Delightful Performance at the Chicago Symphony Center

Attending a performance at a world-class venue is a wonderful way of integrating into the local cultural scene. Just as a Broadway show in New York or a West End play in London should be on every avid traveler's hotlist, so should the Chicago Symphony Center in Chicago be seriously considered by all visitors and residents.

The Orchestra's 116-year history began in 1891 when Theodore Thomas, then the leading conductor in America and a recognized music pioneer, was invited by Charles Norman Fay, a Chicago businessman, to establish a symphony orchestra here.(ref www.cso.org). The Chicago Symphony Orchestra is the third oldest orchestra in the Unites States, and they play at the beautifully restored and acoustically sound (no pun intended) Orchestra Hall at the Chicago Symphony Center.

The Chicago Symphony Center is very centrally located on Adams and Michigan in downtown Chicago. There is a self-parking lot opposite the center, and a valet-parking service for $15 (check the website for details).

As soon as you enter the lobby, you are whisked off into a world of old-style elegance. Chandeliers and red carpet as well as well-heeled doormen greet you efficiently. Well-dressed patrons look around to see whose attire flatters the most. Particularly enduring are the complementary throat lozenge stands, courtesy of Walgreen's. Should you feel a bout of coughing might ruin the concentration of the musicians, feel free to grab a handful. That's what they're for.

We attended a fabulous evening of music from Rachmaninoff, Kancheli and Janacek. The acoustics of the Orchestral Hall are very impressive. The electrifying performance of Rachmaninoff's 4th piano concerto on the Steinway grand reverberated with amazing passion. The musical sadness and sweetness of the the Georgian Duduki, a native instrument, was so effectively captured by the western instruments, that it really tugged at the heartstrings.

To select a performance, simply go the website and click on the 'Season Calendar'. The process thereon is very self-explanatory, and if you're flexible about when to go (e.g. a weekday), you can get a reasonably-priced ticket. Ours cost $42 per person for a Tuesday night performance, and our seats were great too. You can select your seats online using the handy Visual Seat Selector.

As far as classical performances go, I have been lucky enough to attend the Royal Albert Hall, the Royal Festival Hall and the Royal Opera House in London, the Zürich Opera House in Zürich, Kursalon in Vienna and now the CSO in Chicago. I did stand outside the Sydney Opera House in 2004, but I guess that doesn't count. What about you? I want to hear from all those who have attended very memorable performances in some of the most beautiful classical venues around the world. Drop me a line here.

A jazzy night in Chicago

I know I have posted about the Peninsula before, but I had to post this, taken last week on a Friday night, and what a night it was. To appreciate such music in such divine surroundings, and to think that there's no music cover charge. All you need to order is a coffee or two, and you're set. Luxury needn't be expensive. My gourmet alcoholic coffee cost $10 and my dreamy dessert of ginger creme brulee $11. Check out the web page below for details, particularly about when the live music is. Enjoy.

The Lobby at the Pen

Great Jazz in Greenwich village, NYC

KJ Denhert is phenomenal. Her style and music epitomize laid back New York at its best. Her music is easy listening jazz, happy and emotional. She is one of those fantastic live acts, who give you goosebumps and make you fantasize that anything is possible, with their energy and ability. I personally believe that her recorded material does not do her live performances justice, so go listen to her live in New York if you can.

In addition to her great music, I remember being struck by how funny she was, and how she was able to control her audience with her humor and sassyness.

Go see her if you can. She can be found playing at 'The 55 bar' in New York's West village pretty regularly. It is a cosy venue and it is not expensive. We paid $5 to get in, but they do expect you to enjoy a drink or two with the music. They do not serve food. Get in early for the best seats.

Check out KJ's myspace page for more information and show dates.

KJ Denhert

The Nutcracker in London

Looks almost like a painting, yet this is a scene from the finale of the Royal Opera's 'Nutcracker' playing in Covent Garden last December (2006). The production was lavish and stunning. I strongly recommend this venue as a part of your visit to London. As I student in London the 1990s, I remember the massive renovation taking place at the ROH, which dates back to the nineteenth century. Last year was my first visit inside, and it was not only fully restored, but also stylishly modernized.

Click on the link below for information on what's on at the Royal Opera House, and to even buy tickets online. It is walking distance from the Leicester Square and Covent Garden tube stations.

The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London

Proms 2007 - London

The Proms is a series of classical concerts which take place at The Royal Albert Hall or RAH as I will call it from now on, during the summer in London. I was first introduced to it while watching BBC 1 in 1992, the year we moved back to England. I remember being completely transfixed by the music and the formality of the event. Little did I know then that in a few years time, I would be living down the road from the RAH, and would also there for two of my own graduation ceremonies at this absolutely regal venue.

Coming back to the music, my parents owned several LPs of western classical music, one of which was Andre Previn's conduction of Prokofiev's Classical Symphony. As I child growing up in Kolkata, one of my passions after getting the homework done, was to plug in the headphones into my Dad's Sony Music system, and listen to music from far way - be it pop, rock or classical.

The Proms is always telecast live on TV from London. Covering a wide repertoire of music and showcasing well-known as well as new artists, this is really a treat for all classical music fans.

However, somehow, I never actually got to go see the Proms, even as a Chelsea resident. I suppose it was because school was out and I was away from London most summers, or because I thought that I could go the next year. As a London resident, I never made it to the RAH and the Proms. Not until July 2007. As a tourist.

It was totally spontaneous. Abhijit and I were lazing in Richmond, South London, and I had heard of these 5 pound tickets (standing room) for the Proms. We traveled to South Kensington, walked to the RAH, and got the tickets. It was a weekday so there were no lines. For five pounds, you may not have plush seats, but you have a choice of standing right at the front in front of the orchestra, or right at the top at the gallery. We chose the latter because we could see all of the hall in its splendor, and one could sit or even lie down and snooze to the strains of the music. It was wonderful. Check out the video clip coming later, capturing the last few bars of Sibelius' Tapiola. You can find details at this website.