Yesterday, I saw the musical Water for Elephants, and I could hardly wait to tell everyone about it! I liked it so much!!! I love circus. I know these days circus is a controvesial subject, especially when animals are involved. However, I have to admit, that I love circus the same way I loved it as a child, the same romantic love i still there. By the way, my mom never liked circus, and she avoided going to the circus with me, but aunt Kima loved it as enthusiastically as I, and we would often go together.
This was good old previous-turn-of-the-century circus, and the quality of the performance was not compromised for being “just a background for the story.” And the show has a drive (something I, surprisingly, didn’t see that much of a drive at Kinky Boots).
On Wednesday, even though I had all this X-ray thing, I was on time for Kinki Boots in the James Nederlander Theater.
This was “as expected.” Very well staged, great music and voices. My neighbor said that that’s what she needed at that moment, amid all the nrgativities. I think I would enjoy it more if I weren’t constantly checking my phone for the X-ray reading results (which I actually received in the middle of the evening), and if I weren’t trying to figure out when I could pick up my prescription.
On Thursday, I went to the Members’ Third Thursday at the Art Institute. This is a new thing that started recently: the Members’ Bar is closed to everyone except those who purchased tickets. There is live music, a drink ticket, and light bites available for purchase. I thought it would be a nice, relaxing thing to do, but somehow it didn’t click with me. I checked it, and I probably would never do it again. The only positive thing was that I now know the Bar is inaccessible on the third Thursday of the month.
And finally, I went to the Haymarket Opera to David et Jonathas. I liked the first time I saw a performance by the Haymarket Opera, and was looking for another opportunity. I like this one significantly less than the previous one, and I do not think it was because of the concert version. Can’t really put a finger on it. I liked the music, the conductor, and the voices. I liked how the performance was positioned as “very timely for both Pride Month and Father’s Day.” Maybe it was just a rainy day 🙂
A part of me catching up with life was attending four shows in three days, each of them initially planned to attend with different people
Friday evening was a Matchmaker at the Above the Law theater. I went with my mom because so far, that has been one of the few places that she liked, and that was so close to her home. I am unsure what she was unhappy with this time. I suspect that that’s because it was “too late,” although I do not know what she expected. She stayed silent all the time during the show and on our way home, and didn’t talk about it the next day.
I loved it! Absolutely amazing acting! My first impression was that they changed the plot significantly, but then I reread the original script and realized that it mostly remained untouched.
The acting was impeccable (as always), so it was an enjoyable evening regardless.
On Saturday, I had two events at the Joffrey Ballet, and since the Red Line still has the weekend closures, I spent a lot of time commuting 🙂 The first one was a subscriber appreciation event in the morning: a light brunch and an open rehearsal. I had attended one of these events previously, so this time, the reason to attend was to take my friend Y. with me. I didn’t have a chance to see her for several months, and asked for her understanding; she was patiently waiting. The first time I had the opportunity to take her out was that one; it was her first time, and she really enjoyed it (although I suspect she enjoyed seeing me the most :)). Unfortunately, she had to leave earlier because she misread my message about the event duration, but she loved what she saw.
Chicago was under a tornado watch for two days, but surprisingly, the opening of the GMF season was not canceled. My neighbor and I were unsure until the very last moment, but at that very last moment, the storm was over, the rain stopped, and the Pritzker Pavilion was open for the concert attendees!
Giancarlo Guerrero is an outstanding conductor. I first heard him conduct Shostakovich, and his interpretation was so beyond conventional that I inadvertently fell into his style. He is bold, both in music and in words, and this concert was no exception. I am extremely saddened that this year, the year of America’s 250th birthday, the day I was anticipating for so many years and looking forward to celebrating with my children and grandchildren, is completely ruind by the person in the White House; that’s why I chose to be out of the country on this day, and that’s why I am hesitant to participate in any celebratory actions and activities. But Guerrero made all of us feel like that’s our party, and we, the people, are here to stand for our values and for our freedoms. It was so inspiring to watch him conduct the National Anthem and accenting “the land of the free.” Unforgettable,
The Adler Planetarium is one of the two big museums in Chicago that I am not a member of (the other is the Museum of Science and Industry). Both museums are farther away, but that’s only part of the reason I am not a member. For the latter, the distance is a problem, although I really love it and am considering joining for the sake of my granddaughters. But for Planetarium, it’s not the distance; I am just not into it that much, so the distance wouldn’t be a problem.
Recently, I found out that the Planetarium has free public days (or rather, free nights), which they announce on their website, and any Chicago resident can get a ticket. It took me a while to find a free day to attend (these days are always Wednesdays), but I finally got a free ticket for May 6. In addition, you can buy tickets for different shows, and I bought a ticket for the Skywatch Live.
Below is a visual report of my visit.
The piece of the MoonGemini 12 – for real
One thing I really enjoyed, and there is no way to reproduce it here: the footage of the Control Center when the astronauts are landing on the surface of the Moon. This footage presents America at its greatness, the feeling we are now missing!
Since neither Igor nor I had an opportunity to participate in any of the May Day events, and I couldn’t even get out of the office to watch a march, I suggested watching one of the Labor Movement documentaries screening at the Siskel Center during the first days of May. We went to see the American Dream documentary produced by Barbara Kopple in 1990. It shouldn’t be a surprise that I didn’t know about the labor strike against Hormel Foods of 1986. My complete cluelessness added suspense because throughout the whole documentary, I didn’t know how it would end! Sometimes (often?) it’s important to learn not only about impressive victories, but also about great failures.
There was something else, quite unexpected, that caught my attention while I was watching this documentary: the way everyone talked. A couple of weeks ago, I saw an article reporting a recent study finding that people now use fewer words than they did twenty years ago, and this documentary was striking proof of that! As a frequent participant in political rallies, I know very well how even the best speakers talk these days! In this movie, the union leaders, the members, and everyone talked intelligently, used a lot of words, and spoke complicated sentences. Nobody was shouting slogans; instead, people reasoned, considered different aspects of the matter at hand, listened to others’ arguments, and offered counterarguments. And trust me, none of this was rehearsed! There were heated debates, and at one point, a debate turned into a physical fight, but still!
I was shocked! Where did all of this go?! How did we get there? And how can we return to normality?!
On Saturday, I attended a meditation session organized by the Nature volunteers group. I attended a similar session last year, and I liked the experience and the instructor. As last time, we gathered by the Leone Beach clubhouse, observed the lake, and recalled our previous interactions with nature. We shared our stories, and then we walked in the Nature Area, paying attention to the signs of awakening nature, and then gathered together again to share our thoughts and observations.
With the weather being like it was for the previous month, I was surprised to see that many flowers were blooming! In early spring, I always notice new bright green coming out of the dry brown patches of the previous season grass. Life goes on :).
On Wednesday, I went to a show at Guarneri Hall for the first time after a long break. The show was rather unusual – it was an accompaniment for a classic silent movie.
Pianist and composer Stephen Prutsman returns to Guarneri Hall for the third time, amping up the fun for one of our most-anticipated events of the season. A Night at the Movies pairs a silent-era film comedy with a brilliant, original film score written and performed live by Prutsman and a small ensemble.
In Buster Keaton’s College, Ronald, a nerdy scholar, pans sports in favor of academics. This attitude wins him no points with his peers and especially coed Mary, who favors the athletic Jeff. Ronald’s effort to win back Mary through his failed attempts at various sports is the setup for Keaton’s unique physical comedy in this hilarious film from 1927.
I think that most of the audience had more fun than I did; for me, it was more educational than funny, and I am unsure what cultural context I am missing. Still, I didn’t regret going, but I liked the other two concerts I attended there more.
Guarneri Hall always has small receptions following each concert, where you can grab a glass of wine and some bites. Since that’s too late for me, I would grab some fruit, cheese, and crackers and not stay for long. This time, an older gay couple asked me if they could join me at the table, and at first, we had a lively conversation about silent movies. They told me about their visit to the Lumiere Museum in Lyon a month earlier, and I shared how I watched Lumiere le Cinema at Siskel. Then we talked about other cultural venues and places to have a pre-concert dinner. And then they asked me where I lived before coming to the US. Since it was not the first question they asked, I felt it was appropriate, and told them that I am from Russia, and that I have lived here for thirty years. Then they asked me whether I ever go back, and I replied: not since the war started. They nodded, but then immediately started telling me how they had visited Russia, what Moscow and Saint Petersburg were like, and how they loved museums. Then, they started about Navalny, “who is the only person who is capable of changing the course” (they spoke in the present tense, so it looks like they completely missed the last several years of development). At this point, I stopped nodding politely and told them that although I condemn the killing of political opponents, Navalny wouldn’t be better for Russia. To which they said that “they stay away from politics” and “of course, we were true innocents abroad“, but then kept going on at length about the great culture.
… just saying that when people are “selectively innocent” about politics, that’s when bad things happen.
I love the book, love that period in history, and, I guess, that’s one of the reasons Chicago is my kind of town to the extent it is: the Roaring 20s was the most glorious period in its history. That show was just what I needed this week, when I needed to stop worrying about everything, and I left the theater in the most positive state of mind I had during the last month.
Lots of patrons were dressed in the Gilded Age style, including my neighbor, and I felt very inadequate, but still enjoying myself
That was the event where I lost my phone for 20 minutes! As a subscriber, I had an invitation to the Lyric season preview, to which I planned to go with one of my friends, who canceled at the last minute. I thought I would still go, although I already knew what would be performed during the season, and I had already renewed my subscription. Still, I thought it would not be bad to attend; after all, the Lyric Opera House is just two blocks away from my office.
Then I looked at the email with the event details and saw that they would have a reception from six to seven, and decided to come earlier to get some fine bites.
I was glad I went, because everything looked very festive, and the snacks and desserts were delicious, and then I found that there was not only complimentary wine, but complimentary tea and coffee as well. And five minutes later, I realized that I didn’t have my phone on me, which meant that I had nothing literally!
During the next twenty minutes, I deeply regretted going, and was trying to figure out how I could restore my life (I have my State ID and my physical card in the phone case, and I wouldn’t be even able to get home!
Fortunately, the phone was found and returned to me twenty minutes later, but those were very miserable and scary 20 minutes!
Hettie's Reflections 