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>> FUNDING FOR NYC-ARTS IS MADE POSSIBLE BY
ROSALIND P. WALTER -- ELISE JAFFE AND JEFFREY BROWN --
JODY AND JOHN ARNHOLD -- MILTON & SALLY AVERY ARTS
FOUNDATION -- AND ELROY AND TERRY KRUMHOLZ
FOUNDATION.
THIS PROGRAM IS SUPPORTED, IN PART, BY PUBLIC FUNDS FROM THE
NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS IN PARTNERSHIP
WITH THE CITY COUNCIL.
ADDITIONAL FUNDING PROVIDED BY MEMBERS OF THIRTEEN.
NYC-ARTS IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY FIRST REPUBLIC BANK.
FLEXIBILITY, COORDINATION, IT'S A PRIVILEGE TO SERVE YOU.
>>> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO NYC-ARTS.
I'M PAULA ZAHN AT THE TISCH WNET STUDIOS AT LINCOLN CENTER.
>> AND I'M PHILIPPE DE MONTEBELLO.
AS ALWAYS IT IS OUR PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO THE DIVERSE
TALENTS AND CULTURAL RICHNESS OF OUR ARTS COMMUNITY.
FROM REMARKABLE PERFORMING ARTISTS ON STAGE AND SCREEN, TO
UNUSUAL GALLERY AND MUSEUM EXHIBITIONS, WE OFFER A VAST
ARRAY OF WORLDS TO EXPLORE.
>> TONIGHT I'LL HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH DIRECTOR
MICHAEL MAYER.
HE IS PERHAPS BEST KNOWN FOR HIS WORK ON THE STAGE FOR SUCH HITS
AS THE TONY- WINNING "SPRING CURRENT TV SERIES "SMASH."
NOW HE'S BEHIND THE INNOVATIVE NEW PRODUCTION OF VERDI'S
"RIGOLETTO" AT THE METROPOLITAN OPERA --
WHERE HE HAS UPDATED THE ITALIAN CLASSIC TO A VERY MODERN TIME
AND PLACE, 1960s LAS VEGAS.
THIS PRODUCTION OF "RIGOLETTO" OPENED THIS WEEK, WITH ITS FIRST
CAST APPEARING THROUGH FEBRUARY 23RD.
A NEW CAST WILL CONTINUE THE RUN STARTING APRIL 13TH THROUGH MAY
1ST.
YOU CAN ALSO SEE THE PRODUCTION ON FEBRUARY 16TH WHEN IT'S
TRANSMITTED AROUND THE WORLD AS PART OF "THE MET: LIVE IN HD"
SERIES.
>> THEN, WE'LL VISIT WITH A COUNTESS WHO FINDS HERSELF AT
THE CENTER OF SOME HIGH MELODRAMA.
LADY FIONA CARNARVON IS THE CHATELAINE OF HIGHCLERE CASTLE,
THE BEAUTIFUL ENGLISH COUNTRYSIDE ESTATE THAT HAS SET
THE STAGE FOR THE HIT PBS MASTERPIECE SERIES "DOWNTON
ABBEY." AN EXPERT ON THE CASTLE ITS
HISTORY AND ITS RESIDENTS, SHE HAS WRITTEN A BOOK CALLED "LADY
ALMINA AND THE REAL DOWNTON ABBEY."
>> WONDER WHAT REALLY DOES GO ON THERE, BUT FIRST, FOR MORE
INFORMATION ON ARTS AND CULTURAL EVENTS IN OUR AREA, HERE'S
CHRISTINA HA WITH THE NEWS.
>> GOOD EVENING, I'M CHRISTINA HA WITH TONIGHT'S NYC-ARTS NEWS.
I'M HERE AT THE RUBIN MUSEUM OF ART IN CHELSEA.
THE MUSEUM IS KNOWN AS A CENTER FOR ANCIENT TIBETAN ART AND
SERIOUS SCHOLARSHIP, AS WELL AS A LIVELY AND ENGAGING
CONTEMPORARY CULTURAL SCENE.
CURRENTLY ON VIEW HERE IS "THE PLACE OF PROVENANCE: REGIONAL
STYLES IN TIBETAN PAINTING." THIS EXHIBITION OF SOME
40 PAINTINGS AND SCULPTURES FROM THE 14TH TO 19TH CENTURY IS
DRAWN PRIMARILY FROM THE MUSEUM'S EXTENSIVE COLLECTION
AND IS BACKED BY OVER 35 YEARS OF EXHAUSTIVE RESEARCH.
THE EXHIBITION EXPLORES THE FOUR DISTINCTIVE PROVINCIAL ARTISTIC
STYLES OF TIBET, AS WELL AS THOSE OF BHUTAN, MONGOLIA AND
QING-DYNASTY CHINA.
BY FOCUSING ON CERTAIN KEY ELEMENTS OF THE LANDSCAPE, SUCH
AS SKIES, CLOUDS AND SNOW MOUNTAINS, THE EXHIBITION
DEMONSTRATES THE UNIQUE ARTISTIC ATTRIBUTES OF EACH REGION,
OPENING A NEW WINDOW TO THIS ANCIENT ART FORM.
THE RUBIN MUSEUM IS NOT JUST A PLACE FOR SCHOLARSHIP AND ART
HISTORY.
IT ALSO EXPLORES CONTEMPORARY ART AND MODERN IDEAS.
IN FEBRUARY, THE RUBIN PRESENTS "LIVING SHRINES OF UYGHUR
CHINA," THE FIRST MUSEUM EXHIBITION OF CONTEMPORARY
PHOTOGRAPHER, LISA ROSS.
ROSS'S EVOCATIVE PHOTOS SHOW SACRED LANDSCAPES IN
NORTHWESTERN CHINA.
THE MUSEUM ALSO KICKS OFF THE LATEST EDITION OF ITS POPULAR
BRAINWAVE SERIES.
THE SERIES BRINGS TOGETHER ARTISTS AND THINKERS WITH
NEUROSCIENTISTS TO DISCUSS THE INNER WORKINGS OF THE MIND.
THIS YEAR IT PAIRS THEATER AND FILM DIRECTOR FRANCOIS GIRARD
WITH COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR CARLSCHOONOVER TO
DISCUSS GIRARD'S NEW MET OPERA PRODUCTION OF WAGNER'S PARSIFAL.
THE SERIES WILL ALSO SHOW A NUMBER OF FILMS, INCLUDING:
"HIGH GROUND" -- A DOCUMENTARY ABOUT AN
EXPEDITION BY U.S. VERTANS FROM IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN TO SCALE A
20,000 FOOT MOUNTAIN IN THE HIMALAYAS.
A NEUROLOGIST IS ALSO BACK ON STAGE IN A TWISTY NEW THRILLER
PRESENTED BY THE MANHATTAN THEATER COMPANY.
"THE OTHER PLACE," BY RISING PLAYWRIGHT SHARR WHITE, COMES TO
BROADWAY.
THE PLAY IS PART FAMILY DRAMA, PART MYSTERY.
LAURIE METCALF REPRISES THE ROLE THAT EARNED HER AN OBEY IN THE
OFF- BROADWAY PRODUCTION IN 2011.
SHE PLAYS A SUCCESSFUL NEUROLOGIST WHO SEEMS TO
BECOMING UNHINGED.
"THE OTHER PLACE" IS IN A LIMITED ENGAGEMENT AT THE SAMUEL
BUGLISI DANCE THEATRE CELEBRATES ITS 20TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON WITH
J. FRIEDMAN THEATRE.
A SLATE OF COMPANY CLASSICS AND FOUR WORLD PREMIERES AT THE
JOYCE.
THE PERFORMANCES HONOR BOTH THE PAST AND THE FUTURE OF THE
COMPANY, KNOWN FOR ITS MATURE AND EXPRESSIVE DANCERS AND ITS
WORKS OF THEATRICAL POWER.
FOUNDING MEMBERS OF THE COMPANY WILL PERFORM IN SIGNATURE WORKS
BY ARTISTIC DIRECTOR JACQULYN BUGLISI, INCLUCING "THRESHOLD,"
"REQUIEM," AND "SUSPENDED WOMEN."
GUEST ARTISTS CHARLES ASKEGARD WILL PARTNER MARTINE VAN HAMEL
IN "CARAVAGGIO MEETS HOPPER." "THIS IS FOREVER," WITH MUSIC
PERFORMED LIVE BY COMPOSER STEVE MARGOSHES.
A NEW EXHIBITION OF PHOTOS AT NYU'S GREY ART GALLERY CAPTURES
THE POET OF GREENWICH VILLAGE WHO LIVED HIS LIFE -- JUST
AROUND THE CORNER.
"BEAT MEMORIES: THE PHOTOGRAPHS OF ALLEN GINSBERG," FEATURES
OVER 80 BLACK-AND-WHITE PHOTOS.
GINSBERG FIRST BEGAN TAKING PHOTOS IN THE 1950S AS AN
HE TOOK PHOTOS OF HIS CLOSE-KNIT GROUP OF FRIENDS, INCLUDING JACK
KEROUAC, WILLIAM S. BURROUGHS AND OTHERS FROM WHAT WOULD LATER
BE KNOWN AS THE BEATS.
YEARS LATER GINSBERG ADDED INTIMATE, HANDWRITTEN CAPTIONS,
LOOKING BACK AT THAT TIME WITH DEEPLY PERSONAL AND POETIC
OBSERVATIONS.
THE EXHIBITION ALSO INCLUDES MORE SELF-CONSCIOUSLY ARTISTIC
PHOTOGRAPHS GINSBERG TOOK FROM THE EARLY 1980S UNTIL HIS DEATH
IN 1997.
"BEAT MEMORIES: THE PHOTOGRAPHS OF ALLEN GINSBERG," REMAINS ON
VIEW AT NEW YORK UNIVERSITY'S GREY ART GALLERY UNTIL APRIL
LOOKING FOR SOMETHING DELICIOUS, NUTRITIOUS AND ENTERTAINING?
WELL, A NEW EXHIBITION AT THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL
HISTORY IS SURE TO WHET YOUR APPETITE.
"OUR GLOBAL KITCHEN: FOOD, NATURE, CULTURE," EXPLORES OUR
COMPLEX AND INTRICATE FOOD SYSTEM, TRAVELING FROM FARM TO
FORK.
IT COVERS EVERYTHING FROM GROWING AND TRANSPORTING TO
COOKING, EATING, TASTING AND CELEBRATING.
THE EXHIBIT INCLUDES THE MUSEUM'S USUAL ELABORATELY
DETAILED DIORAMAS AS WELL AS RARE ARTIFACTS FROM THE
COLLECTIONS.
BUT, IT ALSO INVITES VISITORS INTO ITS WORKING TASTING KITCHEN
AND ALLOWS THEM TO COOK A VIRTUAL MEAL.
ROOMS OF FAMOUS FIGURES THROUGHOUT HISTORY AND EXAMINE
FOOD CULTURES FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
AND THAT'S THE LATEST FOR NYC-ARTS NEWS THIS WEEK.
FROM THE RUBIN MUSEUM OF ART IN CHELSEA, I'M CHRISTINA HA.
>> AT THE METROPOLITAN OPERA, ACCLAIMED DIRECTOR MICHAEL MAYER
IS MOUNTING A THOROUGHLY MODERN TAKE ON GIUSEPPE VERDI'S
"RIGOLETTO." IN A BOLD NEW INTERPRETATION,
HE'S UPDATED THE OPERATIC MASTERPIECE FROM 16TH CENTURY
ITALY -- TO LAS VEGAS IN THE 1960'S.
I RECENTLY JOINED MAYER TO DISCUSS HIS CAREER AND THIS NEW
PRODUCTION.
>> MICHAEL, IT'S GREAT TO HAVE YOU WITH US.
>> THANK YOU, IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE.
>> YOU HAVE HAD A VARIED CAREER AS A DIRECTOR.
YOU HAVE BEEN HONORED FOR YOUR WORK ON STAGE WINNING A TONY FOR
"SPRING AWAKENING" AND MUCH ACCLAIMED FOR "AMERICAN IDIOT."
YOU HAVE BEEN A CONSULTING PRODUCER AND DIRECTOR FOR THE
TELEVISION SERIES, "SMASH." DESCRIBE TO ALL OF US WHAT GOES
THROUGH YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS WHEN YOU TAKE ON A NEW PROJECT?
>> FOR ME, THE THREE THINGS THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED, "SMASH," AND
"AMERICAN IDIOT," AND "SPRING AWAKENING," ALL THREE OF THOSE I
FEEL LIKE I WAS VERY MUCH A PART OF THE CREATION OF THEM >> SO
WHAT CAPTURES YOU FROM THE BEGINNING?
IS IT THE STORY?
>> GENERALLY IT'S SOMETHING IN THE STORY THAT I FEEL THAT I CAN
RELATE TO OR THAT I HAVE SOMETHING FROM MY OWN EXPERIENCE
THAT I CAN BRING TO IT THAT FEELS WORTHY OF SPENDING THE
HUGE AMOUNT OF TIME AND ENERGY THAT IT TAKES TO DO -- LIKE A
NEW MUSICAL OR A FILM OR A TV SHOW OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
>> IS THERE A PLACE THAT THAT
>> I THINK THAT IT DEPENDS ON WHAT I'M DOING. SOMETIMES EVERY
ANYTHING BUT THE THING THAT I'M DOING LOOKS WAY BETTER YOU KNOW
SO SOMETIMES I'M IN THE MIDDLE OF AN EPISODE OF SOME TV SHOW
AND I'M THINKING, "OH, GET ME BACK TO BROADWAY."
OR YOU KNOW, "OH WHY CAN'T THIS BE A MOVIE WHERE I HAVE MORE
TIME TO SHOOT EACH SCENE?" BUT MORE OFTEN THAN NOT AND I
REALLY FEEL VERY FORTUNATE I REALLY LOVE BEING WHERE I AM IN
EACH PROJECT I FALL VERY MUCH IN LOVE WITH.
THE MOMENT.
>> LET'S TALK ABOUT YOUR LATEST PROJECT AH YOU'VE GOTTEN
INVOLVED WITH THE METROPOLITAN OPERA IN ITS PRODUCTION OF
"RIGOLETTO."
>> GOD HELP THEM.
>> NOW, DID YOU EVER IMAGINE THAT IN THE ARC OF YOUR CAREER
YOU WOULD DIRECT AN OPERA?
>> I IMAGINED IT MANY, MANY YEARS AGO AND I HAD A SECRET
FANTASY THAT I WOULD GET TO DO ONE OF THE GREAT OPERAS.
I NEVER EVER IMAGINED THAT IT WOULD BE AT THE MET AND I NEVER
DARED TO DREAM THAT IT WOULD BE AT THE MET UNTIL WAY LATE IN MY
>> WHERE DID THAT DREAM COME FROM?
CAREER.
ARE YOU AN OPERA BUFF?
>> WELL, MY DAD TOOK ME TO SEE THE 1977 HOUSTON GRAND OPERA
PRODUCTION OF "PORGY AND BESS" WHEN IT WAS AT THE KENNEDY
CENTER.
I GREW UP IN DC, AND IT BLEW ME AWAY.
>> HOW DID THIS OPPORTUNITY COME ABOUT AT THE MET?
>> WELL, I HAD STARTED TALKING TO PETER GELB A FEW YEARS AGO.
A COUPLE OF YEARS LATER AFTER THAT, I GOT A CALL FROM PETER HE
WAS IN GERMANY AND HE WAS LIKE, "IF I RECALL CORRECTLY YOU LIKE
'RIGOLETTO,' RIGHT?" "I LOVE IT!"
AND HE SAID, "WELL COULD YOU COME UP WITH A CONCEPT REALLY
FAST?" AND I SAID, "HOW FAST?"
AND HE SAID, "WELL, I'M GOING TO BE BACK IN NEW YORK IN TWO
DAYS." THE THING IS THE THING THAT'S SO
COOL THAT PETER IS TRYING TO DO IS TO LIKE RE-IMAGINE SOME OF
THE GREAT CLASSIC OPERAS IN A WAY THAT FEEL FRESH AND
CONTEMPORARY AND REFLECT A MODERN SENSIBILITY WITHOUT
VIOLATING THE TRUTH OF WHAT THE OPERA ACTUALLY IS ABOUT.
>> AND THAT'S A VERY DIFFICULT THING TO DO.
>> IT'S VERY DIFFICULT.
>> BECAUSE "RIGOLETTO" -- WHAT IT WAS, IT CONCEIVED TO
HAVE HAPPENED IN THE FIFTEEN HUNDREDS.
>> YOU DECIDED TO STAGE "RIGOLETTO" IN LAS VEGAS.
>> YEAH, YEAH.
>> -- DURING THE RAT PACK ERA.
>> YEAH.
>> OKAY, PLEASE HELP ME UNDERSTAND HOW YOU EVEN CAME UP
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
WITH THAT IDEA?
>> OKAY, WELL, I WAS LOOKING AT THE STORY.
I MEAN I REALLY TRIED TO GROUND EVERY DECISION I MADE IN THE
STORY.
AND THE WORLD OF "RIGOLETTO," IS THE DUKE'S PALACE.
IT'S ALL ABOUT SEX, POWER, AND MONEY.
WHEN YOU GO TO VEGAS, IT'S ALL ABOUT THE WOMEN BEING ***
OBJECTS, THE MEN TAKING THEM WHEN THEY WANT THEM, PLAYING
YOU KNOW, EXCESS.
>> I WAS FASCINATED TO SEE HOW PETER GELB NOT ONLY REACTED TO
YOUR IDEA ORIGINALLY, BUT HOW HE HAS REACTED TO THE EVOLUTION OF
THIS FORM OF "RIGOLETTO."
>> AND HE SAYS OF YOUR INTERPRETATION THAT IT'S NOT
ABOUT CHANGING THE MEANING OF A TIMELESS CLASSIC IT'S JUST
CHANGING THE MEANS OF THE STORY TELLING.
IS THAT THE WAY YOU SEE IT?
>> THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.
THAT WAS THAT WAS MY APPROACH.
I WANTED TO HONOR THE STORY COMPLETELY AND MAKE EVERY MOMENT
THAT VERDI WROTE RESONATE IN THE WAY THAT HE ENVISIONED IT
EMOTIONALLY AND STORY WISE, BUT WHILE PUTTING IT IN A DIFFERENT
YOU KNOW TIME PERIOD AND A DIFFERENT CONTEXT.
>> TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW YOU CONCEIVED OF THE SETS >>
WELL, I'VE GOT A WONDERFUL DESIGN TEAM.
CHRISTINE JONES WHO I'VE WORKED WITH A BUNCH OVER THE YEARS AND
SHE WON A TONY FOR "AMERICAN IDIOT" AND MY COSTUME DESIGNER
SUSAN HILFERTY.
AND CHRISTINE MADE A GIGANTIC MURAL IN HER STUDIO OF ALL OF
THESE IMAGES, LIKE A GIANT COLLAGE.
AND WE HAD STACKS OF BOOKS AND RESEARCH JUST ALL OVER THE
TABLES AND WE BASICALLY IT WAS REALLY FUN WE JUST SORT OF
POINTED AT STUFF THAT WE LIKED.
>> TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CASTING AND WHO WE'RE GOING
>> OKAY, YOU ARE GOING TO SEE SOME AMAZING, AMAZING SINGERS.
TO SEE ON STAGE?
THE "RIGOLETTO" IS A WONDERFUL SERBIAN BARITONE NAMED, ZELJKO
LUCIC.
HE'S A VERDI EXPERT AND FUNNY AND WARM AND AN AMAZING SINGER
AND A GREAT ACTOR AND I THINK THAT HE'S GOING TO BREAK YOUR
HEART.
♪♪
PIOTR BECZALA.
HE'S A BEAUTIFUL POLISH TENOR HE WAS IN "MANON" LAST SEASON WITH
NETREBKO.
HE'S ONE OF THE GREAT TENORS AROUND.
GREAT LOOKING, HE'S GOT BLUE EYES LIKE SINATRA AND HE'S
REALLY OWNING THE RAT PACK THING IN A GREAT WAY.
♪♪
AND DIANA DAMRAU IS OUR GILDA, SHE'S AS GOOD AS IT GETS.
♪♪
>> DID YOU FIND WHEN YOU STARTED REHEARSING "RIGOLETTO," THAT THE
SINGERS THEMSELVES HAD TO HAVE A LEAP OF FAITH IN THIS IDEA,
PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO HAVE PERFORMED THE MORE TRADITIONAL
VERSIONS OF THIS STORY ALL OVER THE WORLD?
>> I HAD A HUGE AMOUNT OF ANXIETY GOING INTO THIS I WAS
WORRIED THAT YOU KNOW ESPECIALLY WITH MY THREE LEADS THEY'VE ALL
DONE THIS OPERA BEFORE.
SO I HAD A LOT OF ANXIETY ABOUT IF THEY WOULD BUY INTO THIS.
AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU THEY REALLY HAVE.
THEY GET IT.
AND I THINK ONE OF THE REASONS THAT THEY UNDERSTAND IT AND
EMBRACE IT SO COMPLETELY IS BECAUSE THEY KNOW BETTER THAN
ANYONE, WAY BETTER THAN I DO, WHAT THE STORY IS AND WHAT THE
JOURNEY OF EACH OF THESE CHARACTERS IS AND WHAT THEIR
RELATIONSHIPS ARE.
AND THE FACT THAT THEY CAN THAT THEY CAN JUSTIFY ABSOLUTELY
EVERY MOMENT ON IN THIS CONTEXT I THINK GIVES THEM GREAT COMFORT
AND IT CERTAINLY GIVES ME GREAT COMFORT.
>> I'M WONDERING IF THERE'S ANOTHER LEVEL THAT THEY BOUGHT
INTO THE CONCEPT ON AND THAT IS IN ORDER FOR OPERA.
>> TO REMAIN RELEVANT YOU ALSO HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO BRING NEW
>> HMM HM.
>> THAT'S A VERY, VERY GOOD POINT.
AUDIENCES.
>> -- TO THE OPERA HOUSE.
>> AND I FEEL THIS WAY WHEN I'M WORKING ON BROADWAY AS WELL,
WHICH HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN THE SORT OF THE ARENA FOR AN OLDER
DEMOGRAPHIC, THAT I FEEL THAT TO MAINTAIN INTO THE FUTURE I THINK
WE HAVE TO WE HAVE TO MAKE THEM RECOGNIZE THEMSELVES WHEN YOU GO
TO THE OPERA.
HOPEFULLY WHAT HAPPENS IS, YOU LEARN NOT ONLY ABOUT THE BEAUTY
OF THE SINGING AND THE MAGNIFICENCE OF THE COMPOSING
AND HOPEFULLY THE INGENUITY OF THE STAGING, BUT HOPEFULLY YOU
LEARN SOMETHING ABOUT YOURSELF BECAUSE THESE ARE GREAT STORIES
ABOUT HUMAN NATURE AND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE ARE FACED WITH
COMPLICATED SITUATIONS AND DECISIONS THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE
IN OUR LIVES.
ABOUT OURSELVES, I THINK WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE OURSELVES UP THERE.
>> WELL, WE'LL ENJOY WATCHING THE CONTINUATION OF THE
REMARKABLE JOURNEY.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
IT WAS A PLEASURE.
>> CONTINUED GOOD LUCK.
>> THANK YOU.
>> NOW, A VISIT WITH LADY CARNARVON.
THE CHATELEINE OF HIGHCLERE CASTLE LOCATED IN THE ENGLISH
COUNTRYSIDE.
THE HISTORY OF THE CASTLE AND ITS RESIDENTS MAKE IT A PERFECT
SETTING FOR THE STORY AND CHARACTERS FROM THE EVER POPULAR
"DOWNTON ABBEY."
>> MY NAME IS FIONA CARNARVON, BUT I'M ALSO THE COUNTESS OF
CARNARVON AND I LIVE AT HIGHCLERE CASTLE WHICH IS BETTER
KNOWN TO MANY PEOPLE AS DOWNTON ABBEY.
HIGHCLERE CASTLE HAS TWO OR THREE HUNDRED ROOMS AND IT HAS
FIFTY TO EIGHTY BEDROOMS AND IT SITS IN A THOUSAND ACRES OF
PARKLAND WHICH IS COMPLETELY BEAUTIFUL AND THEN A FURTHER
FIVE THOUSAND ACRES OF FARMLAND AND WOODLAND AROUND THAT.
SO IT'S A WONDERFUL BREATHING SPACE IN SOUTHERN ENGLAND.
LADY ALMINA WAS AN EXTRAORDINARY WOMAN WHO IN 1895 AT THE AGE OF
19, CAME TO MARRY THE 5TH EARL OF CARNARVON, MY HUSBAND'S
GREAT-GRANDFATHER WHO LIVED AT HIGHCLERE.
AND WHILST HE WAS NOT EXACTLY IMPOVERISHED, HE, NEVERTHELESS,
WANTED TO MARRY AN HEIRESS BECAUSE HE WAS A LITTLE BIT IN
HE FIXED UPON ALMINA, THE ILLEGITIMATE DAUGHTER OF ALFRED
DEBT.
DE ROTHSCHILD.
ONE OF THE WEALTHIEST FAMILIES IN EUROPE AT THE TURN OF THE
19TH TO 20TH CENTURY.
SHE DECIDED SHE UTTERLY ADORED HIM AND HE THOUGHT HE LOVED HER.
OR MIGHT LOVE HER.
I'M NOT QUITE SURE AT THE TIME.
HER DOWRY WAS THE MAIN THING.
IT WAS 500,000 POUNDS.
WHICH IS SOME 30 MILLION POUNDS TODAY.
A PHENOMENAL AMOUNT OF MONEY.
AND IT WAS IN A WONDERFUL THING CALLED "CASH."
LORD CARNARVON WASN'T GOING TO MARRY WITHOUT MONEY.
HE PUT IT LIKE THAT.
THERE'S A LINE FROM JANE AUSTEN, "WHILST YOU SHOULD NEVER MARRY
FOR MONEY, IT MIGHT BE FOOLISH TO MARRY WITHOUT MONEY."
AND I THINK THAT WAS LORD CARNARVON'S ATTITUDE.
THE STAFF IN ALMINA'S TIME WAS MUCH BIGGER THAN IT IS ON
DOWNTON ABBEY, BECAUSE THERE WAS A HOUSE STEWARD BECAUSE
HIGHCLERE WAS ONE OF THE GRANDEST HOUSES, FOLLOWED BY A
BUTLER, FOLLOWED BY AN UNDER- BUTLER, FOLLOWED BY FOURTEEN
FOOTMEN, HALL BOYS, STILL-ROOM BOY, MAIDS, COOKS, STILL-ROOM
MAIDS, TWENTY-FIVE GARDENERS.
THEN THERE WERE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS, MAINTENANCE TEAM, A
WOODSMEN TEAM BECAUSE WE HAD OUR OWN SAWMILL THERE, FARMERS, A
FARMING TEAM DEPARTMENT.
I QUITE LIKE THE SCENES WHICH ARE NOT SHOT AT HIGHCLERE
BECAUSE THEY'RE FRESH AND FUN AND HAVEN'T SEEN THEM BEING
RESHOT SEVERAL TIMES OVER.
BUT I THINK WHAT IT IS, IS THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT
CHARACTERS, AREN'T THERE?
THE BATES STORY, OR THE O'BRIAN AND THOMAS STORY, OR YOU KNOW,
CORA AND LORD GRANTHAM.
I ALWAYS FORGET WHETHER HUGH BONNEVILLE OR ELIZABETH
MCGOVERN, I ALWAYS GET THE REAL NAMES AND THE DOWNTON ABBEY
NAMES MUDDLED UP, OR WHETHER YOU ARE FOLLOWING ONE OF THE
SISTERS, I THINK THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT STORIES TO MANY
DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
BUT I THINK MY FAVORITE CHARACTER IS THE CASTLE.
>> TO SEE MORE OF HIGHCLERE CASTLE AND SEASON 3 OF "DOWNTON
ABBEY," TUNE IN RIGHT HERE ON THIRTEEN.
YOU CAN FOLLOW THE GOINGS ON UPSTAIRS AND DOWNSTAIRS -- EVERY
SUNDAY NIGHT AT 9PM THROUGH FEBRUARY 17TH.
>> AND NOW, THIS WEEK'S CURATOR'S CHOICE --
>> ON THE BALCONY OVERLOOKING THE
ENGELHARD COURT, VISITORS WILL FIND AN AMAZING COLLECTION OF
AMERICAN SILVER, CERAMICS, GLASS, PEWTER AND JEWELRY.
AND SO WE BEGIN ON THE EAST SIDE WITH COLONIAL SILVER, BEGINNING
AT ABOUT 1660, SILVER THAT WAS VERY MUCH INFLUENCED BY ENGLISH
AND DUTCH AND FRENCH ANCESTRY, BY THE CRAFTSMEN COMING TO
AMERICA WHO WERE TRAINED ABROAD, BY THE RESIDENTS, THE COLONISTS,
THE SETTLERS, WHO BROUGHT WITH THEM SOME OF THEIR MOST PRECIOUS
ANY MANY OF THAT EARLY SILVER IS QUITE UTILITARIAN, YOU'LL SEE
FAMILY HEIRLOOMS.
TANKARDS, DRINKING CUPS, BOWLS.
BUT YOU WILL ALSO SEE OBJECTS OF GREAT BEAUTY AND OBJECTS THAT
COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH SIMPLER BUT WERE MADE TO LOOK BEAUTIFUL BY
SILVERSMITHS BECAUSE THIS WAS ART, THIS WAS THEIR ARTISTRY,
AND SILVER HAS ALWAYS HAD INTRINSIC VALUE AND SO IT HAS
ALWAYS BEEN A SYMBOL OF STATUS, AND ALSO A SYMBOL OF FINANCIAL
SECURITY.
VISITORS WILL ALSO FIND NAMES THEY WILL RECOGNIZE SUCH AS PAUL
REVERE, THE GREAT PATRIOT SILVERSMITH, WHO WORKED IN TWO
PHASES ACTUALLY.
ONE BEFORE THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR, WHEN HIS WORK REFLECTS THE
REVOLUTIONARY WAR WHERE THE NEOCLASSICISM BECOMES THE MAJOR
FASHION.
AND ONE OF OUR MOST BELOVED OBJECTS IS A HOT WATER URN MADE
BY PAUL REVERE.
AND IT WAS QUITE AN EXPENSIVE AND RARE OBJECT AT THE TIME.
AS VISITORS WALK AROUND THE BALCONY, THEY WILL SEE THE
DEVELOPMENT OF STYLES, BECOMING MORE SOPHISTICATED.
THE PERIOD AROUND THE NAPOLEONIC WARS YOU SEE FRENCH INFLUENCE,
FOR INSTANCE IN THE MAGNIFICENT PAIR OF SAUCEBOATS MADE BY
ANTHONY RASCH OF PHILADELPHIA WITH GREAT SERPENT HANDLES AND
RAM'S HEADS THAT ALMOST LOOK LIKE THE PROW OF A BOAT LEADING
THEM FORWARD.
AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF MANUFACTURERS, SUCH AS TIFFANY
AND CO.
AND GORHAM MANUFACTURING COMPANY, WHICH WERE BOTH FOUNDED
IN THE 1830S, IN PART TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SILVER TO THE MORE
COMMON MAN.
AT FIRST, IN THE EARLY YEARS OF THIS COUNTRY, SILVER WAS A VERY
PRECIOUS COMMODITY.
BUT BY THE MIDDLE OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY, BOURGEOIS
FAMILIES, MIDDLE CLASS FAMILIES, WERE BEGINNING TO BE
ABLE TO OWN SILVER AND TO USE IT.
BY ABOUT THE 1870S, WE BEGIN TO SEE A NEW DEVELOPMENT IN THE
SILVER INDUSTRY, AND THIS WAS THE NOTION OF COMPETITIONS FOR
SPECIAL PIECES OF SILVER, FOR PRESENTATION SILVER.
CERTAINLY THE LARGEST OF THE PRESENTATION PIECES IN THE
COLLECTION IS THE MAGNOLIA VASE.
THIS WAS THE CENTERPIECE OF TIFFANY AND COMPANY'S DISPLAY AT
THE 1893 CHICAGO'S WORLD FAIR, THE COLOMBIAN EXPOSITION.
AND IT IS ACTUALLY AN AMAZING OBJECT IN TERMS OF ITS
CRAFTSMANSHIP -- THE GOLD WORK, THE SILVER, THE CHASING, BUT
PARTICULARLY THE ENAMELING OF THE MAGNOLIAS.
THIS WAS CUTTING-EDGE WORK AT THE TIME AND TIFFANY AND COMPANY
DID A LOT OF EXPERIMENTING TO FIND A WAY TO ADHERE THE ENAMEL
TO SILVER, WHICH IS A DIFFICULT THING TO DO.
THEY PUT EVERYTHING INTO THIS VASE, AND THEY REALLY WANTED TO
IMPRESS THE PUBLIC AND THE WORLD WITH THEIR CRAFTSMANSHIP AND
I'M BETH CARVER WEES, IN THE AMERICAN WING AT THE
METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART.
>> WE HOPE YOU'VE ENJOYED OUR PRESENTATION THIS EVENING.
IT'S BEEN °UR PLEASURE TO HAVE BEEN YOUR GUIDE TO THE BEST IN
ARTS AND CULTURE IN OUR AREA.
FROM THE TISCH WNET STUDIOS AT LINCOLN CENTER, I'M PAULA ZAHN.
>> AND I'M PHILIPPE DE MONTEBELLO.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, AND SEE YOU NEXT TIME.
>> FUNDING FOR NYC-ARTS IS MADE POSSIBLE BY ROSALIND P. WALTER.
ELISE JAFFE AND JEFFREY BROWN -- JODY AND JOHN ARNHOLD --
MILTON & SALLY AVERY ARTS FOUNDATION --
AND ELROY AND TERRY KRUMHOLZ FOUNDATION.
THIS PROGRAM IS SUPPORTED, IN PART, BY PUBLIC FUNDS FROM THE
NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS IN PARTNERSHIP
WITH THE CITY COUNCIL.
ADDITIONAL FUNDING PROVIDED BY MEMBERS OF THIRTEEN.
NYC-ARTS IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY FIRST REPUBLIC BANK.
FLEXIBILITY, COORDINATION, EXCELLENCE.