General Knowledge #4 - StudyBlue Good to have you back! If you've signed in to StudyBlue with Facebook in the past, please do that again. General Knowledge #4 Which European capital has a skyline dominated by St Stephen�s cathedral? Vienna Shogi is a Japanese form of which boardgame? Chess Which astronomer discovered the planet Uranus? Herschel, What type of vessel to explore ocean depths was invented in 1947 by Auguste Piccard? Bathyscaphe On the Fahrenheit scale, what temperature is boiling point? 212 degrees, In which US state is the city of Pittsburgh? Pennsylvania, What does someone suffering from dysphagia have difficulty in doing? Swallowing On what date do the French celebrate Bastille Day? 14-Jul Which instrument derives its name from the fact that it can be played soft or loud according to the pressure on the keys? Pianoforte How many players are there in a lacrosse team? 12 Which German tennis player won five successive Grand Slam tournaments in the 1980s? Steffi Graf What is meant by the musical term �andante�?

At a moderate tempo Which patron saint of the British Isles does not have his cross on the union flag? David In which ocean does the country of Vanuatu lie? Pacific Which French novelist wrote Madame Bovary? Gustave Flaubert Advertisement Under Genoese control from the 14th century, which Mediterranean island was sold to France in 1768? Corsica In May 1999, who succeeded Benjamin Netanyahu as Israel�s prime minister? Ehud Barak How many dozens are there in a gross? Twelve Carmine is a vivid shade of which colour? Red Which word for the act of killing someone painlessly, especially to relieve suffering, is derived from the Greek for �easy death�? Euthanasia What sort of films are sometimes referred to �horse operas�? Westerns, Which German physicist laid down the principles of quantum theory? Max Planck Which famous sportsman was presented with a gold medal during the 1996 Olympics, to replace the one he threw away in the 1960s? Muhummad Ali Which saint�s day falls on 17 March? Patrick, What is the longest river in France?

Loire, In a bullfight, what is a mounted man with a lance called? Picador. What was the first name of the composer Mussorgsky? Modest The Kara Sea is an arm of which ocean? Arctic Who wrote the 1978 novel The Sea, the Sea? Iris Murdoch Which famous UK fashion designer married Andreas Kronthaler in 1992? Vivienne Westwood, Which husband and wife shared the 1903 Nobel Prize for Physics with Henri Becquerel? Pierre and Marie Curie Who wrote Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm? Kate Wiggin In which sport is the James Norris Memorial Trophy awarded? Ice hockey In which European country is the summer and ski resort of Zell am See Austria Who is the patron saint of music? St Cecilia What name is given to the Japanese art of flower arranging Ikebana Of which country did Jean-B�del Bokassa proclaim himself emperor in 1977? Central African Republic Name the walled city in Canada that has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Quebec City What name is given to the fruits of plants of the genus Ficus?

Figs Which body of water in Scotland does the Kincardine Bridge span Firth of Forth Which British author wrote The Thirty-Nine Steps? John Buchan In which African country is the resort of Sharm El Sheikh? Egypt, Which Frenchman made the first flight across the English Channel in 1909? Louis Bleriot In which part of the body would you find the organ of Corti? The ear, In which New Mexico city was the atomic bomb developed in the Manhattan Project? Los Alamos Which famous English landscape artist�s works include The Vale of Dedham? John Constable Which novelist wrote The Young Caesar and The Aerodrome? Rex Warner Which Brazilian racing driver was killed at Imola in 1994? Ayrton Senna If something is �clavate� what shape is it? Club-shaped. Which Norwegian painter�s works include The Scream? Edvard Munch Which of the gifts brought by the Magi is also known as olibanum? Frankincense Who was the goddess of youth and spring in Greek mythology? Hebe Which Austrian composer wrote the oratorios The Creation and The Seasons?

Joseph Haydn In the book Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, what is the name of the ship? Hispaniola Who is the patron saint of fishermen? St Peter What is the first name of Agatha Christie�s creation Miss Marple? Jane By what name is the large American bird Meleagris Gallopavo more commonly known? The turkey, How many dominoes are there in a standard set? 28 In the Popeye cartoon series, who is Popeye�s hamburger-loving friend, who has an IQ of 326? Wellington Wimpy The song Nobody Does it Better featured in which James Bond film? The Spy Who Loved Me Which African lake was discovered by Sir Richard Burton and John Speke in 1858? Lake Tanganyika, Which city in central India was the site of a poisonous gas leak in 1984? Bhopal, Which British novelist wrote Silas Marner? George Eliot The republics of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania all border the shores of which sea? The Baltic Sea In which two European cities are Cleopatra�s Needles? London and Paris What substance obtained from the sapodilla tree is used to make chewing gum?

Chicle British painter George Stubbs was famous for his studies of which animals? Horses Which clipper (built in 1869) is preserved as a museum at Greenwich, London? Cutty Sark, Which strait separates the Isle of Wight from Hampshire? The Solent, In which year did the French Revolution begin? 1789 How many innings are there for each team in a game of baseball? Nine What name is given to the symbol placed at the beginning of a musical stave, to indicate the pitch? Clef, Who painted The Madonna and Child with Saint John the Baptist and Saint Nicholas of Bari? Raphael In which Spanish dance does a man represent the matador and a woman represent the cloak? Pasa doble For which powerful opiate is �diamorphine� the technical term? Heroin By what name is the 16th century astrologer Michelle de Notredame known? Nostradamus Of which former Soviet state is Bishkek the capital? Kyrgyzstan Which British administrator originated the penny postage system? Sir Rowland Hill The 1989 Ken Russell film The Lair of the White Worm was based on a tale by which writer?

Bram Stoker How many players are there in a Gaelic football team? 15 Which part of the body contains five metatarsal bones? Foot In which part of the human body is the masseter muscle? The head (it is used for chewing), Which former Israeli prime minister was born at Brestlitovsk in 1913? Menachem Begin, Marcus Junius Brutus (an assassin of Julius Caesar) was the nephew of which Roman philosopher? Cato the Younger The Irish bodhran is why type of musical instrument? Drum In which English county is Lizard Point? Cornwall. Who was appointed Youth Leader of the Reich in June 1933? Baldur von Shirach Which great historic general and adventurer rode a horse called Bucephalus? Alexander the Great, Which English queen is reputed to have had an extra finger on one of her hands? Anne Boleyn What nationality was the composer Sibelius? Finnish Edward Jenner discovered a vaccine for which disease? Smallpox On a tombstone, what do the initials HIS stand for? Hiciacet sepultus (Here lies buried), How many nautical miles is a league?

Three What was the name of the car ferry which overturned in the 1987 Zeebrugge disaster? The Herald of Free Enterprise, Who wrote Where Eagles Dare? Alistair MacLean, What name is given to a sharp or burning pain originating in a nerve? Neuralgia Who preceded Arnold Schwarzenegger as governor of California? Gray Davis Thimpu is the capital of which country? Bhutan In which ship did John Cabot set sail from Bristol in May 1497? The Matthew, In 2003, Montreal International Airport was renamed in honour of which Canadian statesman? Pierre Trudeau, In 2003, George W Bush became the second US president to visit Auschwitz: who was the first? Gerald Ford Which branch of mathematics takes its name from the Greek for �earth measurement Geometry Which three sports are included in the triathlon Swimming, cycling and running Who composed the symphony No 6 commonly known as The Pastoral Beethoven Which US actor starred in Twelve Angry Men and On Golden Pond Henry Fonda What number wood in golf was formerly known as a �spoon�?

Three What is the title of the Clement Moore poem which begins ��Twas the night before Christmas��? A Visit from St Nicholas Which composer wrote Orpheus in the Underworld and The Tales of Hoffmann Offenbach. Which horse won the British Grand National in 1973, 1974 and 1977 Red Rum. In which country is the Badalona cave system? Norway Who were the mother and father of Galahad in Arthurian legend? Elaine and Lancelot, Who composed the music for Hark the Herald Angels Sing? Mendelssohn Who is generally regarded as the first British prime minister? Robert Walpole Which country won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1992, 1993 and 1994 Ireland, In the Old Testament, who cut off Samson�s hair? Delilah What is the female counterpart of the male spirit Incubus? Succubus Which plants have an organ called a holdfast? Seaweed On which lake is the city of Milwaukee? Lake Michigan, How many cohorts were there in a Roman legion? Ten Which Israeli politician was given the nickname BiBi?

Binyamin Netanyahu For which form of therapy is the scientist Niels Ryberg Finsen best remembered Phototherapy In which discipline did Robert S Mulliken win a Nobel prize in 1966? Chemistry Which British general died leading his men in the capture of Quebec in 1759? James Wolfe Which publication, originally reprinting condensations of articles from other magazines, first appeared in the US in 1922? Reader�s Digest Which sea lies between the Italian mainland and the islands of Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica? Tyrrhenian Sea, A storey between floors of a building, The War of the Bavarian Succession was fought between which two countries? Austria and Prussia What is the German name for the Polish port of Gdansk? Danzig Who was the first murder victim in the Bible? Abel The Lone Ranger TV theme music comes from which Rossini opera? William Tell Which Australian city is named after the queen consort of King William IV of England? Adelaide By what name was the only English pope, Nicholas Brakespear known?

Adrian IV, Which prominent newspaper tycoon renounced his Canadian citizenship in 2001 in order to be appointed to Britain�s House of Lords? Conrad Black What was the pen-name of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson? Lewis Carroll Which country is known as Suomi in its native language Finland In which year did the reggae artist Bob Marley die? 1981 Which Hollywood heart-throb was the guitarist of the rock group P? Johnny Depp How many yards are there in one furlong? 220 Who became president of Egypt in 1981? Hosni Mubarak What sort of creature is a flying fox? Fruit-bat In martial arts, what is an ashi gatami? Leg lock, The scientific study of fingerprints. Which period of geological time saw the appearance of humans? Quarternary Which Texas town was established in 1849 to protect settlers from attacks by the Comanche tribe? Fort Worth MB is the abbreviation of which Canadian province? Manitoba, Who penned the poem The Village Blacksmith? Longfellow In which European capital city is the grave of the Doors singer Jim Morrison?

Paris What is the correct form of spoken address to a pope? Your Holiness. Which is the world�s largest dry desert? Sahara Which Christian festival is celebrated on 6 January? Epiphany Who was elected vice president of the USA in 1852, but died six weeks after being sworn in? William Rufus de Vane King The periodic table is a list of chemical elements: what is No 1 in that list? Hydrogen Which ancient Roman wrote The Sixteen Satires? Juvenal Derived from the Latin for �licking� what word describes a syrupy medicinal preparation taken to relieve coughs and sore throats? Linctus What is the former name of JFK airport, New York? Idlewild Which month of the year takes its name from the Roman festival of purification February, Which Biblical character was thrown into a lion�s den? Daniel Which alpine rail tunnel (then the longest rail tunnel in the world) was opened in 1906? The Simplon Tunnel, The largest of the seas of the Moon is the Mare Imbrium: what does this translate to?

Sea of Rains, To what did the group The Detours change their name in 1964 The Who Which African lake is the second deepest lake in the world? Lake Tanganyika. Which character in Greek mythology sacrificed his daughter Iphigenia? Agamemnon, What was the first name of actor Lon Chaney? Alonso Which Russian composer wrote Sheherezade? Rimsky -Korsakov. Who was elected France�s new president in May 2007? Nicolas Sarkozy Who played eight members of the same family in the film Kind Hearts and Coronets? Alec Guinness, What is the chief port of The Netherlands? Rotterdam What name is given to the treeless region in the northern hemisphere, of which permafrost is a feature? Tundra Which British novelist penned Mansfield Park and Northanger Abbey? Jane Austen In which London church is Poets� Corner? Westminster Abbey Which 1973 film featured Jack Nicholson as a sailor escorting a thief to naval prison? The Last Detail, Which African country was formerly known as Dahomey? Benin In which Sheridan play does the character Mrs Malaprop appear?

The Rivals Which is the largest of the United Arab Emirates? Abu Dhabi Dagestan is an autonomous republic of which country? Russia Which chieftain united the Gauls against Julius Caesar in 52BC? Vercingetorix �Fidelity, bravery, integrity� is the motto of which US organisation? FBI The Sierra Madre chain is the main mountain system of which country Mexico Physicist Niels Bohr was born and died in which European capital city? Copenhagen Which river flows into the North Sea at Sunderland? Wear Which pop singer originally had a No 1 single with the song When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going? Billy Ocean Des Moines is the capital of which US state? Iowa, What was the registration number of Lady Penelope�s pink Rolls Royce in the TV show Thunderbirds? FAB 1, Abuja is the capital of which West African republic? Nigeria Aldebaran is the brightest star in which constellation? Taurus What name is given to 15 July, which is supposed to set the weather for 40 days thereafter? St Swithin�s Day Which actor�s childhood nickname was Tootsie?

Dustin Hoffman Which hoisting device used on ships is named after a 17th century English hangman? Derrick Which Belgian city was the site of the first battle between British and German forces in World War I? Mons, In which city was country music star Kenny Rogers born? Dallas In which century was Sir Isaac Newton born? 17th What is the more common name for the medical condition nyctalopia? Night blindness What name is given to a line on a map joining places of equal temperature? Isotherm The French port of Saint Nazaire stands at the mouth of which river? Loire What kind of foodstuff is Monterey Jack? Cheese, Which canal in Venice is crossed by the Rialto Bridge? Grand Canal Which Scottish mathematician invented logarithms? John Napier Which French novelist wrote the book translated as Remembrance of Things Past? Marcel Proust Who was the first actress to receive two Oscars before the age of 30? Jodie Foster In which vessel did Sir Francis Drake sail the world? The Golden Hind What was the tallest building in the world before the completion of the Chrysler Building in New York in 1930?

Eiffel Tower What archaic unit of measurement was equal to 18 inches? Cubit, What name is given to the region of low pressure, calm latitudes in the oceans near to the equator? Doldrums Which US Civil War general led his famous march to the sea? Sherman Who wrote the musical Annie Get Your Gun? Irving Berlin What was Michael Caine�s character�s name in the 1967 film Billion Dollar Brain? Harry Palmer Which US city is nicknamed Bean Town? Boston The statue Christ of the Andes stands on the border between Argentina and which other country? Chile. How was the second emperor of Rome, Claudius Nero Caesar, better known? Tiberius At which US nuclear plant did a nuclear accident occur in 1979? Three Mile Island, Which country always leads the Olympic procession at the opening ceremony? Greece Which creature is known as orange man, or wise man of the forest? Orang utan What is the largest French-speaking city in Canada? Montreal, Which deceased former emperor of Ethiopia is regarded by members of the Rastafarian religion as the Messiah? Haile Selassie The name of which North African city literally means �white house�?

Casablanca The coronation of which king of England took place in Gloucester Cathedral in 1216? Henry III, Which modern British city was known by the Romans as Magnus Portus? Portsmouth In the Bible, who was the wife of Uriah? Bathsheba Which is the most southerly province of Portugal? The Algarve What name is given to the fruit of the Chinese tree prunus persica? The peach, In which English county is the famous Stonehenge stone circle Wiltshire On which Greek island did the poetess Sappho live? Lesbos If a substance is �caseous�, what is it like? Cheese Of which US state is Carson City the capital? Nevada, Which African animal�s name means �river horse�? Hippopotamus Of what is petrology the study? Rocks and minerals Which scientist won the Nobel Prize for his discovery of photoelectric effect? Einstein What is the name of the Barber of Seville in the play by Beaumarchais? Figaro Which large triangular muscle covering the shoulder serves to raise the arm laterally? Deltoid Which country has the southernmost point in South America?

Chile The Maritime Alps run along the border between which two countries? France and Italy By what name was Russian-born entertainer Asa Yoelson, star of The Jazz Singer better known? Al Jolson Which element did Otto Hahn and Lise Meitner discover in 1918? Proactinium Which US author wrote The Fall of the House of Usher? Edgar Allan Poe Which Bavarian town was the site of the first concentration camp set up by the Nazis? Dachau To which class of nymphs did Amphitrite (wife of Poseidon) and Thetis (mother of Achilles) belong in Greek mythology? The Nereids What colour is pitchblende? Black What is the meaning of the prefix �kara� in Japanese words such as �karate� and �karaoke�? Empty Of which planet is Desdemona a satellite? Uranus What is the surname of Emma in the novel by Jane Austen Woodhouse Which British tenor sang in the first performances of all Benjamin Britten�s operas? Peter Pears What was the first name of the Scottish pirate Captain Kidd?

William Who was the Commander in Chief of the Greeks in the Trojan War, who was murdered by his wife Clytemnestra? Agamemnon In which novel does Rawdon Crawley marry Becky Sharp? Vanity Fair Which famous nanny was created by P L Travers? Mary Poppins What is the derived SI unit of electrical capacitance? Farad What is the name given to clusters of flowers borne by trees such as the hazel? Catkins Which lower level of clouds are commonly called rainclouds? Nimbus Epoch Arts 10-2-2015 by Epoch Arts - issuu Our Little Acknowledged Classical Heritage KATI VERESHAKA/EPOCH TIMES Prince Charles and Transylvania’s Villages The medieval Romanian village of Viscri thrives by celebrating the old ways.

Weaver Stanley Bulbach expands the historic and aesthetic meaning of ‘classical.’ See C2 See C8 ‘Otello’ Zeljko Lucic as Iago (L) and Aleksandrs Antonenko in the title role of Verdi’s “Otello.” Opera Review KEN HOWARD/ METROPOLITAN OPERA Met Season Opens With Verdi’s Tragic Opera By Barry Bassis The Metropolitan Opera began its fall season with a new production of “Otello,” directed by Bartlett Sher with Latvian tenor Aleksandrs Antonenko in the title role. The Met generated publicity when it announced that it was dropping its practice of having the Moor of Venice appear in blackface. In light of our troubled racial history, this is long overdue. In other respects, the production had its ups and downs. See Otello on C3 Verdi gives the tenor a technical challenge as soon as he appears.

A scene from Verdi’s “Otello.” KEN HOWARD/ METROPOLITAN OPERA C1 October 2–8, 2015 C2 October 2–8, 2015 TheEpochTimes.com/EpochArts Weaver Stanley Bulbach “September Passages,” 2001, by Stanley Bulbach. A flying carpet. Our Little Acknowledged Classical Heritage By Sharon Kilarski | Epoch Times Staff The Near East is also the root of our modern technology. LB BU Y LE ST AN CH BA “November 57th Street,” 2013, by Stanley Bulbach. A flying carpet. RT AC H with spiritual importance. “The designs with which these carpets were decorated, related to the most powerful and important human experiences and events, ranging from birthing symbols, to trees of life, to gardens of paradise. When created for prayer in Islam, these carpets had designs pointing to Mecca,” he wrote. “Could any artist—ancient or contemporary—seek a more expressive and exciting canvas than this woven metaphor of the human condition?” Bulbach asks, on his website. U CO Can understanding classical art give us insights into our political relationship with the Middle East?

Artist and scholar Stanley Bulbach believes so. For Bulbach, who weaves flatwoven carpets, the phrase “classical art” expands in both aesthetic and historical meaning. This expanded view of classical art, he suggests, can challenge us to reconsider where Western civilization came from—back past the Greeks to ancient Mesopotamia, now modern-day Iraq, but traditionally called the Near East. Bulbach defines classic as it is commonly understood. “Classics to many means ideas and works of the past that epitomize cultural ideals that hit the target somehow in expressing who or what we have been. Classics frequently fall out of favor and then are rediscovered based upon their powerful ability to speak to us decades, centuries, or even millennia later on—even for classics of one culture to speak across unbridgeable distances to foreign cultures,” he said in a recent email exchange. The ancient Near Eastern flatwoven carpet still speaks to us of our common humanity. “Near Eastern flat woven carpets, often called kilims, had important utilitarian functions— primarily to transform the cold hard ground into something softer and warmer. They were beds on which the stages of life were played out.

People slept and dreamt on them, made love and procreated, gave birth, convalesced, even died. Often those same carpets then became their burial shrouds. “For nomads, at end of day’s journey, these carpets unrolled to transform foreign ground into more protective familiar turf,” Bulbach said. It seems odd to dignify a functional carpet with the aesthetic distinction of art. But consider that although we associate the term “aesthetic” with visual art, the word comes from classical Greek and means “to feel” or “sense,” Bulbach explained. Think of “anesthesia,” its opposite. Even if only seen, woven carpets, because of their texture and thickness, provide people a tactile experience. Even more important than its aesthetic value, the carpet, so fundamental to ancient life, became imbued carpet beds, and flying carpets. “Each speaks to a diﬀerent type of human consciousness,” his website explains.

For example, his prayer carpet titled “Fall Too Soon” depicts a large snowflake in its center, which acts as a “focal point of prayer and meditation.” The Aesthetics of Flat-Weaving Allowing the tactile qualities and significant designs to stand out is in the nature of weaving itself—in its very structure. It “favors designs in some directions, but not other directions,” Bulbach said. This type of weaving flattens and abstracts a pattern. “This further combines with the mathematical structure of this weaving, which is perfect for replicating designs, introducing abstractions such as pattern and rhythm,” he said. Enriching this art is yet another element: the dyes. Hand weaving included the process of hand dying wool with natural colors, necessarily limited in hue yet rich in gradations. The more perfectly the patterns were replicated, the more valued the variation of wool yarns and dyes became in making each replication slightly diﬀerent. This imbued “this art form with spirit and liveliness,” he said. Ancient flatwoven carpets were, of course, meant to be used.

Bulbach, however, intends that his own carpets, created in the same traditional way, be enjoyed as art to be viewed on the wall. His M.A. and Ph.D. in Mesopotamia studies from NYU led him to Morocco, where he became fascinated with Near Eastern carpets. In the 1970s, he joined the contemporary craft movement and devoted himself to mastering the art. He bases his work on the three distinct types of ancient Near East carpets: prayer carpets, COURTESY OF STANLEY BULBACH Dyeing wool with goldenrod in New York. DAN FRANKLIN SMITH Stanley Bulbach with washed, carded Lincoln wool in Vermont. Weaver Stanley Bulbach picks goldenrod in Vermont in 2014, to use as dye for wool. Acknowledging Our Roots Western culture typically sees our heritage beginning with the ancient Greeks, about the 5th century B.C. “In reality, our history and culture began twice as far back and from farther east,” Bulbach wrote. It’s only been 200 years since we’ve been able to decipher ancient clay tablets of the Near East.

Yet we owe astronomy, geometry, accounting, science, and even our basic writing systems to the Near East. Thus we lag far behind in understanding these shared roots. “For modern Western culture, much of ancient textile’s story is new information about a world that is still foreign and puzzling to the West, a world currently in tragic conflict with both itself and the West, a world and history to which we are inextricably related,” he wrote. He believes that our lack of understanding is a reason the 9/11 attack is unimaginably difficult for us to understand and also why we remain mired in the Iraqi region. Bulbach believes flat-weaving art continues to be important today—if only we acknowledge the gifts ancient weaving has bequeathed to us. Its artistic heritage is not hard to see. The art of flat-weaving is the prototype leading to Coptic weaving, medieval European tapestry, and contemporary tapestry arts. But the Near East is also the root of our modern technology. The vegetal dye industry that can be traced in the West as far back as ancient Mesopotamia eventually led to the development of chemical dyes and then to the photochemical industry, he explained.

Similarly, the early loom developed over time so that by the early 19th century, looms had hole-punched cards that controlled the woven designs. This technology, in turn, was usurped in the 20th century by the computer industry. “Thus, these carpets are a visual history of our technology up to the modern era,” Bulbach asserted. More profoundly, the flatwoven carpet tradition exemplifies that both the Near East and the West have approached the mysteries of the unknowable in similar ways. The early Mesopotamian visual arts can be characterized by pattern and rhythmic design. “Later in the Near East, Islam raised [these characteristics] to religious status as the only possible and permissible way to approximate the ineﬀable.” Islam forbids human representation for the purpose of worship because it is considered idolatry. “This is not dissimilar from what the classical music arts of the West have done for centuries in their close relationship with religious practice,” he stated. Music, of course, is by its very nature abstract, full of patterns, and rhythmic. Perhaps, then, a step toward peace today with the Near East would entail exploring its ancient art and learning about our shared heritage.

The series “The Classics: Looking Back, Looking Forward” asks those in the arts whether and why the classic forms are worth keeping. ept.ms/LookingAtClassics C3 October 2–8, 2015 TheEpochTimes.com/EpochArts ALL PHOTOS BY KEN HOWARD/METROPOLITAN OPERA As Iago, baritone Zeljko Lucic again evinces his skill at portraying evildoers. Opera Review ‘Otello’ Met Season Opens With Verdi’s Tragic Opera Otello continued from C1 The director moved the action from the 15th to the 19th century (a change evident only in Catherine Zuber’s costumes) with no resulting loss to the tragic power generated by Verdi’s and his librettist Arrigo Boito’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s play. The Plot The opera begins with a storm in the harbor of Cyprus, with the crowd waiting for the return of the governor, Otello. The raging seas were conveyed by Luke Halls’s projected images. Then Otello enters, proclaiming his victory over the Turks. His ensign, Iago, is determined to stir up trouble because Cassio has been promoted over him.

Iago manages to get Cassio demoted by getting him drunk and tricking him into a fight with Rodrigo, a Venetian nobleman. At the end of the first act, Otello is reunited with his bride, Desdemona. At the beginning of Act 2, Iago sets his scheme in motion by urging Cassio to seek help from Desdemona. After a soliloquy in which he expresses belief in a cruel God, Iago sets about to arouse Otello’s jealousy, making him believe that Cassio is carrying on an aﬀair with Desdemona. Her pleas to her husband to reinstate Cassio only fuel Otello’s distrust of her. This plotting continues in the third act, when Iago induces Cassio into speaking about his mistress, leading Otello to believe it is Desdemona they are discussing. The last act begins with Desdemona preparing for bed with the assistance of her maid, Emilia, who happens to be Iago’s wife. Desdemona says her nightly prayers, after which Otello arrives, kisses her, and tells his wife to prepare for death. He then smothers her, whereupon Emilia enters and reveals Iago’s deceit.

Otello kisses the deceased Desdemona and stabs himself. The Production The lighting by Donald Holder is mostly dark, which suits the mood of the piece. The moving glass walls by set designer Es Devlin are hardly a feast for the eyes but do allow the audience to see the characters’ spying activities. Only a heart of stone could fail to be moved by Sonya Yoncheva’s ‘Willow Song’ and ‘Ave Maria.’ Aleksandrs Antonenko in the title role and Sonya Yoncheva as Desdemona in Verdi’s “Otello.” One odd directorial touch is having Otello and Iago sitting on a bed, while the villain is spinning his false stories about a love aﬀair between Cassio and Desdemona. “Otello” is one of those operas where Verdi gives the tenor a technical challenge as soon as he appears. Here, it is the “Esultate!” (Rejoice!) and Antonenko comes through with a stentorian sound. He has a powerful voice, but it is not a particularly beguiling instrument.

Also, Antonenko lumbers about the stage with the same expression, often facing away from Desdemona and toward the audience, even during the love passages. Some of this is Sher’s doing, but Antonenko still could have infused his role with more conviction. Antonenko may be the best Otello on the scene today, but will not match memories of Jon Vickers (who died last July and is honored in the Playbill) or Plácido Domingo (who is still active, though no longer playing Otello). As Iago, baritone Zeljko Lucic again evinces his skill at portraying evildoers. His “Credo,” in which he declares his belief in a cruel God, is one of the highlights of the performance. The most impressive work is by soprano Sonya Yoncheva as Desdemona. Her singing is sublime; she moved with grace and acted with utter conviction. Only a heart of stone could fail to be moved by her “Willow Song” and “Ave Maria,” just before her jealous husband murders her. Tenor Dimitri Pittas makes a strong impression as Cassio and Jennifer Johnson Cano a fine Emilia, the wife of Iago and Desdemona’s servant.

The Met chorus and orchestra under Yannick Nézet-Séguin are superb. “Otello” runs at the Metropolitan Opera through Oct. 17 with additional performances in the spring of 2016; 212-362-6000, MetOpera.org. Barry Bassis has been a music, theater, and travel writer for over a decade for various publications. Stone lithographic advertising poster detail, China, Ca. 1920 Aleksandrs Antonenko as Otello (C) and Dimitri Pittas as Cassio (2nd R) in Verdi’s “Otello.” Look into the East At the gallery of Michael Ayervais Where Asian art comes to life in a magical setting 40 West 25th St. New York #228-229 | 917-623-2571 C4 October 2–8, 2015 TheEpochTimes.com/EpochArts STEPHANIE BERGER Theater Review ‘Antigone’ Antigone (Juliette Binoche) gives her brother burial rites, although forbid to do so by her uncle, King Kreon.

What is the price for doing what one believes to be right? Human Rights Above Rigid Laws By Diana Barth N EW YORK—Stark, severe, uncompromising, dark—these are the qualities imbued by director Ivo van Hove into his production of “Antigone,” translated by Anne Carson in a new version of Sophokles’s classic play. Costumed in modern dress, mostly in black (An d’Huys), with a minimalist set and lighting design (Jan Versweyveld), this version speaks to 21st century audiences. Softly throbbing background music (Daniel Freitag) deepens the eﬀect, while video projections (Tal Yarden) strengthen the modernist concept. Set in Thebes, Antigone (Juliette Binoche) is a royal person with a dark past, daughter of the self-blinded Oidipous. Now, she is faced with a terrible dilemma in which she has decided to break the law established by her uncle, King Kreon of Thebes (Patrick O’Kane).

This law decrees that Antigone’s brother, Polyneikes, killed in battle, may not be granted the rites of proper burial, for according to Kreon, Polyneikes is a traitor to the state. Proper burial is a matter of human rights, Binoche has commented in an interview. And to Kreon, the rule of law, loyalty to the state, comes first and foremost. In the play he says, “If a man puts family or friend Sophokles’s ideas— universal and timeless—ring true in today’s conflict-torn world. STEPHANIE BERGER (L–R) Guard (Obi Abili) finds Antigone (Juliette Binoche) breaking the law her uncle Kreon (Patrick O’Kane) set. ahead of fatherland, I count him absolutely good for nothing.” But to Antigone, loyalty to family and family ideals are more important. She thus decides to perform the burial rite for her brother, even knowing that she will be condemned to death by the king, her uncle. Antigone asks her sister Ismene (Kirsty Bushell) to perform the burial rites with her.

But Ismene insists that nothing Antigone does will change anything, and she fears invoking Kreon’s wrath. Antigone, disgusted with Ismene, leaves her. When the Guard (Obi Abili) enters and informs Kreon that he has seen Antigone perform the outlawed rites of burying Poyneikes, the die is set. In a searing scene, both antagonists, Kreon and Antigone, express their opposing views, and Kreon insists on the death sentence for Antigone. He further emphasizes that he “won’t be bested by a woman.” Antigone, feeling her stance is right, says, “A husband or a child can be replaced; but you can’t grow a new brother.” Kreon’s son, Haimon (Samuel EdwardCook), who is engaged to be married to Antigone, opposes Kreon, saying that his stance is inflexible and unfair. Finally, insisting that Antigone should not die, Haimon leaves in anger. The Chorus (Abili, Bushell, Finbar Lynch, and Kathryn Pogson), who voices its views on the events, at first sides against Antigone.

But after the blind seer Teiresias (Finbar Lynch) enters and speaks, the Chorus changes its views. Teiresias points out to Kreon that he is following a dangerous path, that he must learn to take people’s needs into consideration, and that his present path will only lead to disaster. Kreon is exercising bad judgment. Finally persuaded, Kreon vows to change his tactics, but he is too late. All his loved ones are now dead, by their own hand: Antigone, Haimon, and Kreon’s wife, Eurydike (Kathryn Pogson). The Chorus comments: “You’re late to learn what’s right, aren’t you?” And over all hovers set designer Jan Versweyveld’s enormous circle on the back wall, which sometimes encases stark moonlike white or deep red, as in a sunset (or a raging war), or is empty. Sophokles’s ideas—universal and timeless—ring true in today’s conflict-torn world. Thus, the ongoing tenacity and appeal of Greek drama.

Juliette Binoche, a renowned film actress, who is less known for her theater experience, has however played featured roles both in London and on Broadway. Arguably, she does herself a disservice by tending to shout her most emotional passages, thereby lessening rather than maximizing their eﬀectiveness. However, she is a most attractive figure onstage, exuding a highly individualistic kind of magnetism. Supporting performances are top-notch, with most of the cast boasting long lists of credits, primarily in England. Deserving of special mention are Patrick O’Kane’s powerful Kreon, Kirsty Bushell’s delicate but strong Ismene, Kathryn Pogson’s poignant Eurydike, Finbar Lynch’s insistent Teiresias, Obi Abili’s appealing Guard, and Samuel Edward-Cook’s intense Haimon. Nathaniel Jackson is also in the cast. Ivo van Hove, general director of the Toneelgroep Amsterdam since 2001, is noted for his many award-winning productions worldwide, including several at BAM.

Van Hove commented in the program notes that the right for proper burial was illustrated recently in the tragedy of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, shot down over a Ukrainian war zone. The victims were left rotting in an open field for over a week, seen as an act of barbarism worldwide. Finally the Dutch government arranged for a transfer of the bodies for a proper burial. Diana Barth publishes New Millennium, an arts publication. She may be contacted at DiaBarth@juno.com ‘Antigone’ BAM Harvey Theater 51 Fulton St., Brooklyn Tickets 718-636-4100 Running Time 1 hour, 40 minutes (no intermission) Closes Oct. 4 Supporting performances are top-notch. October 2–8, 2015 TheEpochTimes.com/EpochArts ANDREW LE PERA Sibylle's Style Diary Maggie Norris on Mastering Her Timeless and Distinctive Equestrian Style By Sibylle Eschapasse This week’s style diary guest is Maggie Norris, a fashion designer formerly with Ralph Lauren who is also fortunate to have once dressed the legendary Audrey Hepburn.

Maggie Norris’s very distinctive personal style, as well as her company, Maggie Norris Couture, reflects her love of horses. In three words: Style is timeless. Maggie Norris, fashion designer Sibylle Eschapasse: Describe your style? Maggie Norris: My style is very eclectic and reflects my equestrian past. Daily, I enjoy jodhpurs, riding jackets, and English riding boots with my Marlene Optique sunglasses. I am very fortunate to be able to wear my own couture and incorporate it with historical American-Indian antiques, such as my turquoise concho and military jackets. Ms. Eschapasse: What are three accessories you can’t live without, and what’s one item that makes you instantly more confident? Ms. Norris: My antique American-Indian concho turquoise belt, Marlene Optique sunglasses, and my engagement ring. My turquoise concho belt holds a special place in my heart, I put it on and instantly feel much more confident. Ms. Eschapasse: Who have been your greatest fashion influences? Who is your style icon? Ms. Norris: Truman Capote’s swans including Babe Paley, Slim Keith, Lee Radziwill, C. Z.

Guest, Gloria Guinness, and Marella Agnelli. Audrey Hepburn, as well, of course. One of my many blessings was the honor to have dressed Audrey Hepburn. Ms. Eschapasse: What does having style mean to you? In other words, please define style. Ms. Norris: In three words: Style is timeless. Ms. Eschapasse: If a close friend were to describe your personality in three words, what would they be? Ms. Norris: I believe they would be caring, passionate, and open. Ms. Eschapasse: How did your style evolve since you were a teenager? Ms. Norris: I had my own horses growing up, so I always loved the equestrian style. If anything I have incorporated more antique jewelry and couture jackets, but I still stick to an equestrian look for my day-to-day style. Fashion designer Maggie Norris at work. PATRICK MACLEOD/GUEST OF A GUEST Ms. Eschapasse: What is one purchase you’re most proud of? What would you pay a lot of money for, and what would you never pay much money for? Ms. Norris: I am most proud of the horses I owned.

As for what I would pay a lot of money for, American-Indian jewelry is worth the investment. I would not, however, pay a lot of money for costume jewelry. Ms. Eschapasse: What is the wildest thing you ever wore? Ms. Norris: There was a Wyoming western pioneer event I attended with a cowboy hat. I even had on cowboy boots. Ms. Eschapasse: When you go on the red carpet, how do you want your outfit to make you feel? Which designers can achieve that? Ms. Norris: I want what I am wearing to make me feel stylish. Karl Lagerfeld has the ability to make every woman feel this way. Ms. Eschapasse: How do you dress on workdays versus weekends? Ms. Norris: About the same, it doesn’t vary much. Ms. Eschapasse: What do you think of how others dress and what’s your advice to people who would like to develop their personal style? Maggie Norris. Ms. Norris: I think personal style is just that, personal. I would suggest to others to have one iconic piece and pair it with something very simple. Everyone needs their own style signature.

Maggie’s Favorites Favorite color: Mauve Favorite perfume: Cristalle by Chanel Favorite restaurant in NY: Omen Favorite drink: Southern lemonade Favorite movie: “Belle de Jour” or “Barry Lyndon” Favorite book: “Wuthering Heights” by Emily Brontë Favorite quote: “There will always be a longing for things that are Rare and Fine.” –Maggie Norris Sibylle’s Style Diary explores style from the perspective of choices, and what that means for different people, with personal advice from some of the most stylish people in New York. Sibylle Eschapasse is from Paris and now lives in Manhattan. She is a journalist and a contributing writer to various publications. Sibylle is also the author of a children’s book, “Argy Boy!: A New York Dog Tale.” She may be reached at Sibylle.Eschapasse@gmail.com DAVID PATRICK COLUMBIA Michele Gerber Klien (L) and Maggie Norris.

Essence of China WANG SHUANG-K’UAN/EPOCH TIMES A Tale of Two Generals, a Prophecy, and the Search for the ‘Art of War’ By Leo Timm | Epoch Times Staff Sun Zi’s timeless primer on strategy, “The Art of War,” has informed the thoughts of many a calculating mind, from generals to CEOs—and it also saved Sun’s own descendant in China, Sun Bin, from the jaws of peril and treachery. But it was the book’s teachings of wisdom, sincerity, benevolence, courage, and strictness that led the younger Sun through his darkest days of betrayal and humiliation at the hands of Pang Juan, his former sworn brother. the ability to march across the world unopposed. Pang Juan, Guiguzi decided, didn’t have the character to match such knowledge, but it would be safe in Sun’s hands. Within three days, he had learned the text by heart. When Sun Bin went to join Pang Juan in Wei State, Guiguzi warned him that he would one day achieve greatness, but only in the service of his native land, Qi.

One Master, Two Disciples From a young age, both Sun and Pang learned from the Taoist hermit, Guiguzi, in an eastern Chinese valley. This master specialized not just in strategy but also in reading fortunes, debate, and personal cultivation. He had a prophecy about his two disciples: Pang, ever ambitious, needed to be loyal to Sun, and if he failed in this he would meet his end by a thousand arrows. Pang then went to serve the powerful state of Wei, making a name for himself as an unparalleled general. But he forgot Guiguzi’s prophecy. A Heart of Darkness No sooner had Sun Bin arrived at Wei State did Pang Juan begin to undermine him. Eager to learn the secrets Sun had studied with Guiguzi in his absence, he conspired to have Sun Bin’s knees cut out and his face tattooed, marking him as a traitor and forcing him into Pang Juan’s care. At first, thinking that Pang had saved him, Sun began writing out the “Art of War” to repay the debt. Owing to a sympathetic servant’s timely intervention, however, Sun discovered the evil designs of his brother.

So he feigned madness, burned the text he had produced, and stealthily escaped to Qi State, where he began to fulfill Guiguzi’s prophecy. Sun Bin Learns From a Hidden Classic While Pang Juan was out earning fame and glory, Sun Bin had remained with their master in that remote valley. It was only then that Guiguzi revealed that he was in possession of the “Art of War,” the 13-part manual to military strategy that had been written over a hundred years ago by Sun’s ancestor Sun Zi. This text had once been lost, but the old hermit had preserved a copy. Whoever mastered the teachings laid out in the “Art of War,” Guiguzi said, would have The Return of a Strategist Unaware of Sun’s escape, Pang Juan continued to win victories for his state. The two finally met in battle, and Pang was bested the first time. Not long after, they had a second encounter, in which Guiguzi’s prophecy came to fruition. Traversing the pass of Maling the night before battle, Pang found that the trees had been felled to slow his advance; he was elated at the thought of his enemy’s terror.

Yet one tree remained standing, its bark stripped. Etched there were eight characters, illegible in the darkness. So Pang lit a torch, and revealed the vow: “Pang Juan shall meet death beneath this tree.” Just then, 10,000 archers from Sun Bin’s army, hidden in the hills, fired their arrows from all directions. The elusive words, recalling Pang’s broken vow, were now reality. As Pang lay dying, Sun Bin approached him, only to hear the general curse himself for having not killed Sun earlier. Before Sun could speak, Pang Juan had already drawn his sword and committed suicide. Humble Victory The “Art of War” presents warfare as a necessary evil that should be handled surgically and as decisively as possible. Sun Zi teaches stoic eﬃciency, detached from temporary successes and setbacks. In this way, the best commandSun Bin, descendant of Sun Zi, author of the “Art of War.” ers resolve conflicts eﬀortlessly. two disciples, “Thus it is that in war the victo“Hence his victories bring him neither reputation for wisdom nor credit for courrious strategist only seeks battle after the vicage.

He wins his battles by making no mistory has been won, whereas he who is destakes,” Sun Zi wrote. tined to defeat first fights and afterward looks Pang Juan, in addition to betraying his fellow for victory.” student and ignoring his master, was attached Despite all the wrongs Pang had committo the glory and fortune that being a general ted against him, Sun Bin did not bear any oﬀered him. He was presumptive and paragrudges. As for Sun Bin himself, he followed noid, leading him to turn Sun Bin, once his in his ancestor’s footsteps. After entrusting the sworn brother, into a deadly enemy. “Art of War” to the Qi authorities, Sun returned As the “Art of War” would have described the to the wilderness and resided in seclusion. C6 October 2–8, 2015 TheEpochTimes.com/EpochArts GILES KEYTE/TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX FILM CORPORATION Film Review ‘The Martian’: Matt Damon and Ridley Scott’s Merry Mission-to-Mars Movie By Mark Jackson | Epoch Times Staff ‘The Martian’ NASA is still trying to put a man on Mars. Which is quite noble.

But, you know, sometimes I think maybe we might all be better served if NASA put its considerable resources toward helping to contain Fukushima. All hands on deck for that, right? It’s not inconceivable that we’ll all die of radiation (or at least irradiated tuna) before NASA figures out how to fly the human race 34 million miles from the blue planet to the red planet. Meanwhile we’ll soon be seeing three-headed turtles. Well, Hollywood likes to put us on Mars right now (via their fictional NASA) so we can forget about Fukushima for two hours, and stick our collective heads in the Martian sand. Of which (like Eddie Murphy said in “Trading Places”), “There’s plenty, you know?” Ridley Scott’s “The Martian” is an instantaneous, thrilling American space classic about ingenuity, courage, and all-for-one-and-onefor-all teamwork—definitely the most fun you’ll have screen-wise in October. Scott’s transcended the slump he was in, and there’s really nothing we don’t enjoy watching Matt Damon in.

Director Ridley Scott Starring Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Michael Péna, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Sean Bean, Kate Mara, Jeff Daniels, Donald Glover Running Time 2 hours, 21 minutes Release Date Oct. 2 Rated PG-13 ‘Spaceman-Genuity’ There’s a space crew on Mars, outside their module sample collecting, when a Martian haboob (Mars looks very Hindu Kush-like; “haboob” is Arabic for storm) blows up: red sand everywhere, blocking out the sun. Due to an equipment malfunction, Damon’s astronaut Mark Watney gets skewered with a flying antenna. While he’s down for the count, TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX/TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX FILM CORP. (L–R) Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Sebastian Stan, Kate Mara, and Aksel Hennie portray the crewmembers of the fateful mission to Mars. lost in the haboob, his crew abort the mission, blast oﬀ, and leave him for dead. But he’s not dead! And he’s a botanist! So he jerry-rigs and MacGuyver’s up a greenhouse!

And ransacks the collection of space-crew freeze-dried poo-packets to make some, ahem, in-a-pinch—fertilizer! It’ll be four years before anyone can conceivably get to him, so he’d better grow some tasty vittles. Such as bushels of pootatoes (not a typo). Ground Control to Maj. Mark Back on earth, Watney’s given a hero’s farewell, and then the satellite-monitoring NASA scientists discover he’s still alive. What to do? Tell the crew? Nah—they need to concentrate on getting home safe. But is there any hope for a rescue? First order of business, more low-tech jerryrigging: Watney treks (in the Martian dunebuggy) a long distance to a buried piece of communication equipment from a previous mission, and with much duct-taping, a rudimentary spelling gizmo is hatched. Now Mark Watney, extraterrestrial, can phone home.

Some of this jerry-rigging is reminiscent of Robert Downey Jr.’s lab-tinkering on the “Iron Man” suit, replete with an explosion that blasts him across a room and bounces him oﬀ a wall; it’s the same gag and almost as funny. It’s a sure bet Ridley Scott was inspired by “Iron Man”; there’s more than a little Iron Man-like maneuvering involved in Watney’s rescue attempt— hey, great artists steal. Supporting Cast Jeﬀ Daniels plays the no-fun, budget-andimage-conscious NASA director, while Chiwetel Ejiofor plays the head of NASA’s Mars missions; much more in touch with the astronauts and scientists. Donald Glover plays the rudimentarylife-skills-challenged super-geek who does the mega-math and masterminds a classified, high-risk meta-rescue involving a Chinese missile. Kristen Wiig plays NASA’s director of public relations. Audiences immediately laugh, just looking at her, so conditioned are we to seeing Wiig wigging out, doing funny stuﬀ. Which she does here in muted form. Sean Bean plays a NASA flight director. Look for a nice grouping of “Lord Of The Rings” inside jokes in his presence.

And then there’s Michael Peña. Peña’s in everything lately, and it’s a good thing too, because there is no more imminently watchable actor these days than Peña. It’s a rare actor who can fully own both extremes of the comedy–drama spectrum. Disco Infernal In American pop-culture, if you let enough time go by, you can shoehorn even our most annoying, ickiest pop songs into a movie, and have the mash-up create a weird kind of wonderful atmosphere. The barrel-bottom dredging of ‘70s AM-radio musical cheese for movie soundtracks, happening in “The Martian,” undoubtedly has “Guardians of the Galaxy” to thank. It features disco “classics,” ABBA, and the fluﬃer David Bowie cuts jammed in there under the pretext that they’re ship Capt. Melissa Lewis’s (Jessica Chastain) personal stash of tunes. Will they drive Watney mad, should he discover them? Will they drive you mad? You may discover that the hearing of songs that normally provoke in you a knee-jerk flailing at whatever source is playing them (“Turn it oﬀ!!!”), here … they’ll make you feel strangely happy.

Funny Farm Damon is the man for this role of the astronaut/ farmer-as-standup-comedian, the only flaw being that the situations and set pieces telegraph lower-hanging-fruit jokes with obvious punchlines. Then again, it’s nice to see Ridley Scott, creator of creatures who bite your face oﬀ (“Alien’’)—going for some laughs. All for One and One for All “The Martian” really boils down to the dedication of teams; people who signed on for comewhat-may because it’s their calling—in this case ingenious jerry-rigging creativity and the brain-power to handle the math behind the astrophysics. And to use their talents to save one of their own; they can’t get enough of that. Neither can we. It seems apropos to end with a Beatles lyric more fitting for the film than, say, ABBA’s “Waterloo”: “Limitless undying love, which shines around me like a million suns, it calls me on and on across the universe.” Now somebody call the real NASA and tell them to help fix Fukushima before the world’s oceans turn red, creating two red planets in the universe, thereby rendering future Mars missions redundant.

LISA TOMASETTI/SONY PICTURES CLASSICS Next on the Big Screen: October 2015 What: The frontline pioneers of the early feminist movement. Protesting inequality and sexual harassment in the workplace, among other things, a group of women were forced underground in order to continue the fight. Things got increasingly dangerous for them, due to government and legal oppressors. Critics: 8 out of 12 Rotten Tomatoes critics like it. “It’s a tremendous, awards-worthy performance from Mulligan,” said Cath Clarke of Timeout. “The supporting cast, including Helena Bonham Carter, Romola Garai, and Anne-Marie Duﬀ, are all top-notch, and a reminder of how few films like this exist anywhere.” Sasha Stone, TheWrap. By Mark Jackson | Epoch Times Staff The Epoch Times film critic picks five films, next on the big screen in October, that appear to have potential, and collates some critic opinions for each. Oct. 9 ‘Steve Jobs’ Cast: Michael Fassbender, Kate Winslet, Seth Rogen, Sarah Snook, Jeﬀ Daniels What: “Steve Jobs.” Another movie about the life and times of Apple CEO Steve Jobs?

We just had “Jobs,” starring Ashton Kutcher. That wasn’t very good; 7 out of 12 critics on the film-review website “Rotten Tomatoes” didn’t like “Jobs.” Some critic comments about the Kutcher version: “All of this information could be found in a simple Internet search,” said Matthew Toomey of ABC Radio Brisbane. “Fawning Hagiography,” said Fiona Williams of sbs.com.au. Critics: For the upcoming, better version, “Steve Jobs,” it’s got a great cast, and 9 out of 10 critics from Rotten like it. “For those who subscribe to the generally held view that the late co-founder of Apple was both an iconic visionary and a monster with a silicon chip where his heart should be, rest assured that writer Aaron Sorkin, director Danny Boyle, and star Michael Fassbender have given their subject the brilliant, maddening, ingeniously designed and monstrously selfaggrandizing movie he deserves.” said Justin Chang of Variety magazine. Matt Damon portrays an astronaut who draws upon his ingenuity to subsist on a hostile planet.

(L–R) Elisabeth Moss as Lucy Scott, David Lyons as Josh Howard, Topher Grace as Mike Smith, Natalie Saleeba as Mary Murphy, Dennis Quaid as Col. Roger Charles, Adam Saunders as Tom, and Cate Blanchett as Mary Mapes, in Sony Pictures Classics’ “Truth.” Oct. 16 Cast: Robert Redford, Cate Blanchet, Bruce Greenwood Cast: Tom Hanks, Alan Alda, Amy Ryan What: “Truth” is set in 2004, and tells the story of the last days of CBS news anchor Dan Rather (Robert Redford) and producer Mary Mapes (Cate Blanchett). They’d broadcast a news report that immediately became highly controversial, wherein they’d alleged that President Bush (running for re-election) avoided Vietnam War combat by pulling strings. There was no verifiable evidence of this claim. Critics: Ten out of 12 critics like it.

The New York Post’s Lou Lumenick said: “‘Truth’ dramatically recounts the story behind the ‘60 Minutes’ segment that led Dan Rather (wellplayed by Robert Redford) to resign from CBS, but the brightest star of this great ensemble piece is Cate Blanchett, who may well end up with another Oscar nomination for playing Rather’s producer Mary Mapes.” What: Like “Lincoln,” this is a true-to-life story about a historical turning point. Set during the Cold War, a spy plane was shot down in the Soviet Union. Its pilot, Francis Gary Powers, was captured. So the Americans have a Russian spy, the Russians have Francis Powers, and Tom Hanks plays the lawyer hired to negotiate the legalities of the prisoner exchange. Oct. 30 ‘Our Brand Is Crisis’ Cast: Sandra Bullock, Billy Bob Thornton, Anthony Mackie What: This is a comedy-drama about a fictional account of the American political campaign strategies used in the 2002 Bolivian presidential election. George Clooney produces. David Gordon Green, who directed “Pineapple Express,” directs. Critics: No critic reviews yet. I speculate that since these are all very funny people, it must be very funny.

WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT INC. AND RATPAC-DUNE ENTERTAINMENT LLC Critics: No critic reviews yet. I speculate— Steven Spielberg makes a movie with a Coen brothers script and Tom Hanks in the lead? It must be seen. Oct. 23 ‘Suﬀragette’ Cast: Meryl Streep, Helena Bonham Carter, Carey Mulligan, Brendan Gleason Billy Bob Thornton as Pat Candy and Sandra Bullock as Jane in Warner Bros. Pictures and Participant Media’s drama “Our Brand Is Crisis.” C7 @EpochArts October 2–8, 2015 TheEpochTimes.com/EpochArts THINGS TO DO COMMUNITY EVENTS NEW IN MANHATTAN Experience Macau, China, in New York City Oct. 1–4 Vanderbilt Hall, Grand Central Terminal Visits can enjoy an authentic Macau experience in the iconic Vanderbilt Hall. You can decorate your own traditional lantern, design Portuguese tiles, enjoy the dance performances, while you browse the spice market and sample traditional Macanese cookies. Free. VisitMacauChina.com/ GrandCentral Media Movers & Shakers Oct. 3 at 4 p.m. Green Wood Historic Chapel 25th St.

at 5th Ave. Join Untapped Cities founder Michelle Young, journalist and urban planner Julia VitulloMartin, and Brokelyn News Editor David Colon for a lively discussion exploring the frenzied world of NYC news and media, both past and present, on a trolley tour to visit the monuments of the great newspaper men of the 19th century. Talk is free; Trolley tour is $20; $15 for members. Green-Wood.com/ ToursEvents Autumn Crafts Festival Oct. 3, 4, 10, 11 Saturdays 11 a.m.–8:30 p.m. & Sundays 10 a.m.–6:30 p.m. Lincoln Center Plaza 64th Street at Columbus Avenue Juried craft displays selected from every region of the United States. Continuous entertainment, craft demonstrations. Free. CraftsAtLincoln.org Modern Sky Music Festival Oct. 4 Central Park Featured Artists include Gang of Four, Black Lips, Hedgehog, Ariel Pink, Song Dongye, New Pants, and more. $43.20–$150.

ModernSkyFestivalNYC.com This exhibition presents views of women, myth, and photography intertwined through nine pioneers who embrace new attitudes for women. Since 1896 through to the present, freedom earned through personal decision and efforts includes the early social risks taken in a still-traditional society. Free. Throckmorton-NYC.com Collecting Paradise: Buddhist Art of Kashmir and Its Legacies Through Oct. 19 Rubin Museum of Art Exhibit traces the continuity of the art of Kashmir in the Western Himalayas for over a millennium. $10–$15. RubinMuseum.org ENDING IN MANHATTAN Exploring France: Oil Sketches From the Thaw Collection Through Oct. 4 The Morgan Library & Museum Explores the practice of working outdoors or in the studio on a modest scale to capture the landscape. $12–$18. TheMorgan.org Hungarian Treasure: Silver From the Nicolas M. Salgo Collection Through Oct. 4 The Metropolitan Museum of Art This large collection of silver— most dating from the 15th to the late 18th century— comprises a variety of types with especially refined appearance and high levels of craftsmanship. $12–$25 suggested.

MetMuseum.org Sargent: Portraits of Artists and Friends Through Oct. 4 Metropolitan Museum of Art American painter John Singer Sargent (1856–1925) created portraits of artists, writers, actors, dancers, and musicians, many of whom were his close friends. $12– $25 suggested. METMuseum.org Rubin Museum of Art Annual Gala and After Party Oct. 8 at 6:30 p.m. Guastavino’s 409 East 59th St. Presenting the Heart Connection Award to Donald Rubin. After party includes: Open Bar • Sweet & Savory Bites • Dancing Masks encouraged: Bring your own or wear one of ours! $100–$465. Rubinmuseum. org/Support/Gala ENDING ELSEWHERE ONGOING IN MANHATTAN PERFORMING ARTS Alice: 150 Years of Wonderland Through Oct. 11 The Morgan Library and Museum This exhibition will bring to light the curious history of Wonderland, presenting an engaging account of the genesis, publication, and enduring appeal of Lewis Carroll's classic tale "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland." $12–$18.

TheMorgan.org VISUAL ARTS NEW IN MANHATTAN Women Pioneers Mexican Photography I Through Nov. 14 Throckmorton Fine Art, 145 E. 57th St., Floor 3 Abbie Zabar: Ten Years of Flowers Through Oct. 4 Wave Hill House, 675 W. 252nd St., Bronx Abbie Zabar exhibits a selection of drawings from her series Flowers in the Great Hall of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. $2–$8. WaveHill.org NEW IN MANHATTAN All-Balanchine, NYC Ballet Oct 1 at 7:30 p.m., Oct. 3 at 8 p.m., Oct. 6 at 7:30 p.m., Oct. 11 at 3 p.m. David H. Koch Theater Romance both refined and impassioned overtakes the stage in this all-Balanchine double bill with Liebeslieder Walzer and Tschaikovsky Suite No. 3. $60–$170. NYCBallet.com Tannhäuser Oct.

8–31 Metropolitan Opera 30 Lincoln Center Plaza History, myth, and invention come together in Tannhäuser to create a unique and powerful drama. James Levine conducts Wagner’s early masterpiece in its first COURTESY OF CHRIS LEE/NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC Carnegie Hall Opening Night Gala return to the Met stage in more than a decade. From $27. MetOpera.org ONGOING IN MANHATTAN Fall for Dance Festival Through Oct. 11 New York City Center 131 W. 55th St. Experience the very best the dance world has to offer at New York City Center’s 12th annual Fall for Dance Festival, where you’ll see world-renowned companies performing alongside daring new artists. $15. NYCityCenter.org MUSIC NEW IN MANHATTAN The Viennese - A String Quartet, Vanessa Perez on Piano Oct. 2 at 7:30 p.m. Carnegie Hall, Weill Recital Hall 57th Street & Seventh Avenue The Viennese were founded by Prof.

Günter Seifert, a member of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, and debuted in the summer of 2008 during the orchestra’s Mediterranean cruise. Violinists Günter Seifert and Clemens Flieder, violist Hans Peter Ochsenhofer, and bassist Josef Pitzek bring the music of Vienna to Carnegie Hall. In this concert, the quartet performs together with special guest Venezuelan-American pianist Vanessa Perez. $60. CarnegieHall.org Chiara String Quartet Series Oct. 2 at 7 p.m. Full of great ideas, the energetic musicians of the Chiara String Quartet have established themselves as one of the most powerful and passionate practitioners of the string quartet genre. $50 single concert, $170 for series of four concerts, $1 children. MetMuseum.org Till Eulenspiegel, St. Luke's Chamber Orchestra Oct. 3, 5–6 p.m. The Rubin Museum of Art 150 West 17th St. Hear an octet of St. Luke’s virtuoso musicians play music for winds and strings by Strauss as well as Beethoven and Nielsen in a free, onehour concert.

Free. OSLmusic.org/SubwaySeries Anastasiya Roytman Oct. 4 at 7:30 p.m. Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall 57th St. and Seventh Ave. Soprano Anastasiya Roytman, Julian Milkis on clarinet, and Abdiel Vazquez on piano. $25–$45. CarnegieHall.org Musicians From Marlboro Oct. 5 at 8 p.m. Carnegie Hall 57th St. and Seventh Ave. Celebrating its 50th anniversary in the 2015-16 concert season, Musicians from Marlboro, the touring extension of the Marlboro Music Festival in Vermont, presents young professional musicians together with seasoned artists in varied chamber music programs. $35–$40. CarnegieHall.org Bulgarian Concert Evenings Opening Night Gala Oct. 6 at 7:30 p.m. Carnegie Hall 57th St. and Seventh Ave. Bulgarian Concert Evenings opens its 11th season Conductor Alan Gilbert with the New York Philharmonic.

with a gala concert, featuring beloved chamber music works by Mozart and Schubert and the presentation of a work by Grammy-nominated Bulgarian composer Dobrinka Tabakova. $20–$75. CarnegieHall.org Carnegie Hall Opening Night Gala, New York Philharmonic Oct. 7 at 7 p.m. Carnegie Hall, Stern Auditorium, Perelman Stage 57th Street & Seventh Avenue In what is indeed a gala event, Evgeny Kissin joins the New York Philharmonic and Music Director Alan Gilbert for Tchaikovsky’s immortal Piano Concerto No. 1 to launch the 2015– 2016 season. $68–$220. CarnegieHall.org Shen Yun Symphony Orchestra Oct. 10 at 2 p.m. & 8 p.m. Carnegie Hall Shen Yun Symphony Orchestra presents Eastern and Western musical traditions in a concert like no other. Shen Yun’s original music is inspired by 5,000 years of Chinese civilization and blends the beauty of ancient Eastern instruments with the power of the Western symphony orchestra. Highlights also include Shen Yun’s celebrated singers and purely classical masterpieces by Tchaikovsky and Sarasate.

$38–108. ShenYunPerformingArts.org ONGOING IN MANHATTAN Queens Museum. Flushing Meadows Corona Park Hear an octet of St. Luke’s virtuoso musicians play music for winds and strings by Strauss as well as Beethoven and Nielsen in a free, one-hour concert. Free. OSLmusic.org/ SubwaySeries Dear Readers NEW ELSEWHERE St. Luke's Chamber Orchestra Oct. 4 at 2 p.m. If you have an event to suggest, please send details to NYC_Arts@ EpochTimes.com in the format you see here. Stoney Creek Cremation & Burial Society 3024 QUENTIN ROAD BROOKLYN, NY 11234 718.339.0700 STONEYCREEKCREMATION.COM STONEYCREEKCREMATION@GMAIL.COM Primarily an online service, serving families conveniently at their own home — through a computer.

C8 October 2–8, 2015 TheEpochTimes.com/EpochArts KATI VERESHAKA/EPOCH TIMES KATI VERESHAKA/EPOCH TIMES 2 WWW.EXPERIENCETRANSYLVANIA.RO 1. Internal courtyard of White Church in the village of Viscri, Romania. The construction of the fortified church began in 1100, a fact confirmed by the tombstone inscription in a nearby cemetery. 2. The house owned by Prince Charles in Viscri, Romania, on Aug. 18. 3. An interior view of the house owned by Prince Charles in Viscri. 1 3 COURTESY OF CRISTIAN RADU KATI VERESHAKA/EPOCH TIMES KATI VERESHAKA/EPOCH TIMES 4. Prince Charles and Caroline Fernolend, vice president of the Mihai Eminescu Trust, plant the 1 millionth tree on May 31, 2013. The project called A Forest for Every School was part of a collaboration between the trust and French Hotel Chain Accor. 5. Caroline Fernolend at White Church in the village of Viscri, Romania. 6.

Village life in Viscri. 4 5 6

Question: Of which planet is'Desdemona' a satellite?
Answer: URANUS