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.
Friday, December 21, 2007
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Favorite shows and songs - a little digression
I was recently mortified to hear that one of my favorite TV shows, 'Journeyman' had allegedly been canceled by NBC - perhaps that is why I have been posting less :). The final episode airs this Wednesday on NBC at 10/9C. If you haven't seen it at all, I guess it's a bit late to start now, although the slick acting should be enough to get your attention.
Fans (including myself) have been posting comments furiously on the NBC blog to try to sway the decision-making naysayers, so who knows. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I tivo'd last night's episode in favor of watching 'Fracture' on DVD. A truly slick and entertaining thriller. If it's not on your Netflix queue, it should be.
Moving on to music, I thought you might like to know that the Number One song on the British charts now is a beautiful rendition of 'What a Wonderful World' by Katie Melua and the late Eva Cassidy. I heard it the other day while listening to streamed UK radio, and it was heartwarming. Katie Melua is a Georgian-born UK singer with a soulful and jazzy edge, and is only in her mid-20s! Check out another song by her called 'Nine Million Bicycles'. It is a tear-jerker and hopelessly romantic. Both these songs are available for viewing on Youtube.
Fans (including myself) have been posting comments furiously on the NBC blog to try to sway the decision-making naysayers, so who knows. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I tivo'd last night's episode in favor of watching 'Fracture' on DVD. A truly slick and entertaining thriller. If it's not on your Netflix queue, it should be.
Moving on to music, I thought you might like to know that the Number One song on the British charts now is a beautiful rendition of 'What a Wonderful World' by Katie Melua and the late Eva Cassidy. I heard it the other day while listening to streamed UK radio, and it was heartwarming. Katie Melua is a Georgian-born UK singer with a soulful and jazzy edge, and is only in her mid-20s! Check out another song by her called 'Nine Million Bicycles'. It is a tear-jerker and hopelessly romantic. Both these songs are available for viewing on Youtube.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
How to party in Times Square (NYE) and beat the cold!
It sounds so sexy and exciting, doesn't it? Watching the ball drop in Times Square has got to be one of the best ways of spending New Year's Eve. Well, not if you're not a teenager anymore. Not if you haven't loaded up on the hot dogs and beer, and aren't really in a mood to scream your way into the new year, just to keep yourself warm, along with a million other die-hard revelers.
Many of us are enamored with the idea of being in New York, in Times Square and watching the crystal ball drop live. I am one of those people. But I am also one of those people who are not excited about the prospect of standing in the freezing cold for hours. So if you're like me, and realize that spending those few extra dollars could make a difference between having a really good time and having an anti-climactic and miserable time, then read on.
What I am suggesting is to check out the gazillion parties going on around the Big Apple. As a starter, I can suggest the pretty comprehensive site below. You can check out offerings from multiple cities around the US, but go over to New York, where there are about 150 listings (when this article was written).
Be it the Meatpacking District, Greenwich Village, Midtown or Bryant Park, there is something for everyone. There is something to suit all budgets too. Most offer a live broadcast of the ball drop, even those near or in Times Square. It's fascinating just to find out about all the parties!
So this is what we did. After spending a good few hours on this site in conjunction with Google Maps, we figured that a good choice would be the bar at the Paramount Hotel. On 46th St and minutes from Times Square, this nightspot offers passed hors d'oeuvres, a champagne reception, a 3 1/2 premium open bar - all for $79! And get this - you do have the option of stepping out to catch the ball drop live since its minutes away, or if you can't stand the cold, to just stay in and catch it live on the screens. The best of both worlds!
Then there's a general admission at most of these places for around $30 after 12:30 am. So say if you did opt to stay out most of the night, but then wanted to have a drink or two after it's all over, it doesn't have to break the bank!
So there you have it. You could have a fabulous night drinking top shelf stuff, nibbling on goodies, keeping warm, and being near it all. Caveat: Not all general admission prices are in the $80 range, so shop around! The bigger name clubs and nightspots may have general admission tickets from $150 upwards, but they may offer more than some of the more reasonably-priced places. Go for something which suits you, in terms of budget, what's included in the price, and location. And remember that the experience will last you a lifetime. You will have some good stories to tell, and glamorous memories to hold on to!
If you do decide to give this a try, or have done so already, don't forget to drop in a line here. But whatever you end up doing, have a great New Year's Eve!
The New York City 2008 Party list
Many of us are enamored with the idea of being in New York, in Times Square and watching the crystal ball drop live. I am one of those people. But I am also one of those people who are not excited about the prospect of standing in the freezing cold for hours. So if you're like me, and realize that spending those few extra dollars could make a difference between having a really good time and having an anti-climactic and miserable time, then read on.
What I am suggesting is to check out the gazillion parties going on around the Big Apple. As a starter, I can suggest the pretty comprehensive site below. You can check out offerings from multiple cities around the US, but go over to New York, where there are about 150 listings (when this article was written).
Be it the Meatpacking District, Greenwich Village, Midtown or Bryant Park, there is something for everyone. There is something to suit all budgets too. Most offer a live broadcast of the ball drop, even those near or in Times Square. It's fascinating just to find out about all the parties!
So this is what we did. After spending a good few hours on this site in conjunction with Google Maps, we figured that a good choice would be the bar at the Paramount Hotel. On 46th St and minutes from Times Square, this nightspot offers passed hors d'oeuvres, a champagne reception, a 3 1/2 premium open bar - all for $79! And get this - you do have the option of stepping out to catch the ball drop live since its minutes away, or if you can't stand the cold, to just stay in and catch it live on the screens. The best of both worlds!
Then there's a general admission at most of these places for around $30 after 12:30 am. So say if you did opt to stay out most of the night, but then wanted to have a drink or two after it's all over, it doesn't have to break the bank!
So there you have it. You could have a fabulous night drinking top shelf stuff, nibbling on goodies, keeping warm, and being near it all. Caveat: Not all general admission prices are in the $80 range, so shop around! The bigger name clubs and nightspots may have general admission tickets from $150 upwards, but they may offer more than some of the more reasonably-priced places. Go for something which suits you, in terms of budget, what's included in the price, and location. And remember that the experience will last you a lifetime. You will have some good stories to tell, and glamorous memories to hold on to!
If you do decide to give this a try, or have done so already, don't forget to drop in a line here. But whatever you end up doing, have a great New Year's Eve!
The New York City 2008 Party list
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
New York City, here I come!
We did it! After hours of procrastinating about whether we should, we did it! A $5 flight to NYC on the 31st Dec.
I kid you not. If you have 15000 airmiles with American, you can do it too. We sat at the computer the other day, not expecting our miles to take us anywhere decent over the New Year's period, and couldn't believe it when the Big Apple turned out to be an option. All it cost us was $5 for the transaction. Sweet. We snapped it up, and sped over onto Expedia to get us a decent room. Given that we spent virtually nothing for the room, we were able to get a room averaging about $350 per night. Not bad for this time period in NYC.
I cannot wait to make the trip and give you all an update. Being in one of the world's greatest cities on New Year's eve has always been a dream. Have you done it? Perhaps Sydney, Paris, London? Maybe you have a great story to tell about just a wonderful New Year's you spent? Share it here....
I kid you not. If you have 15000 airmiles with American, you can do it too. We sat at the computer the other day, not expecting our miles to take us anywhere decent over the New Year's period, and couldn't believe it when the Big Apple turned out to be an option. All it cost us was $5 for the transaction. Sweet. We snapped it up, and sped over onto Expedia to get us a decent room. Given that we spent virtually nothing for the room, we were able to get a room averaging about $350 per night. Not bad for this time period in NYC.
I cannot wait to make the trip and give you all an update. Being in one of the world's greatest cities on New Year's eve has always been a dream. Have you done it? Perhaps Sydney, Paris, London? Maybe you have a great story to tell about just a wonderful New Year's you spent? Share it here....
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