even the effusiveness of Smith and the taciturn stoicism of Jones have gone a tad stale. Not to mention other script clunkers such as: “You’re going to be late for your meeting with the Viagrans. They have a revolutionary new pill.”

To list some of the good things, while 3-D is rapidly becoming less and less interesting due to the way it skyrockets ticket prices, the 3-D effects are good here. There’s also the funny concept of Chinese restaurants secretly substituting alien fish species on the menu.

All in all, it looks good, it has good concepts, and it should have killed as a comedic film. One waits for the payoff. And waits. Boris is fairly gross. The rest of it is fairly boring.

Rating: 3 / 5

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Joe Fine, played by Chazz Palminteri (L), arm wrestles his eldest daughter’s Southern suitor, played by Richard Kohnke, as a sort of rite of passage in the dramatic comedy 'Mighty Fine.' (Courtesy of Adopt Films)

Moving to New Orleans? Well, laissez le bon temps rouler, unless you happen to be an awkward Jewish high school student from Brooklyn. In that case, it might be somewhat daunting. The Fine sisters find themselves in such a situation, but they will experience far more angst rooted in their father’s erratic anger in Debbie Goodstein-Rosenfeld’s partly biographical Mighty Fine, which opens this Friday in New York.

Joe Fine was a swaggering young enlisted man in World War II when he met Stella, a beautiful Jewish teenager whom a neighbor literally hid in a hole on his property during the war. Their attraction was immediate, and her devotion would be almost total. In fact, her reluctance to stand up to Fine’s increasingly frequent explosions of anger causes resentment among her daughters.

Maddie is the older, attractive one, who can adapt to any new environment fairly easily through her looks and charm. Natalie is the younger, bookish one, who narrates the film looking back from an adult vantage point. The fact that Janeane Garofalo supplies these voice-overs does not exactly do the character or actor Jodelle Ferland any favors, subconsciously making most of the audience less inclined to be sympathetic.

At first, the move south appears to be a good thing, but Fine’s textile business (the Mighty Fine label) is on life support. When the federal tax credit he was banking on is postponed, the writing is on the wall. Not surprisingly, this pushes Fine to his breaking point. Though he is not yet physically abusive outright, the sisters begin to worry Fine might finally hurt one of them, or himself.

A shy student (Richard Kohnke) is impressed by his fellow classmate (Rainey Qualley. (Courtesy of Adopt Films)

Written and produced in the spirit of forgiveness, the film never condemns Fine for his weaknesses, nor does it ever shy away from the uncomfortable reality of his tempestuous behavior. It is an honest and sensitive film, which is commendable, but not necessarily sufficient.

While viewers feel for the Fines, all of them, their story falls into a rather predictable pattern—their father loses his cool, tries to make it up to the family with some form of extravagance, only to get worked up again. Maybe it is rather true to life, but as cinema it gets laborious.

A fair number of motley subplots are also left dangling, such as the underworld figures Fine approaches to set an insurance fire at his factory. Evidently, should you ever get mixed up with gangsters, if you just ignore them they will go away.

For some this will be a minor quibble, but it seems utterly bizarre that Goodstein-Rosenfeld would set Mighty in New Orleans but not employ any of the local music. That is a real shame because the sounds are so great, and the local musicians could definitely use a gig.

Regardless of the film’s faults, Mighty Fine boasts some of executive producer Chazz Palminteri’s best work. Completely eschewing shtick and sentimentally, it is a gutty yet uncommonly human performance.

In contrast, co-executive producer Andie MacDowell is more than a bit mannered as the ever-loyal Stella. Still, her real-life daughter Rainey Qualley is a forceful, dynamic presence as Maddie. Though somewhat mousy by design, Ferland’s Natalie is quite engaging, as well.

{etRating 2.5}

Joe Bendel writes about independent film and lives in New York. To read his most recent articles please visit http://jbspins.blogspot.com

The Epoch Times publishes in 35 countries and in 19 languages. Subscribe to our e-newsletter.

Paddington Bear (Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

Paddington Bear to Hit Big Screen

The lovable, marmalade-eating storybook bear, Paddington, will be heading to the big screen in his CGI live-action adaptation, according to Variety. The film is being described as a “modern take” on the character that has stolen the hearts of millions since his stories by Michael Bond were first published in 1958. Producer David Heyman (“Harry Potter”) told Variety, “Michael Bond’s books offer such wit and wonder, and I am so delighted at this chance to bring Paddington to the big screen.”

UK State Schools Receive Bibles

"Swamplandia!" by Karen Russell (Courtesy of Knopf)

England’s Education Secretary Michael Gove rallied donors to support his project of delivering “a copy of the King James Bible to every state school in the country,” according to the Guardian. The anniversary editions of the Bible, published by Oxford University Press, come with a letter from Gove saying, “I believe it is important that all pupils—of all faiths or none—should appreciate this icon and its impact on our language and democracy.”

Author Karen Russell Awarded by NY Public Library

Author Karen Russell was awarded the New York Public Library’s Young Lions award for her acclaimed book, “Swamplandia!,” according to Publishers Weekly. The award was accepted by Russell’s brother at a ceremony on May 14, according to the NY Daily News. Winners of this affirmation of young writers receive a $10,000 prize.

Compiled by Barbara Danza, Epoch Times Staff

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Singers Joshua Ledet (L), Neil Diamond (C), and DeAndre Brackensick perform onstage during "American Idol 2012" results show at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on May 23 in Los Angeles (Mark Davis/Getty Images)

Classic rocker Neil Diamond graced the stage of the annual cavalcade at the 11th season of “American Idols” Wednesday night. Diamond shared the stage with a star-studded lineup including international pop star Jennifer Lopez, R&B singer Fantasia Barrino, rock band Aerosmith, and R&B princess Rihanna.

Five of the contest’s male finalists sang a Diamond medley that consisted of “Cracklin Rosie,” “America,” and “I’m a Believer,” before Idol finalist Colton Dixon welcomed Diamond to perform his all-time classic, “Sweet Caroline.”

Even at 71, Diamond did not lose any of his humor. Ahead of the show on Wednesday afternoon, Diamond tweeted, “Surprise guests are planned for the American Idol finale tonight… it’s going to be so good, so good, so good! ”

Diamond has had a long relationship with the FOX reality singing competition. Back in 2008, Diamond served as a guest mentor to the remaining contestants of season seven, as the contestants were to sing Diamond songs for two days of broadcasts.

Just a month ago, Diamond married his 41-year-old fiancée Katie McNeil, Diamond’s manager and producer of the documentary “Neil Diamond: Hot August Nights NYC.” They tied the knot in front of family and close friends in Los Angeles.

After performances from the senior stars and 13 of American Idol’s finalists, the official results were in. With 132 million votes counted, Phillip Phillips won the title and an official trophy that last year’s Idol, Scott McCreery, presented to him. Idol host Ryan Seacrest handed Phillips his guitar to sing his winning song, “Home.” Contestant Jessica Sanchez was the runner-up.

Overwhelmed with the announcement, Phillips never got to finish the song. As the confetti fell, the new Idol walked off the stage to hug his family.

The Epoch Times publishes in 35 countries and in 19 languages. Subscribe to our e-newsletter.

Raúl Esparza as Jonas Nightingale surrounded by the Angels of Mercy choir. (Joan Marcus)

NEW YORK—In the tradition of Elmer Gantry, a revival bus broke down in a dusty Kansas town, and what could the beleaguered passengers do but “leap” into their familiar roles and attempt to instill old-fashioned religion into the hearts and souls of the townspeople? When the leader of the believers was the charismatic performer Raúl Esparza, you had an audience pleaser (although the show itself might have seemed a bit creaky at times).

Esparza, whose character was blessed with the unlikely moniker of Jonas Nightingale, was aided and abetted by a stalwart crew. There was his ever-supportive sister Sam (Kendra Kassebaum). There was his assistant and sturdy gospel choir leader Ida Mae Sturdevant (Kecia Lewis-Evans), who not only helped fill the theater with bouncy song (Broadway’s St. James Theatre served as the revival tent) but also cooked the books for Jonas.

Jonas couldn’t have survived without Ida Mae’s unwavering loyalty because she and her daughter (Krystal Joy Brown) were able to keep the choir members—Angels of Mercy, they were called—from walking out even though they hadn’t been paid in a good while.

Even Ida Mae’s son, Isaiah (Leslie Odom, Jr.), on vacation from Bible college, felt bad when he was forced to turn over the questionable books to the town’s sheriff. The plot then thickened because the sheriff just happened to be a female, the widow Marla McGowan (Jessica Phillips).

Now there’s nothing like a bit of romance to keep a stew simmering. Marla was more than a little conflicted because doing her job would require that she arrest the visiting charlatan. Lonely woman that she was, she couldn’t help but be drawn to the exotic stranger.

Besides, Marla’s 13-year-old son, Jake (Talon Ackerman), who had lost the use of his legs in an accident that killed his father, was also drawn to Jonas and felt that Jonas’s magic touch would make him walk again. Even Jonas was touched by the boy’s strong belief.

Interspersed between all the doings were the musical numbers (music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Glenn Slater) with titles such as Rise Up!, Fields of the Lord, Fox in the Henhouse (sung by Jonas and Marla), King of Sin (sung by Jonas), and Last Chance Salvation. You didn’t go out humming these but they certainly kept things rocking, ranging from intimate country ballads to rousing gospel.

Under Christopher Ashley’s direction, with choreography by Sergio Trujillo, the cast performed with to-be-expected Broadway conscientiousness.

It was ultimately Raúl Esparza’s show, and he carried it to the hilt.

Diana Barth writes and publishes “New Millennium,” an arts publication. For information: www.diabarth@juno.com

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Davies (Jonathan Pryce) joins brothers Mick (Alex Hassell) and Aston (Alan Cox) to become caretaker of their unkempt apartment. (Richard Termine)

BROOKLYN, NY—BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music) has brought from England a Theatre Royal Bath Productions/Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse production of The Caretaker by Harold Pinter, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature and many other literary awards.

Into a remarkably cluttered room somewhere in London, the tenant, Aston (Alan Cox), leads a scruffy, grizzled tramp who calls himself Davies (Jonathan Pryce). Aston has invited the homeless man to stay the night after he loses his job at a local pub following an altercation with his boss.

The reserved and neatly dressed Aston, who might pass for an accountant, seems an anomaly in this disordered environment. Ignoring his guest, Aston sits on his bed attempting to repair the plug on an electric toaster. Success eludes him, possibly after many tries.

Davies, shrewdly noting Aston’s seeming laissez-faire attitude, deduces that maybe his stay can be prolonged.

He tests his host. Davies needs a pair of shoes, and does Aston have any to offer. As a matter of fact he does. But they don’t suit Davies—too tight, he opines. This tramp is fussy.

Inspecting the room and apparently leaky roof—a bucket is hung haphazardly from the ceiling—Davies is concerned as to whether the nearby “blacks” ever enter the house to use the bathroom. Though down on his luck, his obvious racism indicates he feels superior to foreigners.

He tests the bed Aston offers. Clearly pleased with his good fortune, Davies smugly makes himself at home.

He is concerned, however, that the stove placed close to his bed may leak gas during the night and suffocate him. He repeats his concern even after Aston assures him that the stove is not connected. But Aston fuels Davies’s confidence by offering him a job as caretaker to the place. Davies is surprised, but will consider the offer.

With Aston having exited, stress enters in the person of Mick (Alex Hassell), an egotistical street type who proclaims himself to be the actual owner of the property, and that he permits Aston, who is his brother, to stay there. The rug is being pulled out from under Davies, as the balance of power has shifted dangerously. Even though Mick himself also offers Davies the position of caretaker, Davies is losing his earlier sense of equilibrium.

All three characters are in denial, each needing to perform some task in order to get on with his life. They communicate obliquely and seem to be going their separate ways.

Davies—whose real name is Jenkins— claims he must visit a nearby town to get his papers (which have been sitting there about 15 years) and set straight his proper name—when the weather clears, which it never seems to do.

Aston stares longingly out the window and remarks that he must get a shed built.

Mick must have the house redone properly and insists that he has hired the now bewildered Davies to perform work requiring the skills of a professional interior decorator.

More cat-and-mouse games follow, engineered by the taunting Mick. The coup de grace is unexpectedly performed by the heretofore welcoming Aston. At play’s end, Davies is completely unwound. In severe emotional pain, he is as desperate as any human being can be.

In this play, no less than man’s brutality to man is on display, a profound theme. Director Christopher Morahan’s interpretation stresses the play’s comedic aspects, which bring about big laughs from the audience.

But although beautifully performed by the three actors with some brilliant theatrical pyrotechnics, particularly by Jonathan Pryce, a stronger underlying sense of menace and yes, tragedy, throughout, elements which are more than implied in Pinter’s text, would have created a more potent and more meaningful ultimate effect.

This is a question of interpretation, however, and there is no doubt that Mr. Morahan’s version has proven both effective and entertaining.

Diana Barth writes and publishes “New Millennium,” an arts publication. For information: www.diabarth@juno.com.

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Milarepa (circa 1040 to circa 1123) is one of the most famous figures in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. Milarepa is known for practicing meditation in seclusion and teaching groups of disciples mainly through singing to them for their realization. “Seated Milarepa,” Tibet, 15th to 16th century, gilt silver on gilt bronze base, long-term loan of the Nyingjei Lam Collection. (Rubin Museum)

NEW YORK—As you pull open the glass doors to the admissions counter, you are greeted by a cloud wall designed by Milton Glaser. Made of copper, the wall depicts stylized clouds found in Tibetan paintings. With admission tickets in hand, we walked down two steps into a space of contrasting styles.

To the left are mahogany floors and pillars that make up the café and shop area. To the right, a marble spiral staircase, an imposing sight, leads up from a gallery. As we took each step and looked up, it was as if we were walking toward a moment of enlightenment.

This marble-and-steel structure is very much a part of the lore that surrounds the Rubin Museum of Art. Just as each of the pieces on display have a story to tell, so does this staircase. According to a story told by guide Tashi Chodron, Rubin Museum founder Donald Rubin decided that this former Barney’s located at 150 W. 17th St. would be the home of the institution because the staircase reminded him of a Himalayan mandala.

A mandala, according to Himalayanart.org, is a circular diagram, architectural, highly technical, and precise, representing the entire idealized universe of a deity, entourage, palace, and surroundings—the container and contained, animate and inanimate.

I just cannot believe these pieces are as old as they are because I doubt I would be able to add such intricate details without the technologically advanced tools at my disposal.

—Lisa, an Interdisciplinary Sculpture student at Maryland Institute College of Art

The Rubin Museum of Art is home to the largest collection of Himalayan art in the West. The Rubin is in many ways the culmination of Donald and Shelley Rubin’s love of Himalayan art, a permanent home for the collection they put together over many years.

While each floor of this six-floor museum tells a unique story, the fifth floor was the focus of this particular visit. The floor’s current exhibit, Casting the Divine, is a testament to skill, passion, and perseverance.

Casting the Divine is made up of the Nyingjei Lam Collection, on long-term loan to the Rubin Museum and on display until July 13. The collection consists of 108 sculptures, 104 of which are displayed as part of the exhibit. Whether you take the stairs or the elevator, you will be mesmerized the moment you reach the exhibit.

Lisa, an Interdisciplinary Sculpture student at Maryland Institute College of Art commented, “I just cannot believe these pieces are as old as they are because I doubt I would be able to add such intricate details without the technologically advanced tools at my disposal.”

The pieces, made of materials such as metal, stone, and bone, reflect within their details the time it took to complete each.

Casting the Divine is not merely an exhibition; it is also the stories of the artists who created these sculptures.

Gaurav Bawa is a candidate for a masters degree in public administration at Bernard Baruch College. Don Waisanen is a professor of communication at Bernard Baruch College, City University of New York.

Kathryn Bigelow, director of 'Zero Dark Thirty,' is seen here accepting an Academy Awards for the film 'The Hurt Locker,' in 2010. (Valerie Macon/AFP/Getty Images)

The CIA and the Pentagon were involved in an “unprecedented and potentially dangerous collaboration” with an Oscar Award-winning filmmaker and a screenwriter working on a movie about last year’s successful raid on Osama bin Laden’s compound in Pakistan, according to New York Rep. Peter King.

King, a Republican who is chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, cited documents obtained and posted by the conservative Judicial Watch legal group. It said it obtained the more than 250 pages of documents through the Freedom of Information Act.

The documents said director Kathryn Bigelow, who won an Academy Award for “The Hurt Locker,” and screenwriter Mark Boal met with a “planner, operator, and commander of SEAL Team Six,” which raided bin Laden’s Abbottabad compound last May, killing the al-Qaeda leader.

The film is titled “Zero Dark Thirty” and was the subject of scrutiny after a New York Times columnist reportedly discovered its existence and said the producers wanted to release it before the November 6 election date. Some Republicans jumped on the project, saying President Barack Obama is trying too hard to politicize the raid on bin Laden’s compound.

Judicial Watch president Tom Fitton said, “Politically connected filmmakers were given extraordinary and secret access to bin Laden raid information, including the identity of a SEAL Team Six leader.”

The CIA and the Pentagon have mostly declined to comment on the issue, but said there was nothing out of the ordinary in dealing with the filmmakers.

“Our goal is an accurate portrayal of the men and women of the CIA, their vital mission, and the commitment to public service that defines them. The protection of national security equities is always paramount in any engagement with the entertainment industry,” Jennifer Youngblood, a spokesperson with the CIA, told Reuters.

The intelligence agency, she added, has been straightforward in engaging with documentary filmmakers and other members of the entertainment industry.

Another representative of the Pentagon, who was not named, told Politico that the person whose name was given to the filmmakers was not involved directly in the Abbottabad raid.

King, however, expressed concern about exposing potentially classified information to the filmmakers.

“If this facility is so secret that the name cannot even be seen by the public, then why in the world would the Obama administration allow filmmakers to tour it?”

(L-R) Megan Hilty, Stephen R. Buntrock, Rachel York, and Deborah Rush (kneeling), in a number from the Encores! production of “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.” (Joan Marcus)

NEW YORK—Encores! wound up their season with a very enjoyable production of the 1949 musical comedy “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.”

With music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Leo Robin, book by Anita Loos and Joseph Fields, and adapted from the novel by Anita Loos, the story is set in 1924 New York City. It was a time when hair was bobbed, flappers were everywhere, and the lure of legal drinks was one reason many Americans booked transatlantic cruises.

Among those taking one particular ocean voyage to Paris are former Follies showgirls Lorelei Lee (Megan Hilty) and Dorothy Shaw (Rachel York). Lorelei is an attractive blonde whose intellect may be somewhat low, but she’s smart as a whip when it comes to knowing what men want from women and how she can get what she wants from men.

Lorelei’s engaged to Gus Esmond Jr. (Clarke Thorell), heir to the Esmond Button Corp., an organization threatened by the coming of a newfangled invention called the zipper. This new competition, as well as his father’s illness and dad’s disapproval of Lorelei, has caused Gus to skip the cruise.

Gus’s departure leaves Lorelei, as she sees it, a free agent in the romance department. She quickly finds no shortage of admirers, including elderly millionaire Sir Francis Beekman (Simon Jones), who is desperately trying to get away from his shrewish wife (Sandra Shipley).

As for Dorothy, she is a good-natured, good time girl who puts on no airs as to what she has to offer and doesn’t really think about the future. At least until she meets glee club instructor Henry Spofford (Aaron Lazar), then sparks quickly fly between the two. 

Among the other passengers are Follies girl Gloria Stark (Megan Sikora) and Josephus Gage (Stephen R. Buntrock) of the Gage Zipper Corp.

Things heat up when the ship reaches Paris and Lorelei finds herself under suspicion of theft, while Dorothy wonders if a girl like her could find happiness with a man like Henry. Meanwhile, Gus arrives on the scene and is none too pleased to learn what his fiancée had been up to in his absence.

Containing a plot of the thinnest kind, where coincidence becomes the norm, the story is a jolly and jaunty work of theater from a time when music and dance sequences appeared at the drop of a hat and did not always advance the plot.

There is no hidden message or meaning here, other than a few pointed sayings and lyrics regarding men and women, and how everyone can be reformed by marriage—with a little push. Rather, the entire show is just an opportunity for audience members to have a good time.

The show also contained some wonderful dance sequences, such as one by Sikora, Phillip Attmore, and Jared Grimes in a Paris nightclub.

Randy Skinner handled the choreography chores quite well, with the different movements coming together beautifully, at times in perfect synchronization.

Credit must also go to John Rando’s strong direction, which let the characters go wild when necessary, but always kept them at least somewhat grounded in reality—especially where matters of the heart were concerned.

Hilty did a great job as Lorelei, part quintessential dumb blonde, part hard-hearted realist who uses what she has to obtain a successful life for herself, and if love comes with it, that’s just a great bonus.

York was pleasing as the more earthy Dorothy, a woman trying to see if she can balance her passionate past and love of the unexpected with the more sedate life of a teacher’s wife.

Deborah Rush was fun as Henry’s mother, someone just looking for a place to unwind and have a drink or two—that is if she could get away from her overprotective son long enough.

Thorell and Buntrock were nicely square-jawed as the somewhat over-the-top Edmonds and Gage. Buntrock called to mind the memory of the late actor Jack Cassidy.

John Lee Beatty’s scenic design work was very nice, making the stage look believably like part of a ship, and later, a Parisian nightspot. Costumes by David C. Woolard were excellent, especially some of the outfits worn by Hilty.

The production of “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” made for a wonderful look at a theatrical musical of yesteryear. Word was that the show would be recorded. If so, be sure to pick up the CD when it becomes available.

Also in the cast were Brennan Brown, Luke Hawkins, Eric Bourne, Steven Boyer, Anna Aimee White, Kristyn Pope, Shannon M. O’Bryan, Arlo Hill, Callan Bergmann, Charissa Bertels, Sam Bolen, Kyle Brown, Robin Campbell, Brandon Davidson, Christine DiGiallonardo, Michael Marcotte, Nick McGough, Lindsay O’Neil, Lindsay Roberts, Heath Saunders, Kelly Sheehan, Jessica Vosk, Matt Zimmerman, and Curtis Schroeger.

Judd Hollander is the New York correspondent for the London publication The Stage.

By “atmosphere,” he meant that rare mystical feeling generated by all great works of art. A work with atmosphere becomes a world unto itself and creates a longing in the soul, as well as a desire to revisit. It’s as if a living being with personality inhabits or overshadows the play, book, painting, and so on. Director Wes Anderson creates somewhat of an atmosphere in his delightful new movie, “Moonrise Kingdom.”

The time is 1965, and the location is mostly Rhode Island with some Narragansett thrown in. A 12-year-old boy goes AWOL from the Boy Scouts, while a 12-year-old girl runs away from home. They had met by chance in a community pageant, started writing each other letters, and decided to meet in a field. 

They have a wondrous adventure, at once mundane and magical. They camp, cook; he demonstrates his Scout skills; she looks pretty in pink, reads books to him; they jump in the lake, dance to the portable record player, and attempt a kiss. It’s pretty adorable.

Meanwhile, Captain Sharp (Bruce Willis) and Scout Master Ward (Edward Norton), as well the girl’s hysterical parents (Bill Murray and Frances McDormand), go searching for them while a major rainstorm rolls in. Someone gets hit by lightning and survives! It gets rather chaotic all around. A bearded Bob Balaban plays the narrator.

Reminiscent of Anderson’s recent film “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” and also of the 1986 rite-of-passage film “Stand By Me,” it’s a bit confusing at first. One wonders what kind of film it’s trying to be. Is it a comedy? Is it for children only? It’s obviously very stylized. Kids will love it certainly, but for their parents, it turns out to be a rather heartwarming walk down memory lane.

“Moonrise Kingdom” recreates a child’s-eye view of the early 1960s, when the ’60s still contained much of the ’50s. It brings back warm memories, especially of things like tents, tree houses, campfires, innocent conversations, and performing theater in grade-school assemblies. It’s a magical lens that looks back and captures the joy of innocence and purity. And all around is atmosphere.

The two newcomer 12-year-olds, Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward, have great chemistry, and it’s a good bet that this movie will put them both on the map permanently. The acting is generally fine all around, and Wes Anderson’s humor often is represented by well-timed sight gags.

What’s Anderson trying to say? The children are loners and outcasts, but they’re fairly okay with that; each has a strong sense of, if not purpose, then destiny. The parents and adults are compromised, sad, and clueless. Maybe it’s as simple as this—if you take a risk to follow your destiny, you’ll discover true love waiting at the end of the road. And all around is atmosphere.

Rating: 3.5 / 5

TV personality Dog the Bounty Hunter (L) and his wife Beth Chapman arrive at Comedy Central's Roast of Charlie Sheen held at Sony Studios on September 10, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

After eight seasons and 230 episodes, reality show “Dog the Bounty Hunter” has been canceled by A&E. The series, which follows Duane “Dog” Chapman and his family-run bounty-hunter business, will continue with its current season until June, according to US Weekly. 

The A&E Network gave no explanation for the cancellation, but the series has stirred its share of controversy. 

The show was briefly suspended in 2007 upon its release of an audiotape in which Chapman used a racial slur in reference to his son’s black girlfriend. Chapman followed the incident with a public apology on CNN, according to the Los Angeles Times. 

In 2010, Hoang Minh Phung Nguyen, who was portrayed as a fugitive on the show, sued Chapman and his crew for defamation. Nguyen said the defamation cost him his job and forced him to relocate. 

Last year, both of Chapman’s sons quit the show, which was taped and aired in a March 2012 episode. 

“Dog the Bounty Hunter” follows the 59-year-old fugitive recovery agent Chapman, his wife, Beth, and Chapman’s children, Leland, Duane Lee, and Lyssa, as they track down criminals in Hawaii and Colorado. 

Last week, A&E also canceled its drama “Breakout Kings” after two seasons.

The Epoch Times publishes in 35 countries and in 19 languages. Subscribe to our e-newsletter.

R&B artist Ray J watches Game One of the Eastern Conference Semifinals of the 2011 NBA Playoffs between the Miami Heat and the Boston Celtics at American Airlines Arena on May 1, 2011 in Miami. Ray J was hospitalized on Monday in Las Vegas after attending the Billboard Music Awards. (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

Singer Ray J was hospitalized in Las Vegas on Monday after exhausting himself at the Billboard Music Awards on Sunday.

Ray J was on a 32-hour trip from China to the United States just ahead of the ceremony, and hosted a launch party for his “Prince Reigns” hair serum afterward at the Rio Hotel & Casino.

The Billboard Music Awards paid a special tribute to the late Whitney Houston, who died at age 48 on Feb. 11. Ray J, who dated the music legend and actress on and off, told the magazine shortly after her death that he had “tried to process the emptiness that I am experiencing. What my heart feels cannot be expressed in words. The world lost an icon, but I lost my close friend.”

(L-R) Actors Peter Jacobson, Omar Epps, Jesse Spencer, Odette Annable, Hugh Laurie, creator David Shore, actress Charlyne Yi and actor Robert Sean Leonard arrive at Fox's 'House' series finale wrap party at Cicada on April 20, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

After eight years and 177 episodes, “House” aired its last season finale Monday evening on Fox, divided between a retrospective and the last episode. 

The big question going into the finale, titled “Everybody Dies,” was whether or not Dr. Gregory House would die. In the eight seasons of “House,” the title character had many chances to die: He had been shot, electrocuted, consumed enough drugs, been in insulin shock and cardiac arrest, and involved in an appalling bus crash. 

The final hour of the eight-season series does not unfold chronologically. The episode reveals how House arrives at his precarious circumstance through flashbacks. 

The episode brings back old favorites such as Sela Ward, Anne Dudek, Jennifer Morrison, and Kal Penn, which but all made the absence of Lisa Edelstein’s Dr. Lisa Cuddy more evident. Edelstein starred in every season of “House” except the last. 

And House does die at last—on paper. And he is brought back to life in a way that its viewers have never seen before on the series. By the end of the episode, it is revealed to the viewers that House has in essence faked his own death so that he can spend time with Dr. James Wilson, his best friend, in the last few months of Wilson’s life as he battles with terminal cancer. 

Even though House did not get to do what he loves to do the most—solving puzzles, he was last seen out in the countryside riding his motorcycle with Wilson.

“When the cancer starts getting really bad,” says Wilson, before House cuts him off.

“Cancer’s boring,” House says, flashing a grin. 

And there it ends—a sweet episode. 

“What an ending. Thank you so much for 8 years of wonderful memories,” the official Twitter page of the medical drama tweeted. 

Leading up to the finale, “House” averaged a 2.34 adult 18-49 rating for its new episodes since January. Its highest rating since the beginning of this year was a 3.1 the week ending Jan. 29. Last week’s one-hour episode of House drew a 2.1 adult 18-49 rating. 

Distributed to 66 countries, “House,” debuted on the Fox network in November 2004, was the most watched television program in the world in 2008. The show has received five Primetime Emmy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, and nine People’s Choice Awards. 

The Epoch Times publishes in 35 countries and in 19 languages. Subscribe to our e-newsletter.

Czeslaw Milosz’s “Meaning” is a moving paean of optimism in the face of a world fraught with uncertain troubles; a spiritual ballast of faithfulness, rebuffing the common cynicism of many who disdain the possibility of a greater reality than this world.

Czeslaw Milosz, a Polish Catholic who joined the Resistance against the Nazi Occupation, originally wrote this poem in his native language. Originally titled with the French word “Sens” (which means “meaning,” but also “direction,” and “sense”), Milosz later translated his work into English.

The poet expresses a boundless hope, one that exposes the ultimate duplicity of a passing world—one in which those who live on “this side” must confront.

“The lining of the world” emphasizes a higher order of life has persists in the face of the mundane. “Lining” speaks, perhaps, of an unseen yet grand texture, a beautiful embroidery waiting to be discovered, or a structure beneath that supports everything, yet remains unnoticed.

“The other side, beyond bird, mountain, sunset.”

Bird, representing biological life, times, and seasons that move about the earth; cycles of nature which capture a calm beauty, no matter how patterned.

Mountain represents the deliberate elements of our world, not just natural phenomena, but also the institutions, like Mount Sinai, where the Ten Commandments were given to the Jews, or the Catholic Church, which claims the Apostle Peter (or “stone”) as its founder.

By listing “sunset” in the final of three terms, the poet indicates the twilight of established orders, the end of reigns and dynasties, the fading of hopes and dreams, and the sad certainty that all beautiful things, even as they manifest a greater glory in their diminution, must ultimately disappear and give way to blackness and night.

“The true meaning” is a loaded phrase, including the word “true,”which elicits respect and derision. For the poet, the “true meaning,” the end of the story, the resolution and explanation of all things, will be revealed.

The missing pieces of one’s broken life will come together and “add Up.” The capitalization of this little preposition, positioned at the very end, suggests that the open security of whatever questions have puzzled mankind will have found their peaceful termination.

The poet rebuffs repudiation with hopeful faith. “If there is no lining,” if there is no hidden beauty not yet revealed, then the “thrush on a branch” still represents a part of a greater whole. The two basic elements of “thrush” and “branch,” and perhaps by extension, the basic processes of life, death, and existence as a whole are still part of a larger creation.

Just like the thrushes and branches of isolated simplicity, night and day reveal the staggering systems of life beyond the comprehension of one man. Almost chiding the inclination that “on this earth” there is nothing “except this earth,” Milosz expresses his faithful certitude of a world “beyond” this world.

“There will remain,” continues the poet, “a word wakened by lips that perish.” “Remain,” what stays over, what lasts, what endures in spite of times and seasons, reigns and deaths, there remains a word. The poet’s words remain, certainly. “Perish” implies complete disappearance, sometimes through privation or violence, without a trace. The lips that speak the word will go away, not one trace of them remaining, but the wakened word will continue, an ever-present sign of the lips that are no more.

“A word” is described as a “tireless” messenger—one that does not just bear a message, but represents the one who sent it. “Tireless” indicates that this word is unstoppable, unceasing, interminable.

Stressing the simplicity of this indefatigable word, the poet repeats “runs and runs.” Relentless in its energy, inexhaustible in its mission to be, this word travels beyond worlds; “Through interstellar fields, through the revolving galaxies”—beyond the thrushes, the branches, the senseless night and day.

This word “calls out,” emerging from a language to contact someone. Its purpose? It “protests,” it refuses to die, it refuses to be reduced to nothing. It “screams,” demanding to be heard.

Milosz’s “Meaning” contends that life is not a barren exercise or a joke. This one word, or Word, lives and breathes in every one who believes.

Paintings by Italian Renaissance master Luca Signorelli (circa 1450–1523), whose works influenced Michelangelo, are on view at the Palazzo dei Notari in Perugia, Italy, through Aug. 26. “The Holy Family,” by Luca Signorelli, circa 1490, oil on wood. (TIZIANA FABI/AFP/Getty Images)

Cécile Van Sants sings the title role in a performance of Gluck’s “Orphée.” (Susan James)

ALBERTVILLE, France—Marking the 300th anniversary of the birthday of noted philosopher, writer, and composer Jean Jacques Rousseau, France is celebrating Rousseau’s life with a series of events, including a special concert dedicated to his passionate love of music. On May 11, Albertville staged a concert presentation of Gluck’s precedent-setting opera “Orphée” at the Dome Theatre.

Rousseau had a particular affection for the evolving opera form and was especially enthusiastic about the works of his contemporary, German composer Christoph Gluck. Thus, the concert celebrates the connection between Rousseau and Gluck.

First performed in Vienna in 1762, “Orphée” became a benchmark for French opera. It was a radical departure at the time from the overly ornate and florid Italian tradition, which dominated the evolving musical form.

With his new work, Gluck tried to impose an organic simplicity on what was basically an artificial art and, in the midst of great tragedy, give his characters recognizable human emotions.

A minor composer himself, Rousseau understood Gluck’s aims and delighted in the French influences in his work. The two men finally met in Paris in 1774.

The story of “Orphée”
Taking a tale from Greek mythology, “Orphée” tells the story of Orpheus and Eurydice, lovers separated by death after Eurydice is bitten by a venomous serpent.

Distraught with grief, Orpheus travels to the Underworld to find Eurydice and restore her to life. The gods who rule the dead are moved by his pleas and grant him his wish, with one proviso: Eurydice may follow Orpheus back to the living world, but he is forbidden to turn and look at her during the journey.

In Orpheus’s need to reassure himself, he forgets his promise and he glances back at his lost love. Consequently, she is ripped away from him and pulled once again into the world of the dead.

In the 18th century, this tragic ending was not popular so Gluck added two additional scenes and an intercession by the Goddess of Love, who ultimately reunites the two lovers in the finale.

The concert
In honor of the mutual admiration of these two titans of 18th century culture, the Dome Theatre tribute performance was arranged as a stage concert under the baton of conductor Nicolas Chalvin, featuring the Orchestre des Pays de Savoie, whose home is in one of Rousseau’s favorite towns, Chambery.

An enthusiastic audience greeted conductor Chalvin’s interpretation of the opera. Unobtrusive but always in control Chalvin allowed his singers room to express themselves, and the tragedy with a happy ending, played out ably backed by orchestra and chorus.

Mourning the loss of his beloved Eurydice, Van de Sant as Orpheus took the stage dressed all in black, her face twisted with loss. Each agonized line of lyric was informed by inner suffering and the resonant timbre of her voice contrasted powerfully with the light and caressing tones of French soprano Katia Velletaz’s Eurydice.

French soprano Bénédicte Tauran, added a third strong and flexible voice to the fabric of sound as the Goddess of Love, Amour, who reunites the lovers.
The production is just one of a variety of musical events that have been mounted in France to celebrate the Year of Rousseau.

Susan James is a freelance writer based in Los Angeles. She has lived in India, the United Kingdom, and Hawaii and writes about art and culture.

This scene from “La Bayadere,” titled “The Kingdom of the Shades,” is among the most celebrated in ballet. American Ballet Theatre is performing the classical ballet through May 28 at the Metropolitan Opera House. (Rosalie O’Connor)

 PERFORMING ARTS

‘La Bayadere’–American Ballet Theatre

First performed by Russia’s Imperial Ballet in 1877, this Indian tale follows the tormented love between temple dancer Nikiya and the warrior Solor. The gods’ justice ultimately prevails. A scene in the ballet, “The Kingdom of the Shades,” is among the most celebrated in classical ballet. Music by Ludwig Minkus, and choreography by Natalia Makarova. Approximately 2 hours and 42 minutes. 

The Metropolitan Opera House, Lincoln Center
Now through May 28, times vary
Tickets: $20–$230
www.abt.org

Sergey Khachatryan. (Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images for Montblanc)

Violinist Sergey Khachatryan

This young Armenian virtuoso will perform Beethoven’s Violin Sonata in A major (“Kreutzer”) and Bach’s Partita No. 2 for Solo Violin. Khachatryan won first prize in the VIII International Jean Sibelius competition in Helsinki in 2000, at the age of only 15, becoming the youngest person to ever do so. He is accompanied by his sister, pianist Lusine Khachatryan.

Beethoven: Violin Sonata in A major (“Kreutzer”)
Bach: Partita No. 2 for Solo Violin
Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center
Wednesday May 23, 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: $45$–77
www.lincolncenter.org/

Mozart’s Masterwork at St. Patrick’s Cathedral

Amid the sublime setting of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the cathedral’s choir and orchestra will provide a secular concert, performing Mozart’s masterwork, Mass in C Minor, K. 427. The choir has performed for many heads of state and the secretary-general of the United Nations. Dr. Jennifer Pascual conducts.

St. Patrick’s Cathedral, 460 Madison Ave.
Thursday, May 24, 7 p.m.
Tickets: $20–$30
www.saintpatrickscathedral.org

Schubert, Bartok, and Dvorak – NY Philharmonic

The New York Philharmonic will perform Dvorak’s “Carnival Overture,” Bartok’s Violin Concerto No. 1, and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4. Alan Gilbert conducts and Glenn Dicterow is featured on violin. 

Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center
Saturday, May 26, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $31.00–$118.00
Nyphil.org

New Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra

Noted for showcasing emerging young conductors, soloists, and composers, the New Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra will perform Mozart’s Symphony No. 36 (“Linz”) and Borodin’s “In the Steppes of Central Asia.”

Peter Jay Sharp Theatre at Symphony Space
Thursday, May 31, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $20, children $12
www.symphonyspace.org

FINE ARTS

Art of Stephen Scott Young

Forty of the exquisite watercolor paintings of living master Stephen Scott Young will be on view and sale at Christie’s. His acclaimed realist works capture in detail the spirit of the Bahamas, Florida, and coastal South Carolina through their people, landscape, and architecture.

Christie’s Private Sales Galleries, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, 20th floor
Exhibition: Now through June 11
This event is free
www.christies.com

North Italian Paintings from the Accademia Carrara, Bergamo 

Called a jewel among Italian museums, the Accademia Carrara is closed for renovation, an unintended boon for New Yorkers. Because of the closure, the museum has been able to lend New York 15 masterpieces by Venetian and north Italian painters of the 15th and 16th centuries, including works by Bellini, Titian, and Lorenzo Lotto.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art
May 15–Sept. 3
Tickets: $25, Children under 12 free
www.metmuseum.org

A Window on Nature: Art of Asuka Hishiki

These 35 watercolors depict plants and insects in superb detail and refreshing style. Artist Asuka Hishiki takes her inspiration from 18th century naturalist and scientific illustrator Maria Sibylla Merian. Hishiki writes, “I love to share the beauty and the simple and quiet moments.”

The Arsenal (in Central Park) 830 Fifth Ave.,
Now through June 6
Weekdays only, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Free
www.nycgovparks.org

Beauties of the Gilded Age: Peter Marié’s Miniatures of Society Women

These nearly 300 watercolor-on-ivory miniatures are portraits of women believed epitomize female beauty. They were commissioned by New York socialite Peter Marié, between 1889 and 1903, amid the rapid development and luxury of America’s Gilded Age. The fragile and rarely exhibited portraits will be displayed in four-month rotations.

New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West
Now through July 8
Admission:$15, kids 7–13 $5, under 7 free
www.nyhistory.org

Patricia Watwood: Myths and Individuals

Patricia Watwood’s contemporary classic paintings, many of them masterful lifelike portraits, are on display at The Forbes Galleries. Watwood writes, “I chase what artists in the past have also chased—a celebration of the human form, a passion for and humility before nature, a belief that metaphor and narrative can help us puzzle out the mysteries of our time here on earth, and a belief in the emotional power of the common visual language of representation.”

The Forbes Galleries, 62 Fifth Ave.,
Now through June 9, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Admission is free
www.forbesgalleries.com

Renaissance Venice: Drawings from the Morgan

Visit the Golden Age of Venice and its territories during the 16th century. This exhibit features drawings, books, maps, and letters dating back 500 years. Great masters featured include Paris Bordone, Vittore Carpaccio, Lorenzo Lotto, Jacopo Tintoretto, Titian, and Paolo Veronese.

The Morgan Museum and Library, 225 Madison Ave.,
Now through September 23.
Adults: $15. 
Children under 12: Free
www.themorgan.org

FAMILY

Shipshape: Nautical Scale Models

From a ship in a bottle to a massive World War II warship, this exhibit explores the art and craft of shipbuilding with variations. Drawn from the Intrepid Museum’s collection and loans from other institutions and collectors, the exhibit includes large-scale models of USS Constitution and USS New Jersey, a modeler’s workbench, and World War II nautical toys.

Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum 12th Avenue and 46th Street
Now through July 8
Tickets: $24, $19 (ages 7–17), $12 (ages 3–6)
www.intrepidmuseum.org

‘Monkey King’: A Story from China

A children’s exhibit exploring the classic Chinese tale of the ‘Monkey King.’ The mischievous supernatural monkey decides to mend his ways by embarking on an epic journey across China to retrieve the Buddhist scriptures from India. For ages 4 and up.

Children’s Museum of Manhattan, The Tisch Building at 212 W. 83rd St.,
Ongoing, Tuesday–Sunday 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Saturday until 7 p.m.
Admission: $11 for everyone over 12 months old
www.cmom.org

Astrograss. (Lara Weschler)

Governors Island Family Festival

Get off the mainland and take your kids to Governors Island, where they can enjoy music, theater, dance, arts and crafts, face painting, and maritime education. Featured performers include local kid friendly bluegrass band Astrograss as well as The Maybelles and Arm of the Sea Theater.

Nolan Park, Governors Island, ferry located near Staten Island Ferry
Saturday May 26, 12 p.m.-4 p.m.
Free
www.nycgovparks.org

Submit Arts Events

The arts at their best are not purely for entertainment or the reinvention of art itself. Rather, they strive forward with traditional forms, toward technical mastery, and place the highest value on virtue and the spiritually sublime.

Email events for consideration to NYC_news@epochtimes.com

Facebook founder, CEO, and Chairman Mark Zuckerberg on Saturday married longtime girlfriend Priscilla Chan at his Palo Alto, Calif. home. (Facebook.com)

Facebook founder, CEO, and Chairman Mark Zuckerberg on Saturday tied the knot with former fellow Harvard classmate and longtime girlfriend Priscilla Chan, the 28-year-old multi-billionaire updated on his Facebook page. His status updated had generated nearly 400,000 “likes” as of 2 a.m. EDT Sunday.

Zuckerberg married the 27-year-old Chan at his Palo Alto, Calif. home before fewer than 100 guests who thought they were attending a party to celebrate Chan’s graduation from medical school, USA Today reported.

Changing out of his usual hoodie and sneakers, Zuckerberg wore a dark blue suit with tie and a white dress shirt. His new bride wore a vintage white wedding dress with a veil. A guest speaking on the condition of anonymity told the newspaper that Zuckerberg gave Chan a ring he designed with a “very simple ruby.”

The wedding joined in as part of an eventful week for the Zuckerbergs. Facebook Inc. on Friday launched its historic initial public offering, during which the Cupertino-based company raised $16 billion to become the third-largest IPO ever after Visa and Italian utility company Enel.  

Just on Monday, Zuckerberg turned 28, still making him the world’s youngest billionaire and newest multi-billionaire. On the same day, Chan graduated from the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, where she studied pediatrics.

Zuckerberg got together with Chan at Harvard, where he founded Facebook in a dorm room in 2004. The two had been in a relationship for nearly a decade. Chan graduated from Harvard in 2007 and taught fourth- and fifth-grade science for two years in San Jose for two years before starting medical school, according to her Facebook profile.

The couple has a dog together, named Beast.

The Epoch Times publishes in 35 countries and in 19 languages. Subscribe to our e-newsletter.

A ship’s crew gathers on deck in 'Battleship'.(ILM/Universal Pictures)

If ever a movie had “Paid for in full by the U.S. Navy” written all over it—it would be Battleship. Based on the Hasbro toy company’s game of the same name, Battleship is an unabashed, movie-length Navy recruitment vehicle. That being said, Battleship might eventually nudge The Avengers out of the top spot for 2012’s leading summer blockbuster. Between the two, it’s surprisingly more fun.

Whether a shameless military recruitment film is a good thing is always an interesting question. Battleship may be the most blatantly shameless ever.

The NASA “Beacon project” is looking for “Goldilocks” situations in deep space. There are other planets out there orbiting suns. Some are too far from their sun and thus too cold, others are too close and too hot, and the one that’s “just right” must be like our planet Earth. So let’s beam some info to the possible humanoid life forms on those “just right” planets. Oh wait, but what if they then pinpoint our location and send some aliens back our way to do some reconnaissance? Uh-oh.

Meanwhile, back on Earth, Hopper (Taylor Kitsch of Friday Night Lights fame) is the loose-cannon rebel younger brother of a Navy officer (Alexander Skarsgard). While celebrating his birthday, he gets tasered by cops after an inebriated attempt to impress the cute chick at the bar. He eventually gets the girl (Brooklyn Decker) but can’t face up to asking her dad (Liam Neeson) for her hand in marriage. Dad happens to be a Navy admiral.

So little brother joins the Navy. We can tell because “Navy” is stenciled everywhere. He leapfrogs to a high command (never mind how) but remains highly annoying to his hopefully future father-in-law. Eventually he comes to command a destroyer. This means it’s time to grow up, destroy some aliens (yep, they found us and their intentions aren’t good), attain manhood, and earn the admiral’s respect.

Taylor Kitsch watches as an alien invader rises from the Pacific Ocean in the science fiction action-thriller 'Battleship.' (ILM/Universal Pictures)

The humans are ridiculously technically out-classed by the aliens, of course, but our trick is that we are very wily and utilize American low-tech ingenuity, including a fictitious but impressive Navy-destroyer version of a spinning back-kick. We show them who’s who. The world will be saved.

Battleship is tailored kitsch—tailored to sway the latent inner warrior of male teens, that is. Taylor Kitsch does a good job of this. At one point, he explains to a breathless youth the difference between battleships and destroyers. The youth is immediately overwhelmed by the coolness. The reviewer almost was too.

That sort of thing, along with “Top Gun”-like shots of Navy fighter jets doing carrier landings and massive aircraft carriers in full throttle, all accompanied by the hard rock band AC/DC’s slamming power chords, stirs up testosterone handily. It’s a movie version of the recent military commercial featuring Kid Rock hollering, “I’m an American warrior!” If you’re a male, part of you knee-jerk reflexively goes, “Awesome!” and your eyes bug out a little bit.

The movie opens in similar down-home, cozy Americana fashion to the first Transformers and has much in common with that film, including a stunning beauty (Brooklyn Decker) and aliens. Speaking of beauty, this is not the type of movie where you talk about the acting, but more about the attractiveness of everyone. Pop star Rihanna successfully makes her movie debut of good-lookingness.

Rating: 3.5 / 5

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(L-R) Rob Huebel, Amir Talai, Chris Rock, and Thomas Lennon in the comedy-drama-romance ;What to Expect When You’re Expecting.' (Courtesy Lions Gate Entertainment)

What to Expect When You’re Expecting is a classic example of what happens when you have a semi-interesting idea but then fail to execute it. Inspired by the best-selling nonfiction book that has sold over 35 million copies worldwide, the film features five couples who are faced with very different pregnancy situations.

TV fitness trainer Jules (Cameron Diaz) and her on-screen dance partner Evan (Matthew Morrison) end up fast-tracking their relationship when she discovers she’s pregnant.

Then we have the Cooper family: Wendy Cooper (Elizabeth Banks) and Gary (Ben Falcone) are ecstatic to find out she’s pregnant after trying for two years. However, Gary’s alpha dad, Ramsey (Dennis Quaid), and his much-younger trophy wife, Skyler (Brooklyn Decker), are also pregnant at the same time. Competition ensues when Wendy ends up having a difficult pregnancy while Skyler breezes through it on her 5-inch stilettos without gaining any weight.

And what would an ensemble film be without Jenny from the Block? Jennifer Lopez plays Holly, a photographer who is infertile and decides to adopt with her husband Alex (Rodrigo Santoro).

Chris Rock (L) and Rodrigo Santoro (R). (Melissa Moseley/ Lions Gate Entertainment)

The final couple consists of the super-talented Anna Kendrick as Rosie, a food truck owner who ends up getting more than she wanted after a one-night stand with Marco (Chace Crawford).

What in the world are these couples doing in this movie? Well, while one can certainly appreciate the filmmakers’ attempt to showcase the myriad of circumstances surrounding the ubiquitous question of whether one wishes to procreate, ultimately the film is unsuccessful in getting the audience to invest in these couples and their stories.

It feels like a careless salad bowl—a little bit of this, a dollop of that, a pinch of this. The components are thrown in but without enough care to really engage viewers, outside of a few empty laughs along the way (mostly from comic legend Chris Rock).

While certain ensemble films have worked very well—Traffic and Crash—some recent efforts such as Garry Marshall’s Valentine’s Day and New Year’s Eve have missed the mark by a mile as a result of the lack of attention to the storyline behind each character and, frankly, crowding the script with too many characters.

Unfortunately, What to Expect falls into the latter category.

For the pregnant women out there who are looking forward to seeing this one, my advice would be to keep your expectations very low.

Rating: 2.5 / 5

The Epoch Times publishes in 35 countries and in 19 languages. Subscribe to our e-newsletter.

Hera singing with the theorbo during a concert in Timisoara. (Courtesy of Caius Hera)

Romanian lute player Caius Hera’s love affair with the lute began in his room in Timisoara, Romania where he imitated the sound of the lute on his guitar. His passion led him to Basel, Switzerland and there, under the tutelage of the famous lute master Hopkinson Smith, young Hera reached the level of lute mastery that he’d always dreamed of.

Currently, Hera is working on projects with Hungarian singer Judit Andrejszki, with most of their concerts performed in Eastern Europe. In May, Hera will perform Renaissance music with Judit Andrejszki and the famous Hungarian folk singer Márta Sebestyén in Budapest. At the end of August, he is preparing a big tour in Romania, Hungary, and other nearby countries.

His First Lute

Hera had already studied classical guitar and music theory on his own in high school and only became acquainted with the lute in 2000 at the West University of Timisoara. It was then that he started experimenting with his guitar, trying to make it sound like a lute.

“I simply liked it and tried to see how it would sound on my guitar. It sounded good, but I felt that it wasn’t exactly what I wanted. Lute strings are thinner, and there are some things about the instrument’s construction [that differs]. The tensions are different. The overall sonority of the instrument is far lower than that of the guitar. The guitar sounds loud and aggressive; the lute sounds soft, very soft,” he said.

After searching for years, Hera found, in a small Romanian town, a violin maker able to make a lute for him—his first lute.

The violin maker wasn’t what Hera was prepared for. “‘What do you want, kid? You want to ruin yourself?’ was the answer to his order for a lute, Hera recalled. ‘You better go do some pop music. You want to go down the road of no return? It’s like a disease, kid. When you get one lute, you’ll want another, and another.’”

But Hera replied, “Give me a break, sir. Don’t depress me. I want a lute! I’ve dreamed of having my own lute for years. Now I finally found you, so please make one for me.”

“The man said, ‘Okay, kid. I’ll make a lute for you.’”

On New Year’s Eve, 2004, Hera had his first lute in hand. But when he started to pluck the lute strings the next day, he was totally disappointed. The sound had no color.

He called the violin maker, “‘Sir, what have you given me here? This doesn’t sound right!’ and the man replied, ‘Kid, you don’t know what you’ve gotten yourself into. It doesn’t work that way—switching from a guitar to a lute, and that’s it? You need a specific technique. You have to study the technique of interpretation, as if you were going from the piano to the harpsichord. You must realize this is another tool. You must take master classes.’”

Unwilling to renounce his dream of mastering the lute, Hera went to Lake Balaton in Hungary. There was a music festival that year and the great lute master, Hopkinson Smith, was invited. Hera met him and arranged some master classes with him and then he said to himself, “This is good! I’m finally on the right track.” But he wanted more. He wanted to sit there and study everything from the beginning. Hera remembers: “Hopkinson said, ‘No problem, you can find me in Basel.’”

With extraordinary guts, Hera took all of his savings, booked a train ticket and—bang!—he went to Basel. He studied with Hopkinson Smith for two years. And, although he wondered about it, because it was enormously expensive, he ended up studying with the greatest and the most famous musicians of early music—with Crawford Young, studying Medieval to early Renaissance lute playing, and with British lutenist Anthony Rooley.

Hera went to Basel with one lute, but he returned with many other old instruments. In addition to the Renaissance lute, he mastered the vihuela da mano, a baroque lute with 13 strings; a theorbo, or long-necked lute; an oud, a pear-shaped string instrument; a Baroque guitar; a Renaissance lute and many other instruments with six, seven, and ten strings.

“It was just as the violin maker said, ‘That thing will get you, kid. You won’t be able to stop. You’ll always want new instruments and you’re always going to call me and tell me that you need a tool shank with this or that, or another with—I don’t know what—and in the end you will end up with four or five instruments that are the same, with only small differences between them.’”

‘Musical Archaeology’

What is it that drives Hera to devote all the time and effort he puts into his concerts and collaborations? A desire to perform music from past ages—Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque—as authentically as possible, through instruments and techniques.

“In fact, what I do is a kind of ‘musical archeology’ because I basically do not dig in the ground. I don’t take the shovel in one hand and dig to see what others have left behind them. No. What I do is take the old scores and dig in them. I try to discover how they were composed, why they were composed that way and how they were interpreted.”

Hera explains that he does not venture into the realm of the super avant-garde because when he sees what’s there, he gets quite scared. He sees it as something we cannot control, catalogue, or know its value.

Hera believes that “You must know where to start and where you want to go.”

“That’s why I was most interested in presenting this kind of music as authentically as possible. It was for this that I purchased all the instruments and strings required for the tunings used at that time; the plucking techniques of the right hand and holding for left hand—absolutely all the techniques I use are authentic and very well documented. Nothing is invented,” Hera said.

The Future

Caius Hera doesn’t know which direction music is heading, but he is sure of one thing: “Classical music is stagnating or declining. But this is not true for pop music. Pop music has no way to stall because it is not profound enough to be put in this problematic situation. It is the background music that no one hears, and no longer understands. It is that noise.”

Hera thinks that musical creation is linked to the morality of a civilization or a composer. “I remember a very interesting thing the great guitarist Andrés Segovia said, ‘the guitar is kept by the heart and sang from the heart.’ So, as an interpreter you are already a creator; and even more so for a composer. If you do not have an intense experience and you are not sincere in what you write, it is useless.”

Caius Hera exemplifies the proverbial artist who lives for his art. He is an example of courage, perseverance, and authenticity that can inspire any artist who follows in his footsteps to say “Indeed, now I am on the right track!”

To discover more about Caius Hera, subscribe to his YouTube channel HERE, or listen samples of his music on his MySpace account.

The Epoch Times publishes in 35 countries and in 19 languages. Subscribe to our e-newsletter.

Rock band Van Halen perform during their 'A Different Kind of Truth' tour on Feb. 18 in Louisville, Ky. (Theo Wargo/Getty Images)

The Pasadena, Calif.-based hard rock band Van Halen on Thursday abruptly postponed more than 30 concert tour dates, following their June 26 concert in New Orleans, according to MTV.

The band gave neither explanation nor any word on refund or rescheduled dates of the postponed performances. The tickets to their postponed concerts are still on sale on Ticketmaster. 

The cancelled city dates include Milwaukee, Detroit, Salt Lake City, Cleveland, and El Paso. Thirteen shows, including Saturday’s concert in St. Paul, Minn., will take place as scheduled. 

No word has been said about the tour and the cancellation on the band’s website, Twitter page, and Facebook page. 

The four-member band, formed in 1974, is on tour to promote its new album, “A Different Kind of Truth,” the first complete album with original lead singer David Lee Roth since its last “1984.” “1984” was released on New Year’s Eve of 1983.

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"Teen Mom 2" star Jenelle Evans poses with her engagement ring. (Twitter.com)

The 20-year-old “Teen Mom 2” star Jenelle Evans announced earlier this week her engagement to boyfriend Gary Head, via Twitter with a picture of her engagement ring.

Evans, the mother of a 3-year-old son, Jace, said that after dating Head on and off for half a year, they decided to permanently seal the deal through marriage.

“I’m the luckiest girl in the world to have @gary_head in my life,” Evans on Wednesday tweeted along with a photo of her smiling with her new engagement ring. She followed her photo upload with a slew of bubbly messages, including “at the end of it all yr still my best friend. :]”

Just over a month ago on April 8, Evans tweeted, “I’m very depressed. Me and Gary broke up for good.” Thereafter, Evans briefly reunited with her former boyfriend, Kieffer Delp, before calling it quits again.

Evans tweeted that she left Delp “for the getttt riiiiighhhht,” to which Head responded, “love you! Now stop trying to piss off Keiffer.”

Evans is one of four cast member of “Teen Mom 2.” Living in Oak Island, N.C., Evans is portrayed as a teen mother who continuously tries to reconcile the responsibilities of motherhood with her love of partying.

The Epoch Times publishes in 35 countries and in 19 languages. Subscribe to our e-newsletter.

Pictured here in its native Bamberg, the acclaimed Bamberg Symphony will perform at Avery Fisher Hall on Sunday, May 20. (Richard Haughton)

PERFORMING ARTS

‘Giselle’–American Ballet Theatre

A romantic period ballet that brings to life the power of forgiveness. The peasant girl Giselle falls in love with a count, who is not free to marry her. Music by Adolphe Adam, and choreography by Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot. Approximately 2 hours and 5 minutes. 

The Metropolitan Opera House, Lincoln Center
Now through May 21, times vary
Tickets: $20–$220
www.abt.org

‘Orpheus’

Georg Philipp Telemann’s soaring 1726 opera tells the Greek myth of Orpheus, whose charming voice leads his love, Eurydice, from the underworld. This version pays special attention to the character Orasia, Queen of Thrace, who is driven by jealousy for Orpheus’s affection. Three hours. 

El Museo del Barrio, 1230 Fifth Ave.,
Tickets: $60–$150
May 17, 20
7:30 p.m. (1:30 on May 20)
www.nycopera.com

‘La Grande Finale’ 

A dazzling all-French program combining works by Saint-Saëns and Chausson. Featuring Inon Barnatan and Juho Pohjonen on piano; Jessica Lee, Kristin Lee, and Elmar Oliveira on violin; Beth Guterman on viola; and Andreas Brantelid on cello

Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center
Friday May 18, 7:30 p.m., Sunday May 20, 5 p.m.
Tickets: $27–$65
www.chambermusicsociety.org/

The Philadelphia Orchestra

Maria João Pires, called “one of the most celebrated and loved pianists on the planet” by The Telegraph, performs Chopin’s Second Piano Concerto with The Philadelphia Orchestra. Under the direction of Charles Dutoit, the ensemble also performs the overture to “Ruslan and Ludmilla” by Mikhail Glinka and Ravel’s ballet score “Daphnis et Chloé.”

Stern Auditorium, Carnegie Hall
Friday, May 18, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $20.50-$125
www.carnegiehall.org

‘Liebeslieder Walzer’

A two-part ballet of waltzes for piano duet and vocal quartet set to poems by Friedrich Daumer (1800–1875) and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832). The dancers are joined on stage by the musicians and singers with everyone dressed in period ballroom costumes amid an intimate and elegant ballroom setting. Set to music by Johannes Brahms. The performance is 49 minutes and accompanying ballets vary depending on the night.

David H. Koch Theater, Lincoln Center
Friday May 18, 19, 20, and 22, times vary
Tickets: $29–$149
www.nycballet.com

Morris Jumel Mansion. (Katy Mantyk/The Epoch Times)

 Harpsichordist Rebecca Pechefsky

At the oldest house in Manhattan, Pechefsky will perform works by Francois Couperin’s rarely played 12th Ordre and the rediscovered E-Flat Partita by Bach’s star pupil, Johann Ludwig Krebs. 

Morris-Jumel Mansion, 65 Jumel Terrace
Saturday, May 19, 4 p.m.–6 p.m.
Tickets: $25. Advanced registration required. Call (212) 923-8008
www.morrisjumel.org

Schubert, Bartok and Dvorak – NY Philharmonic

The New York Philharmonic will perform Dvorak’s “Carnival Overture,” Bartok’s Violin Concerto No. 1, and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4. Alan Gilbert conducts and Glenn Dicterow is featured on violin. 

Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center
Saturday, May 19, 2 p.m.; Tuesday, May 22, 7 p.m.; Saturday, May 26, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $31.00–$118.00
Nyphil.org

Bamberg Symphony

Rooted in the World Heritage Site of Bamberg, Germany, the acclaimed Bamberg Symphony will perform Schubert’s Symphony No. 4 (“Tragic”), Brahms’s Piano Concerto No. 2, Webern’s Five Pieces, Op. 10. Jonathan Nott conducts and Christian Zacharias is featured on the piano.

Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center
Sunday May 20, 2:30 p.m.
Tickets: $35–$77
www.lincolncenter.org/

The Buchmann-Mehta School of Music Symphony Orchestra

From Tel Aviv University, Israel, the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music Symphony Orchestra performs Mozart’s overture and select arias from “Don Giovanni,” “Sinfonia Concertante in E-flat Major,” and Symphony No. 35, (“Haffner”), and Vivaldi’s Concerto in G Minor for Two Cellos, Strings, and Continuo.

Zankel Hall, Carnegie Hall
Monday May 21, 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: Prices not yet listed
www.carnegiehall.com

FINE ARTS

“Freedom,” by Stephen Scott Young. (Christie’s)

 Art of Stephen Scott Young

Forty of the exquisite watercolor paintings of living master Stephen Scott Young will be on view and sale at Christie’s. His acclaimed realist works capture in detail the spirit of the Bahamas, Florida, and coastal South Carolina through their people, landscape, and architecture.

Christie’s Private Sales Galleries, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, 20th floor
Exhibition: Now through June 11
This event is free
www.christies.com

A Window on Nature: Art of Asuka Hishiki

These 35 watercolors depict plants and insects in superb detail and refreshing style. Artist Asuka Hishiki takes her inspiration from 18th century naturalist and scientific illustrator Maria Sibylla Merian. Hishiki writes, “I love to share the beauty and the simple and quiet moments.”

The Arsenal (in Central Park) 830 Fifth Ave.,
Now through June 6
Weekdays only, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Free
www.nycgovparks.org

Beauties of the Gilded Age: Peter Marié’s Miniatures of Society Women

These nearly 300 watercolor-on-ivory miniatures are portraits of women believed epitomize female beauty. They were commissioned by New York socialite Peter Marié, between 1889 and 1903, amid the rapid development and luxury of America’s Gilded Age. The fragile and rarely exhibited portraits will be displayed in four-month rotations.

New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West
Now through July 8
Admission:$15, kids 7–13 $5, under 7 free
www.nyhistory.org

Patricia Watwood: Myths and Individuals

Patricia Watwood’s contemporary classic paintings, many of them masterful lifelike portraits, are on display at The Forbes Galleries. Watwood writes, “I chase what artists in the past have also chased—a celebration of the human form, a passion for and humility before nature, a belief that metaphor and narrative can help us puzzle out the mysteries of our time here on earth, and a belief in the emotional power of the common visual language of representation.”

The Forbes Galleries, 62 Fifth Ave.,
Now through June 9, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Admission is free
www.forbesgalleries.com

“Portrait of a Woman with a Hairnet,” by anonymous. (The Morgan)

 Renaissance Venice: Drawings from the Morgan

Visit the Golden Age of Venice and its territories during the 16th century. This exhibit features drawings, books, maps, and letters dating back 500 years. Great masters featured include Paris Bordone, Vittore Carpaccio, Lorenzo Lotto, Jacopo Tintoretto, Titian, and Paolo Veronese.

The Morgan Museum and Library, 225 Madison Ave.,
Friday May 18 through September 23.
Adults: $15. 
Children under 12: Free
www.themorgan.org

FAMILY

Ship-Shape: Nautical Scale Models

From a ship in a bottle to a massive World War II warship, this exhibit explores the art and craft of shipbuilding with variations. Drawn from the Intrepid Museum’s collection and loans from other institutions and collectors, the exhibit includes large-scale models of USS Constitution and USS New Jersey, a modeler’s workbench, and World War II nautical toys.

Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum 12th Avenue and 46th Street
Now through July 8
Tickets: $24, $19 (ages 7–17), $12 (ages 3–6)
www.intrepidmuseum.org

ABT Kids

The U.S.’s premier classical ballet company, American Ballet Theatre, playfully teaches children about ballet, through movement, costumes, music, and sets. The program includes short clips from the season. 

The Metropolitan Opera House, Lincoln Center
Saturday, May 19, 11:30 a.m.
Tickets: $25
www.metoperafamily.org 

Submit Arts Events

The arts at their best are not purely for entertainment or the reinvention of art itself. Rather, they strive forward with traditional forms, toward technical mastery, and place the highest value on virtue and the spiritually sublime.

Email events for consideration to NYC_news@epochtimes.com

This rare shot of the The Beatles by photographer Iain MacMillan is to go on sale on Tuesday, May 22. (Bloomsbury Auctions)

Two rare photographs, one featuring The Beatles and another Elizabeth Taylor, are to go under the hammer.

The iconic shot of The Beatles is instantly recognisable as the cover of the Abbey Road album—but the band are walking right to left instead of left to right.

The photo is the second of six images taken by photographer Iain MacMillan in 1966, in a carefully planned but brief 15-minute shoot.

“That photo’s been called an icon of the 1960s, I suppose it is,” said Iain MacMillan in 1989. “I think the reason it became so popular is its simplicity. It’s a very simple, stylised shot. Also it’s a shot people can relate to. It’s a place where people can still walk.”

The image shows Paul McCartney wearing sandals instead of barefooted as in the final shot, being led by John Lennon across the now famous zebra crossing next to Abbey Road studios.

The photo is to be sold by Bloomsbury Auctions in London on Tuesday, May 22. It is expected to fetch around £9,000.

The Elizabeth Taylor shot should be of equal fascination for collectors when it comes up for sale.

The picture was taken by renowned photographer Cecil Beaton at an exclusive ball held by the Rothschilds in 1971.

Elizabeth Taylor poses with Richard Burton towards the end of their first marriage. She is wearing the jewellery that famously came up for auction in 2011.

Beaton wrote in his diary that he had disliked the famous couple.

“I have always loathed the Burtons for their vulgarity, commonness and crass bad taste, she combining the worst of US and English taste, he as butch and coarse as only a Welshman can be,” Beaton wrote.

“She wanted compliments. She got none. I felt I must be professional and continued, but not without loathing at this monster … Round her neck was a velvet ribbon with the biggest diamond in the world pinned on it … In comparison everyone else looked ladylike.”

Sarah Wheeler, photography specialist of Bloomsbury Auctions, said in an e-mail: “The fact that Cecil Beaton produced such a beautiful portrait despite his personal dislike for them, shows what a consummate professional he was.”

The photo is believed to have never gone on sale before, and was a gift from Beaton to the owner of Gerry’s Club in Soho, Brian Hammond. It hung at the club until Hammond’s death earlier this year. His family is now selling the image. It is expected to fetch up to £12,000.

Follow John Smithies on Twitter

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Michael Kang (L) of String Cheese Incident performs at the fourth annual JAMMY Awards at Madison Square Garden on March 16, 2004 in New York City (Roberto Rabanne/Getty Images)

After a long history of confrontations with Ticketmaster, the Colorado-based jam band String Cheese Incident organized 50 fans and friends to buy $20,000 worth of tickets from the Greek Theater in Los Angeles.

With cash advanced by the group, each person bought an average of eight tickets at $49.95 each for the band’s concert in July at the theater. After collecting nearly 400 tickets, they sent the tickets back to the String Cheese Incident headquarters in Colorado and are reselling them for $49.95 with no extra “convenience charge” imposed by Ticketmaster, The New York Times reported.

As of Thursday evening, both the String Cheese Incident’s website and Ticketmaster are selling the band’s tickets, at $49.95 and $62.85 respectively. Ticketmaster charges the listed price of $49.95 as well as a convenience charge of $12.90.

String Cheese Incident is only one of the latest groups to confront Ticketmaster for overcharging. Over the past year, several New York-based world-touring groups have switched from Ticketmaster to a new New York-based Web ticketing system, Ticketingbox.

The String Cheese Incident, formed in 1993, is launching its tour on June 28 in Rothbury, Mich. and finishing off on July 22 in North Plans, Ore.

Company Commander Yoni Netanyahu at a march in Jerusalem, in the documentary “Follow Me.” (Courtesy of the Netanyahu Family / Crystal City Entertainment)

Among Israel’s fallen heroes, Jonathan “Yoni” Netanyahu is revered to an extent probably second only to the tragically gallant Hannah Senesh. However, Netanyahu’s ultimate sacrifice came while leading one of the most successful military operations in the history of the state of Israel.

The life of the commander of the Raid on Entebbe is celebrated in Jonathan Gruber and Ari Daniel Pinchot’s “Follow Me: The Yoni Netanyahu Story,” which opens this Friday in New York.

Yoni Netanyahu was born to lead. An ardent Israeli patriot, he always had the look of a man of action. Netanyahu was the oldest of three brothers, indeed including Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu, Israel’s current prime minister. The family was always quite close, frequently writing back and forth while the eldest brother of destiny studied in America.

Thanks to a wealth of surviving letters, Netanyahu’s voice comes through loud and clear in “Follow Me.” In fact, the film is most successful in conveying a sense of what it was like to come of age and start a new life as a young man at a time when Israel was under constant threat of attack from its belligerent neighbors.

Somewhat surprisingly, the film steadily builds toward the moment of truth in Uganda, but the actual boots-on-the-ground military operation is handled rather perfunctorily. (Perhaps the filmmakers assumed most interested audiences would already be well-versed in the details of the operation that was memorably dramatized several times in the 1970s, including Menahem Golan’s “Operation Thunderbolt” and Irvin Kershner’s “Raid on Entebbe”).

In addition to Netanyahu’s brother Benjamin, two former prime ministers—Shimon Peres and Ehud Barak—also sat for on-camera interviews, which speaks volumes about Netanyahu’s significance to his countrymen. Yet without question, some of the most insightful and moving reminiscences come from his comrades-in-arms.

Unless viewers truly have hatred in their hearts, there are episodes in “Follow Me” that will absolutely choke them up. Years later, Netanyahu’s family and loved ones still clearly feel his loss acutely.

Some moments are quite beautiful, including Benjamin Netanyahu’s memories of his brother’s desert wedding, which he explains perfectly represented him as a rugged son of Israel. Other remembrances are deeply tragic. Altogether, they add up to an eventful but all-too-short life.

A thoughtful and moving elegy to a poetic man of action, “Follow Me: the Yoni Netanyahu Story” opens this Friday (May 18) in New York, uptown at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center and downtown at the Quad Cinema.

Director: Ari Daniel Pinchot, Jonathan Gruber
Cast: Benjamin Netanyahu, Ehud Barak, Shimon Peres, Benzion Netanyahu
Running Time: 84 minutes

Rating: 3.5 / 5

Singer Donna Summer performs during the David Foster and Friends concert at the Mandalay Bay Events Center Oct. 1, 2011 in Las Vegas. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

The “Queen of Disco” LaDonna Adrian Gaines, better known by her stage name Donna Summer, died at age 63 on Thursday surrounded by family members in her Key West, Fla. home after battling with cancer.

Summer gained prominence with her mezzo-soprano voice in the 1970s disco era, with singles including “Love to Love You Baby,” “I Feel Love,” and “Last Dance.” Even as the disco frenzy gradually gave way to alternative rock, hip hop, and R&B, Summer continued to keep the beat going by releasing singles such as “There Goes My Baby” in the 1980s and “To Paris With Love” just two years ago.

“While we grieve her passing,” her family said in a statement retrieved by celebrity website E! News. “We are at peace celebrating her extraordinary life and continued legacy.”

Summer had three children from her two marriages. Her second husband, musician Bruce Sudano, was at her bedside.

Theo Stockman and Claire van der Boom in “An Early History of Fire.” (Monique Carboni)

NEW YORK—“An Early History of Fire” by award-winning playwright David Rabe(“Hurlyburly,” “Streamers,” and others), apparently dealing with Rabe’s own background, seems more like an early effort than one of an experienced playwright. Still, the presentation by The New Group merits attention.

Set in the early ‘60s, the play centers on Danny (Theo Stockman) from a blue-collar family, who chafes at the bit and doesn’t quite understand why until he by chance meets an upper crust girl, Karen (Claire van der Boom).

Karen, in town temporarily on a break from college somewhere in the East, is strongly attracted to him and invites him to meet her parents, who live in the elegant Citadel area of town. Danny is devastated by the invitation because his good suit hasn’t been brought back from the cleaners by his dad, Pop (Gordon Clapp). Pop had escaped the Nazis and still exhibits the conservative, German, Old World attitude toward life.

Karen’s influence makes audible Danny’s heretofore quiet inner voice. She introduces him to authors such as J.D. Salinger and Jack Kerouac. Gradually, he becomes able to voice his most deep-seated desire: to escape the stifling environment of this Midwestern city and become his own person, perhaps to become a writer. Most of the play deals with his efforts to wrestle the demons of familiarity against the stress of making a break, and realizing his dreams.

Danny’s two childhood buddies, whom he works with, exert a pull into the status quo. Terry (Jonny Orsini) is soft and gentle, but Jake (Dennis Staroselsky) is tough and demanding. He’s also jealous of newcomer Karen, whom he sees, and rightfully so, as someone who might take his buddy away from him, and his jealousy erupts into physical violence.

Pop also fears losing Danny to the wider world. Pop, whose wife died when Danny was only 10, has recently quit his menial job, in an angry confrontation with his boss, and would have only a friend, Benji (Devin Ratray), for company.

Rounding out the group is Shirley (Erin Darke), Terry’s former girlfriend, who has fallen into some bad behavior, which Terry frowns upon. However, she does add a warm note to the group. A nice scene features the entire group of young folks, sitting around and dreamily talking about life, with an Elvis Presley tune playing in the background.

Karen, too, exhibits some wild behavior, being aggressively seductive toward Danny. However, it is one of the problems of the production that Claire van der Boom’s performance of Karen doesn’t add enough fire to what is explicit in the playwright’s text. In general, the entire cast, with the exception of seasoned performer Gordon Clapp, is relatively new to the theatrical scene. This fact might have impeded director Jo Bonney from injecting more urgency into the production.

Neil Patel’s set handsomely conveys a slightly fraying Midwestern home in the ‘60s, while costumes by Theresa Squire hit the mark nicely.

Diana Barth writes and publishes “New Millennium,” an arts publication. For information: www.diabarth@juno.com

Quill (Courtesy of Music Box Films)

As cute as he is, Quill is a dog with a role in life. By virtue of his intelligence and empathetic intuition, the golden retriever will become a guide dog for the blind. His eventful dog’s life is lovingly depicted in Yoichi Sai’s Quill: the Life of a Guide Dog, which opens this Friday in New York.

Out of a litter of five pups, Quill is the shrewdest. His owner wanted them all to become guide dogs, but only Quill makes the grade. As a result, he will experience his first parting, leaving his puppy home to live with Isamu and Mitsuko Nii, a couple who care for prospective guide dogs until they reach the age when training commences.

Considering how the Niis dote on him, Satoru Tawada’s training kennel requires quite an adjustment, but again Quill adapts.

Tawada has Quill in mind for Watanabe, the irascible chairman of a local nonprofit support organization, but the middle-aged man is resistant. Of course, Quill wins him over, but Watanabe’s health problems will complicate their time together.

Sai once served as an assistant director to Nagisa Oshima on In the Realm of the Senses, a film about as dissimilar to Quill as one can possibly imagine. Not afraid of a little manipulative sentiment, Shoichi Maruyama and Yoshihiro Nakamura’s screenplay hits all the dog-lover bases good and hard.

However, Quill’s adorableness at all ages is an undeniable ace in the hole. By the time the aged Quill comes full circle back to the Niis, even the brawniest of men will find themselves getting choked up.

No question, the canine cast is truly endearing, with the film’s trainer Tadami Miya maximizing their cinematic charm. The human ensemble is also rather pleasing, including Teruyuki Kagawa (recognizable from far darker Japanese imports, like Tokyo Sonata and the 20th Century Boys trilogy) and Shinobu Terajima (unforgettable in Wakamatsu’s disturbing Caterpillar), who are genuinely touching as the Niis.

Featuring a sensitive soundtrack by the Kuricorder Quartet, “Quill” has a gentle, humane vibe not unlike the work of Koreeda. Though Sai’s film has been kicking around the festival circuit since 2004, its belated American release coincides with the dramatic increase in the social and commercial organization of U.S. dog lovers.

Rating: 3.5 / 5

Joe Bendel writes about independent film and lives in New York. To read his most recent articles, please visit http://jbspins.blogspot.com

The Epoch Times publishes in 35 countries and in 19 languages. Subscribe to our e-newsletter.

Olivia Thirlby and Topher Grace in Paul Weitz’s 'Lonely, I’m Not.' (Joan Marcus)

NEW YORK—Oh, but they are—lonely, that is—in what has been described by some as a rom/com (romantic comedy). Whatever one calls it, Paul Weitz’s Lonely, I’m Not makes for a light but delightful entertainment.

We find the divorced Porter (Topher Grace) bemoaning his current state of unemployment. Formerly a fair-haired young Wall Street exec, an unfortunate incident on the job forced him to flee the Big Apple four years ago.

He fled to the less competitive atmosphere of Los Angeles where he could envelop himself in a welcome cocoon of rest and recuperation. He’s still more than a bit uptight, however—even to the point of trying to crash a coffee shop prior to its opening for his daily fix of latte—and welcomes meeting the attractive Heather (Olivia Thirlby) through his friend Little Dog (Christopher Jackson).

The fact that Heather is blind doesn’t detract, as she quickly learns how to acclimatize herself and navigate Porter’s apartment. She’s beset by more potent demons, however, as she’s an ambitious corporate executive whose boss Decter (Mark Blum) refuses to let her crack the ever-present glass ceiling and land the promotion she knows she deserves.

She also has to stave off her nagging mom (Lisa Emery) and obsequious roommate (Maureen Sebastian).

As for Porter, his important others don’t supply much, if any, support. There’s his ex-wife (also Maureen Sebastian), who alternately teases and seduces him. There’s his dad (Mark Blum), a seasoned con man, with all the charm that that status requires. He borrows money from Porter, returns it at a terrific rate of interest, then re-borrows it.

Things get even hairier later in the play, making one see why Porter has such a rough time getting himself together.

Topher Grace moves from New York to Los Angeles to avoid stress. (Joan Marcus)

In spite of their less than conventional appeal, Porter and Heather do find their way into our hearts. This is certainly aided by two terrific performances. Topher Grace skillfully underplays Porter’s neuroses, while Olivia Thirlby displays a remarkable emotional sensitivity and an unusual physical grace in portraying a young blind woman who doesn’t let her limitations limit her drive or achievements.

Both actors, incidentally, have worked with Paul Weitz formerly, in his films.

Supporting actors, too, supply just the right touches required in their double and sometimes triple-role assignments. Lisa Emery’s Latvian cleaning woman is hilarious (along with two other roles), as are Maureen Sebastian’s ex-wife, roommate, and shy secretary.

Mark Blum as dad Rick and boss Decter is particularly adept, while Christopher Jackson’s Little Dog, Barista, and Waiter hit the mark.

In fact, this presentation’s production elements surpass the script, which, with a few embellishments, is pretty much a boy-meets-girl story. Arguably deserving a major part of the credit is director Trip Cullman, who paces the proceedings with unerring speed, while maintaining and emphasizing the required nuances of individual character elements and the play’s content.

Not of great depth, nor is it meant to be, Lonely, I’m Not is unquestionably an audience pleaser.

Diana Barth writes and publishes “New Millennium,” an arts publication. For information: www.diabarth@juno.com

(L-R) Ron Canada and Alexander Gemignani appear in the intense Ensemble Studio Theatre drama “Headstrong.” (Gerry Goodstein)

NEW YORK—Playwright Patrick Link’s intense “Headstrong” tackles the potent issue of post-concussion syndrome in the world of pro (and amateur) football. In actual cases, Hall of Fame Pittsburgh Steelers center Mike Webster suffered from amnesia, dementia, and depression before he died at age 50; Philadelphia Eagles defensive back Andre Waters, who had sustained numerous concussions, committed suicide at age 44.

In “Headstrong,” a representative from a university-based foundation on post-concussion research visits the home of a long-retired NFL linebacker. The former player, Duncan Troy (Ron Canada), basically sneers at the researcher, Nick Merritt (Alexander Gemignani), for Nick himself has never played pro football. Duncan is also enraged because he feels that Nick blames the game itself for injuring players and will never understand how fulfilling the game is.

But Nick has not paid his visit to see Duncan, but rather his daughter Sylvia (Nedra McClyde), for she was married to a player who recently died under sad circumstances. Although the couple was in the throes of getting a divorce, the papers were never signed. Thus, Sylvia is the one person who is legally able to give clearance for the foundation to examine her husband’s brain.

The scientists feel that this man’s brain will show damage resulting from the extreme number of hits to his head, even though the hits hadn’t necessarily resulted in concussion. Conclusions from this research may bring about positive changes in the rules governing how pro football is to be played in the future. And, hopefully, needless injury and even death may be prevented.

Sylvia refuses to sign the document. She is opposed to her husband’s privacy being invaded in this manner and wants him remembered for the hero he was on the field. She also wants her 5-year-old son to remember his father in a positive manner.

When Nick brings news of his failure to obtain the document to his supervisor, Dr. Moses Odame (Tim Cain), Moses is extremely distressed. This could mean the end of funding for the project, for they’ve run out of candidates.

When he urges Nick to go back and try again with Sylvia, Nick is disheartened and noncommittal. Nick has played football, but only in school situations, and thus feels not qualified to lock horns with the older professional and his daughter.

But back at the Troy household, a domestic situation is brewing. Sylvia, who had agreed to stay with her father only temporarily, has reached the end of her patience with the demanding man and is packing to move to an apartment.

Furthermore, he has continually hit a nerve in her because of his basic disapproval of her former husband. But, further complicating matters, Duncan himself is showing some memory loss, signs of possible brain damage. Now both father and daughter wonder if they’ve been in error in defending the game so adamantly.

Under William Carden’s meticulous direction, the tightly written scenes are extremely compelling, with some fiery acting, particularly by Ron Canada and Nedra McClyde as father and daughter in conflict. Alexander Gemignani and Tim Cain also have fine moments.

Diana Barth writes and publishes “New Millennium,” an arts publication. For information: www.diabarth@juno.com.

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Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Mary Kennedy attend the gala fundraiser in support of the Waterkeeper Alliance on Dec. 4, 2010 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Michael Buckner/Getty Images)

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s estranged wife, Mary Richardson Kennedy, was found dead at age 52 in her New York home on Wednesday afternoon. The cause of the death has yet to be determined.

The Westchester County Medical Examiner’s Office has confirmed the death with local newspaper Bedford-Katonah Patch. The Bedford Police Department arrived at her 326 S. Bedford Road residence at about 1:36 p.m. and reported the incident as an unattended death with no witnesses.

“We deeply regret the death of our beloved sister Mary, whose radiant and creative spirit will be sorely missed by those who loved her,” Mary Kennedy’s family said in a statement that was obtained by ABC News. “Our heart goes out to her children who she loved without reservation. We have no further comment at this time.”

The divorce filing was followed by a string of negative press about the Kennedy family, including a 911 call that was filed as a domestic incident report and an arrest of Mary Kennedy for driving under the influence outside a school.

Recording artist Talib Kweli performs on stage at the "Rock The Bells" tour on Randall's Island in New York City in 2007. (Bryan Bedder/Getty Images)

Touring hip-hop festival Rock the Bells announced late Tuesday this summer’s line-up for the three host cities: San Bernardino, Calif., Mountain View, Calif., and Holmdel, N.J. The festival will stop by for two days in each city.

Rock the Bellsl will feature new talents while honoring revered mainstream and alternative hip hop artists of the past at NOS Events Center in San Bernardino on Aug. 18 and 19, Amphitheatre in Mountain View on Aug. 25 and 26, and PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, N.J. on Sept. 1 and 2. 

The lineup includes a wide assortment of artists, including Missy Elliot, Lupe Fiasco, Nas, 2 Chainz, Atmosphere, Kendrick Lamar, Timbaland, J. Cole, Naughty By Nature, Wiz Khalifa, Salt-N-Pepa, Kid Cudi, Murs, Redman, and Fashawn.

Missy Elliott is making a much-anticipated comeback after she has been away from the music scene for a few years while struggling with an autoimmune disorder known as Graves disease. 

A pre-sale to all three cities is set for this Friday at 10 a.m., with tickets on sale to the general public on Saturday.

British actor Sacha Baron Cohen dressed as Admiral General Aladeen falls as he climbs on a camel during a photocall to promote the film "The Dictator" at the 65th Cannes film festival on May 16, 2012 in Cannes. (Photo credit by Loic Venance/AFP/GettyImages)

While staging a comedic extravaganza, the male lead of “The Dictator” Sacha Baron Cohen fell on a camel at the Cannes Film Festival in southern France on Wednesday.

To promote his newest film, “The Dictator,” which is in theaters on the same day, the Ali G, Borat, and Bruno actor held a press conference outside of his hotel, where he was dressed up as his comedy character General Aladeen standing in between two attractive female military personnel sporting berets and short skirts.

It was not before long that a camel was led to Cohen to mount. As the 40-year-old made his way onto the camel, he lost his balance and fell backward, almost completely falling off before catching himself.

Once up and ready, he rode down the Croisette, quickly gathering a crowd of photographers, fans, and police.

“Relax, no pressure,” Baron Cohen said to the crowd, according to Reuters. “I’m a dictator! I don’t want anyone to get hurt.”

“The Dictator” is a comedic satire that follows the heroic story of the eccentric dictator General Aladeen, who risks his life to make sure that democracy would never arrive to the oil-rich African nation of Wadiya that he lovingly controls.

Rachel Uchitel welcomed a new baby on Tuesday afternoon with husband Matt Hahn. (Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Tiger Woods’ former girlfriend Rachel Uchitel and her husband Matt Hahn welcomed a new baby girl on Tuesday afternoon, Hahn posted on his Twitter page. The couple named their 7-pound firstborn Wyatt Lily Hahn. 

“Wyatt Lily Hahn born at 5:04 pm May 15, 2012. Best day of my life! So blessed. @RachelUchitel you were absolutely amazing. I Love you!” Hahn tweeted on Wednesday morning. 

“Today is my due date.. Spent it swimming laps, taking dogs to the beach and catching up with friends. Now what?!” Uchitel tweeted prior to giving birth to her overdue daughter. 

Uchitel was engaged to investment banker James Andrew O’Grady prior to her marriage to Hahn. O’Grady was killed at the World Trade Center during the 9/11 attacks.

The season finales of “NCIS” and “NCIS: Los Angeles” drove CBS to an across-the-board win in viewers and key demographics on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” improved modestly in viewers, but declined in adults 18-49. A double episode of “Glee” on FOX declined slightly compared to its performance last week.

Overall, CBS had an average of 16.3 million viewers and a 10.3 rating/16 share for the night, ahead of second-place NBC with 8.6 million viewers and 5.3/8 rating by a wide margin. ABC came in third with 7.8 million viewers and 5.3/8.

CBS experienced its best Tuesday deliveries in viewers since February and its best adult 18-49 delivery on a Tuesday night since January. CBS finales topped both Monday and Tuesday this week in adults 25-54 and 18-49.

CBS also won the adult 18-49 demographic with a 3.2 rating, followed by NBC at 2.8 and FOX at 2.5. ABC had a 1.7, while The CW scored merely 0.4.

CBS’s “NCIS: Los Angeles,” now in its third season, combines elements of police procedural genres and military drama. The series airs after “NCIS” on Tuesdays.

Katherine Jenkins (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

After opera singer Katherine Jenkins injured her back during the semi-final round of “Dancing With the Stars” on Monday night, the 31-year-old tweeted on Tuesday that she is recovering after receiving medical attention.

“Morning all… Thanks for your tweets of support & concern. The good news is that I’m feeling better, just a little sore,” she tweeted. “Thank you for all your concerned tweets… I’m with the Doctor, he says it was a reflectorical spasm in my lower back.”

Jenkins’ partner, Mark Ballas, tweeted about her condition after the show as well.

“Sry guys we couldn’t finish R dance. Katherine hurt her back, I tried my best not let her fall at the end hope we still have ur votes,” he tweeted.

Jenkins appeared to have hurt her back during a back bend for a samba routine, her second of the night.

The Epoch Times publishes in 35 countries and in 19 languages. Subscribe to our e-newsletter.

“Southern Plains Indian Warrior,” 1894, by American artist Henry F. Farny (1847–1916), 16 inches by 11 inches. (Courtesy of Bonhams)

NEW YORK—At a regular estate sale, a couple who remain anonymous purchased what they thought was just a collectible print of the famous painting “Southern Plains Indian Warrior,” by Henry F. Farny. In fact, they bought the real thing.

The discovered 1894 painting headlined Bonham’s Western Paintings and Sculpture sale in California this month and sold for $362,500, more than three times its pre-sale estimate.

“The consignor walked into our monthly appraisal day in early 2012 at our Los Angeles office with what they thought was a print of a great painting,” said Scot Levitt, vice president and head of the Fine Arts Department, in a statement. 

“I had the pleasure of sharing the news with them that their newly discovered item was not a print at all but a painting worth six figures. They were shocked to find out that their item turned out to be a great work of art,” he said. 

Farny, who like other great American artists was trained in Europe, became infatuated with the Indians and their unique way of life. 

“He devoted almost his entire painting career to documenting their vanishing culture. Farny described with uncanny detail a nostalgic image of an exotic land and people,” according to Bonhams.

(Liza Voronin/The Epoch Times)

Song

Memory, hither come,
And tune your merry notes;
And, while upon the wind
Your music floats,

I’ll pore upon the stream
Where sighing lovers dream,
And fish for fancies as they pass
Within the watery glass.

I’ll drink of the clear stream,
And hear the linnet’s song;
And there I’ll lie and dream
The day along:

And, when night comes, I’ll go
To places fit for woe,
Walking along the darkened valley
With silent Melancholy.

—William Blake (1757–1827)

In Greek mythology, Memory is the mother of the muses. There would be no literature, science, or art without her. Taking this further, we can say there would be no selfhood, or, indeed, civilization without her magical and mysterious power to enchant.

In this poem, Blake calls upon memory to inspire him. This moment is repeated whenever a poet puts pen to paper and writes with an awareness of what the great canonical presences of the past have said, whether Homer, Virgil, or Shakespeare.

Memory’s “merry notes” sound like celestial music “upon the wind,” and through each line, Blake makes us hear its strange ancestral cadence too. Each time we read a poem, we connect with the ghosts of all the generations who have formed the language we speak. Through poetry’s rhythms and rhymes, we catch the promise that, like music, the universe is full of echoes. Each part somehow reflects the whole.

Blake promises that he will “pore upon the stream,” fishing for “fancies” in the “glass,” as if gazing deep within a crystal ball, where images gather and disperse. The vision of the stream applies both to music and the cool, still, rippling of water. In the flow and flux of our consciousness, fragments of the past and the speculative future mingle with our reason, emotion, and creativity—ever moving, ever miraculous.

I’m reminded of a wonderful passage from “Out of the Silent Planet” by C.S. Lewis, in which the alien Hyoi reminds the human Ransom of the essential connection between memory, meaning, and time: “A pleasure is full grown only when it is remembered. You are speaking … as if the pleasure were one thing and the memory another. It is all one thing … When you and I met, the meeting was over very shortly, it was nothing. Now it is growing something as we remember it. But still we know very little about it. What it will be when I remember it as I lie down to die, what it makes in me all my days till then—that is the real meaning. The other is only the beginning of it. You say you have poets in your world. Do they not teach you this?”

This meeting applies to our first encounter with a poem. We read it through, a few things catch our eye, and we put it down. It may not touch us at all. We may not even remember any of it. Yet at each occasion we go back to it, and hear its words on our lips, the more we feel and find—until it becomes a part of us.

Blake will “drink of the clear stream,” evoking the idea from Greek mythology that the spirit after death is confronted by two rivers, Mnemosyne, granting memory, and Lethe, granting forgetfulness. Which has Blake chosen? The “linnet’s song” guides Blake to the same dream that the lovers know. Is the day lost in dream—or discovered? Is the external world around us real, or more of an illusion than our inner life?

William Blake (1757–1827) was an English poet, painter, and printmaker.

Christopher Nield is a poet living in London.

The Epoch Times publishes in 35 countries and in 19 languages. Subscribe to our e-newsletter.

All of the stories themselves are very diverse and you come away feeling spoilt to have been treated to such a range of drama and situations. There is lots of wit, but there is a sombre undercurrent throughout too. The music is provided by the multi-talented pianist An-Ting Chang (who picked the stories and devised the concept too), and it works together really well.

The music, the stories, and the acting, when put together, are greater than the sum of their parts. This is a different experience from seeing a musical where the orchestra is unseen and off-stage. The drama somehow helps to emphasise all the moods and nuances within the music; the music adds lots of emotional undercurrents to the drama.

One highlight is when the drunken old actor from Swan Song larks around, singing and reciting pieces from Hamlet and other roles that he has played. Another is the young boy who has noticed the decrepit old woman, who’s always dozing, through the window.

It seems as if the music has been written with the story in mind, or vice versa. But this doesn’t happen by accident. It’s because the right pieces have been put together -- and a lot of hard work and precision timing on the parts of everyone on stage.

ConcertTheatre – Sonata Movements has just finished its run at the Blue Elephant Theatre, a great venue for showcasing new talent and for cross-genre pieces.

Mastoor Khan is a freelance writer living in London.

The Epoch Times publishes in 35 countries and in 19 languages. Subscribe to our e-newsletter.

Mitchell Guist, a cast member of History’s reality series “Swamp People,” died at age 48 after collapsing onboard his boat on the Belle River in Louisiana early Monday. The boat returned to a landing in St. Martin, La. 

Assumption Parish Sheriff Mike Waguespack told The Associated Press that Guist was pronounced dead at a Louisiana hospital. The cause of the death has yet to be determined. 

“We are extremely saddened to report that our friend and beloved member of the ‘Swamp People’ family, Mitchell Guist, passed away earlier today,” History said in a statement. “Mitchell passed on the swamp, doing what he loved. We appreciate your respect for the Guist family’s privacy and hope you join us in sending our thoughts and prayers to brother, Glenn, and the rest of the Guist family.” 

“Swamp People,” first broadcast on History in summer 2010, follows the day-to-day activities for a couple of Cajuns who live and hunt Alligators for a living in the Atchafalaya River Basin swamp in Louisiana. The show is now is in its third season. 

It’s the best and worst time of the year. It is time to say goodbye to some of the small screen favorites that you curled up on the couch to and say hello to new series that could end up being your new best friend. 

Even though after massive advertisement campaigns, some newcomers such as FOX’s thriller “Alcatraz” failed to make the cut, while others, including sitcom “Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23,” “New Girl,” and “2 Broke Girls” successfully made it through. 

The next season will also see classics that have lasted seemingly forever, including “American Dad,” “Bones,” “Gossip Girl,” and “How I Met Your Mother,” while others, such as “House” and “CSI: Miami” don’t seem to have the same luck. 

Below is a full list of renewed, canceled, and pilot shows, courtesy to TV Guide: 

RENEWED
90210 (CW)
2 Broke Girls (CBS)
30 Rock (NBC)
The Amazing Race (CBS)
American Dad (Fox)
America’s Funniest Home Videos (ABC)
America’s Next Top Model (CW)
The Bachelor (ABC)
The Bachelorette (ABC)
The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
The Biggest Loser (NBC)
Blue Bloods (CBS)
Body of Proof (ABC)
Bones (Fox)
The Cleveland Show (Fox)
Castle (ABC)
Community (NBC)
Celebrity Apprentice (NBC)
Cougar Town (moving to TBS)
Criminal Minds (CBS)
CSI (CBS)
CSI: NY (CBS)
Dancing With the Stars (ABC)
Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23 (ABC)
Family Guy (Fox)
Fashion Star (NBC)
Fringe (Fox)
Glee (Fox)
Gossip Girl (CW)
The Good Wife (CBS)
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
Grimm (NBC)
Happy Endings (ABC)
Hart of Dixie (CW)
Hawaii Five-0 (CBS)
How I Met Your Mother (CBS)
Kitchen Nightmares (Fox)
Last Man Standing (ABC)
Law & Order: SVU (NBC)
The Mentalist (CBS)
The Middle (ABC)
Mike & Molly (CBS)
Modern Family (ABC)
NCIS (CBS)
NCIS: Los Angeles (CBS)
New Girl (Fox)
Nikita (CW)
The Office (NBC)
Once Upon a Time (ABC)
Parenthood (NBC)
Parks and Recreation (NBC)
Person of Interest (CBS)
Private Practice (ABC)
Raising Hope (Fox)
Revenge (ABC)
Scandal (ABC)
Shark Tank (ABC)
Smash (NBC)
The Simpsons (Fox)
Suburgatory (ABC)
Supernatural (CW)
Survivor (CBS)
Touch (Fox)
Two and a Half Men (CBS)
Undercover Boss (CBS)
Up All Night (NBC)
The Vampire Diaries (CW)
The Voice (NBC)
Wife Swap (ABC)
Whitney (NBC)
The X Factor (Fox)

LIKELY IN
American Idol (Fox)
Bob’s Burgers (Fox)

LIKELY OUT
Rules of Engagement (CBS)

CANCELED/ENDING
Alcatraz (Fox)
Allen Gregory (Fox)
Are You There, Chelsea? (NBC)
Awake (NBC)
Best Friends Forever (NBC)
Bent (NBC)
Breaking In (Fox)
Charlie’s Angels (ABC)
Chuck (NBC)
CSI: Miami (CBS)
Desperate Housewives (ABC)
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (ABC)
The Finder (Fox)
The Firm (NBC)
Free Agents (NBC)
GCB (ABC)
A Gifted Man (CBS)
H8R (CW)
Harry’s Law (NBC)
House (Fox)
I Hate My Teenage Daughter (Fox)
Man Up! (ABC)
Missing (ABC)
Napoleon Dynamite (Fox)
NYC 22 (CBS)
One Tree Hill (CW)
Pan Am (ABC)
The Playboy Club (NBC)
Prime Suspect (NBC)
Remodeled (CW)
Ringer (CW)
The River (ABC)
Rob (CBS) 
The Secret Circle (CW)
Terra Nova (Fox)
Unforgettable (CBS)
Work It (ABC)

PILOTS
666 Park Avenue (ABC)
1600 Penn (NBC)
Animal Practice (NBC)
Arrow (CW)
Beauty and the Beast (CW)
Ben & Kate (Fox)
The Carrie Diaries (CW)
Chicago Fire (NBC)
Cult (CW)
Do No Harm (NBC)
Elementary (CBS)
The Family Tools (ABC)
First Cut (CW)
The Following (Fox)
Friend Me (CBS)
Go On (NBC)
The Goodwin Games (Fox)
Golden Boy (CBS)
Guys With Kids (NBC)
How to Live with Your Parents for the Rest of Your Life (ABC)
It’s Messy (Fox)
Infamous (NBC)
Last Resort (ABC)
Made in Jersey (CBS)
Malibu Country (ABC)
The Mob Doctor (Fox)
The Neighbors (ABC)
The New Normal (NBC)
Nashville (ABC)
Next Caller (NBC)
Partners (CBS)
Red Widow (ABC)
Revolution (NBC)
Save Me (NBC)
Vegas (CBS)
Zero Hour (ABC)

NBC's "America's Got Talent" returned to 10.3 million viewers on Monday evening. (David McNew/Getty Images)

Despite its high-profile addition of radio personality Howard Stern as the show’s new judge, NBC’s “America’s Got Talent” premier on Monday received a rating of 3.6, down 16 percent from last year, according to Entertainment Weekly. 

The two-hour programming returned to 10.3 million viewers at 8 p.m. EDT in its seventh season, vying for viewers against CBS’s marathon of season finales, starting with an extended one-hour “How I met Your Mother” (8.5 million, 3.6) and two-hour finale of “Two and a Half Men” (11.3 million, 3.8). Its “Mike and Molly” (3.3) and “Hawaii Five-0” (2.7) also saw gains. The addition of Stern has stirred controversy for his profanity and sex talks. Watchdog group Parents Television Council has sent a letter to 91 companies that have purchased commercial space during “America’s Got Talent” in the past to advise them against advertising with the show again due to Stern’s “reputation for sleaze and misogyny.”