Category: events

CSO Backstage Tour

Since last year, I purchased two tickets for a Millennium Park concert, which was considered a fundraiser, I officially became a “CSO donor” (I think, my subscription is not expensive enough to qualify). With that, I started to receive some exclusive invitations. I know that invitations to the open rehearsals are issued to all subscribers, but I believe that for a backstage tour invitation, you need a higher level. Or maybe they just started to offer them. Whatever the case, this season was the first time I started receiving these invites, and I was sad I couldn’t choose any tour time that worked for me. Finally, a couple of weeks ago, I spotted one time that could work and still had openings (it was a last-minute addition). The time loosely corresponded to my lunch break :). I immediately grabbed two tickets and told my neighbor about this opportunity.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t stay for the whole tour, because it ended up being longer than one hour (as it was advertised). But funny enough, the last and the best part of the tour – the backstage – was less important for me because I saw it as a part of the CSO for Kids Ambassador tour with Nadia, so it was OK; I just felt bad that I had to ask an usher to escort me out.

The curator who led the tour was exceptionally knowledgeable, and she told us all about the history of the building and the orchestra. I knew some pieces of it: how Theodor Tomas agreed to move to Chicago in 1890 for the promise to have a permanent orchestra (“I will move to hell for that!”). How the orchestra first performed in the Auditorium, and how Daniel Burnham volunteered to design the new orchestra’s home.

I didn’t know that Theodor Thomas specifically wanted to have a ballroom in the building for more intimate gatherings, and that it’s because of him we have Grainger Ballroom.

The Rotunda was a later addition, similar to the Arcade, and was built to house the CSO offices, the libarary and the archive
Another thing we learnde on the tour: the first female member joined the orchestra in 1940, and out of all instruments you would imagine, she played a French horn!
I didn’t know that the ceiling can be moved up and down to create a different effect, depending on who is on stage (the full orchestra, the Chamber orchestra, or a soloist)

Backstage:

The harpsichord (I remember seeing Melody Lord playing it)

As I said, I didn’t take a lot of pictures backstage because I took them on a previous tour. My friend messaged me later that it was a very special experience, and she loved it. She was able to sty till the end, and I had to run back to work!

Orchids 2026. Part 2

You might not believe it, but Lena and I agreed that this year, there were fewer orchids on display, and fewer interesting compositions. Still, there was a lot to see!

A couple of pictures of us (myself, my mom, and Lena).

Continue reading “Orchids 2026. Part 2” →

Orchids 2026. Part 1

I always find it difficult to put all the Orchid Show pictures in one post. It always feels overwhelming, although I am sure most of my readers will just glance through them. Still, I am trying to share the beauty.

This year’s theme of the Orchid Show was the 70s – mostly the music, but also the culture and aesthetics in general.

Continue reading “Orchids 2026. Part 1” →

More Pictures From The Rally

(from the Instagram of my favorite Chicago photographer)

Lena is on the second photo (and I am not, although I was right by her).

Support Ukraine Rally

This weekend, my best friend Lena from Ann Arbor came for her annual “Orchid Show visit.” Now, this visit has another, somber meaning. Although the show runs from the beginning of February to the end of March, we try to plan Lena’s visit so we can attend the rally in support of Ukraine, marking the dark anniversary of the full-scale invasion.

Igor was there before us, in a better position and with a better camera, so the pictures are mostly his. Also, I will come back to this post to fill in the names of the speakers, because I am not 100% sure of most of them.

One thing I noticed is that over these four years, everyone learned to say “Slava Ukraine!” without an accent. And the Lithuanian Consul General gave the entire introductory part in Ukrainian, which caused uproar from the crowd. As always, I was happy to see Dick Durbin, a great supporter of Ukraine (and I learned that his ancestors were from Lithuania!)

Pre-rally: Senator Durbin talking to the Iranian activists
Pre-rally

The rally started with the USA and Ukrainian Anthems.

Senator Durbin took the stage and told the crowd that there is support for Ukraine on both sides of the aisle, and that he will keep fighting.

Mariya Dmytriv-Kapeniak
Dick Durbin
‘The only fight we can’t win is the one we do not fight!”
Consul General of Lithuania Reginmantas Jablonskas

It was cold, but we stayed there for an hour and a half, and the whole time I was thinking about our visit to Vilnius in March 2022 and how there were Ukrainian refugees everywhere. We could not imagine back then how long the full-scale war would last, and we hoped for a quick victory for Ukraine. I know that we need to focus on our fight at home, because our victory at home will benefit the rest of the world, but I still feel that I am not doing enough to support Ukraine. Not talking enough about the war, and letting people to forget.

Last week, Boris asked me whether people around me know how often Kyiv is shelled. I told him: oh, I know! And he asked, “What about the others around you?” Again, I understand that out atmost focus is here and now, but still…

Mäkelä Conducts Sibelius

On Thursday, I was at the CSO again, and it was another exceptional program. I am still in the process of familiarising myself with our new future Musical Director, but I am getting to know his style more and more.

During the first part of the Thursday concert, Mäkelä was conducting Sibelius’ Lemminkäinen, and the program book was full of the Helsinki pictures, so I overloaded my neighbor with extra information about the Sibelius Monument, Kelevala, kantele, Larin Paraske, and Akseli Gallen-Kallela (his Lemminkäinen’s Mother was in the program book). In short, lots of unsolicited information :). I think she barely survived :).

Mäkelä was fantastic (and also, as I said, I am slowly “growing into him.” I can’t find a recording of Mäkelä conducting Lemminkäinen, so here is the only one I found. I am sure I will have more opportunities to listen to Mäkelä conducting in the years to come, and hopefully I will be able to share more videos.

Prairie Postgres February Meetup

Knock on wood, but for the longest time now, each meetup is a success. I can’t recall when was the last time we had a meetup with poor attendance. Once again, there was a great presenter, tons of questions, my favorite “active crowd,” and long conversations after the talk.

The thing I like the most is that attendees collaborate and interact between the meetups, without me:). I know that they come not only because I am an influencer, and not only because we have pizza, but also because they value their interactions. Yesterday, two PUG members asked me whether I wanted to know about the project they started together. I replied with an enthusiastic YES, and they told me about something really awesome they built as a follow-up to some of our “after-sessions” discussions. I love it!

Salome

I don’t know what happened with me, how I could be such an idiot! I already missed “Salome” once, when I had some urgent work right after I returned from Helsinki. When I realized I would miss another opera while I am in Helsinki next time, I decided to exchange my ticket for the last performance of Salome, especially because my neighbor was raving about it!

I can’t explain why I was so strongly under the impression that it would take me an hour to get from my home to the Lyric Opera on Saturday night. I mean, yes, it’s an hour door-to-door, excluding wait time and any delays, but one shouldn’t rush into the Opera House just as the show is about to start. I had no objective reasons not to leave earlier, but somehow, in the very moment I was walking out the door at 6:32, I realized what a big mistake I had made!

The train slowly pulled in, then stopped right before Jarvis, and the lights went off, and I tried not to think about the worst possible delays I might face. I knew that Salome runs with no intermission, so if I were late, that would be it.

The show start time was 7:30, and at 7:21, I was still on the train, departing Grand, which meant one more stop, an escalator up, and running for several blocks, and I thought – no chances, but miraculously, at 7:31, I was entering the Opera House, and the ushers were waving me in saying that the doors will be closing soon.

I could not believe my luck! My seat was in the second row, all the way on the right, so I didn’t have to ask people to get up. However, a gentleman who placed his coat on a free seat by him was not happy :). He started to explain to me how strictly the Lyric observes the start time, and how I should know…

Anyway, I made it! And the show was breathtaking … It is staged in the pre-WWII fascist Italy, so all libretto references of “arguing Jews” take all new meaning, as well as the story itself… Only when I was on my way home did I realize that no one in the audience clapped during the performance itself – that’s how everyone was captivated with what was going on stage.

A Thomas Club Dinner

I rarely post pictures of food these days; for a change, these are the pcictures of the dinner my neighbor and I had before the Thursday concert. She turned 75 earlier this month, and we wanted to have a nice dinner together. The Thomas Club on the 9th floor of the CSO building is always a good idea, and there we went.

In addition to the occasion itself, there were two things I wanted to mention. First, I could never imagine the stuffed shells being an exquisit dish, but here they were! Unbelivably delicios! And second – just a thought – why all of sudden a tiramisu has bunny ears:)? Let it stay a mystery!

The CSO Concert

The CSO Concert on Thursday was one of the best I ever attended! It started with the composition “To See the Sky: an exegesis for orchestra,” by Joel Thompson.

Composer Joel Thompson credits the inspiration for his orchestral work To See the Sky to a single line from the song “Thunderclouds,” written by jazz vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant: “Sometimes you have to look into a well to see the sky.” 

To See the Sky, which had its world premiere in March 2024 by the New York Philharmonic, under Jaap van Zweden, is Thompson’s longest orchestral work to date. “It gives an indication of his future music,” said Patrick Summers, artistic and music director of the Houston Grand Opera, where Thompson is composer-in-residence through 2027. “With no hyperbole, To See the Sky is music of extraordinary beauty and deep content. To hear an orchestra of such dazzling quality as the New York Philharmonic bring Joel’s imagination to full life was a very moving thrill.”

Commissioned by the American Composers Forum, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Aspen Music Festival and Bravo! Vail Music Festival, To See the Sky will be performed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, under Jaap van Zweden, in concerts Feb. 12-15. 

Thompson has said of his work: “The movements outline a non-linear journey toward healing.” “He has achieved this in every possible way,” said Summers in a video interview posted by Houston Grand Opera. “The listener’s emotional journey of To See the Sky is more than simply satisfying; it is cathartic and self-realization. Quite an achievement. 

“Primary among his many gifts is an ability to juxtapose several musical styles simultaneously, forming a melodic and colorful musical narrative that anyone can understand, but which also challenges virtuoso musicians like these,” Summers said. “To See the Sky was 20 minutes in length, and the musical material could easily have been twice that. One wanted it to last longer. Large-scale structures like opera are clearly in his DNA, based on a work like this. 

The composer himself was in the audience and came up on stage!

And next was an absolutely stunning performance of Himari, a fourteen-year-old prodigy, and I don’t know what to say, because no words can describe her! Fortunately, I just found on YouTube the Max Bruch concert she was performing on Thursday, an

I completely agree with one of the comments on YouTube: There are violin prodigies then there is Himari.

I can’t believe I was there, in the first row, experiencing her magic!