Blog

I have always been a lover of opera. I grew up seeing the great operas in St. Petersburg, Russia, and fell in love with the elaborate sets, beautiful music and dramatic stories I saw on the stage.

When I moved to Chicago seven years, ago I immediately became a season ticket holder at the Lyric Opera of Chicago so I could continue to see high-level productions in my own city.

Last spring, I joined the Lyric Opera’s Junior Board as a way to give back to this historic institution, and this month, I am pleased to announce that the Lyric has selected me to be a member of their Guild Board. I am thrilled to be able to contribute even more to an organization that is such a vital member of the Chicago arts community.

As a member of the Lyric’s Junior Board, I helped to support the Lyric by serving as the Junior Board chairperson for the annual Fantasy of the Opera gala, and by serving as a tour guide during the Backstage Tour fundraising event.

I am delighted to be part of this esteemed organization, and I look forward to continuing to support initiatives that will help keep opera a viable art form for generations to come.

Lunch featuring traditional cuisine of Luxembourg

On April 22 and 23, I traveled to the European city of Luxembourg to attend the Global Russia Business Meeting.

Luxembourg is one of the financial capitals of the European Union, and has recently hosted several similar forums designed to expand business partnerships with the Middle East, China and India.

At this forum, more than 400 business leaders from around the world gathered to learn more about the economic benefits of partnering with Russian companies. Both Russians and non-Russians in a variety of fields including information technology, bio tech, manufacturing, and more met to discuss ways that they could work together.

Several high-level dignitaries spoke during the event, including Crown Prince Guillaume, who welcomed the attendees during the opening ceremony, and Igor Manylov, the Deputy Minister of Economic Development of Russia.

I passionately believe that world peace can be achieved as more nations foster economic connections around the globe, and it was inspiring to see how many influential business leaders are interested in building bridges with Russia. I hope the seminar leads to more successful business partnerships around the world!

Aleksandra Efimova with Michael McFaul, the U.S. Ambassador to Russia

CSO conductor Ricardo Muti and Michael McFaul, the U.S. Ambassador to Russia

Moscow Green Building Forum

Aleksandra Efimova with Rashid Ismailov and Sam Scott

I just returned from an amazing trip where I had the privilege of both traveling with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra to their first visit to Russia since 1990, as well as promoting Chicago to Russian businesses.

I was part of a delegation of seven people from World Business Chicago and Chicago Sister Cities International who accompanied conductor Riccardo Muti and 180 orchestra members on this historic cultural exchange.

By partnering with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, our delegation’s goal was to promote Chicago as a desirable location for Russian businesses and strengthen Chicago’s ties with Moscow.

When we arrived in Moscow on April 14, my delegation and I started by meeting with representatives from environmentally friendly construction companies and other private businesses to tell them about the upcoming Green Building Business Forum, which I am organizing with the Moscow Committee of Chicago Sister Cities International, taking place June 13-14 in Chicago.

Chicago is world-renown for its commitment to green building, and we are excited to share our knowledge and expertise with Russian companies who are also looking for ways to save energy costs and help the environment.

Later that night, Michael McFaul, the U.S. Ambassador to Russia, welcomed us to a reception at his house where a small quartet from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra performed for the guests.

Over the next few days, we met with several Russian companies that are interested in opening offices in the United States, championing Chicago as an ideal location investing because it’s dynamic, cosmopolitan and forward-thinking.

We also met with American companies who have Russian divisions, including General Motors and Nike, at a reception held by the American Chamber of Commerce in Moscow, which promotes collaboration between both countries.

We concluded our groundbreaking trip by hosting a dinner and presentation on Chicago’s business advantages to Moscow business leaders, including 50 green building companies, at the residence of the John McCaslin, the U.S. Minister Counselor for Commercial Affairs, followed by an outstanding performance by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at the Moscow Conservatory.

I am so proud of what were able to accomplish during this trip, and I hope we planted the seed for new business growth in Chicago and Russia in the years to come.

On March 28, I had the pleasure of welcoming dance legend Homer Bryant to the Russian Pointe Dance Boutique.

A former principal dancer with the world renowned Dance Theater of Harlem, Mr. Bryant has run the Chicago Multi-Cultural Dance Center for more than 20 years. He founded the Bryant Ballet School and Company in 1990 with the mission of integrating classical ballet technique with hip-hop and other diverse dance styles to honor our multicultural heritage.

Mr. Bryant has trained President Obama’s daughters, Sasha and Malia, as well as dancers who have gone on to perform with the Joffrey Ballet, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, in the Lion King on Broadway and more.

On March 31, Mr. Bryant left for a two-week trip to Moscow and St. Petersburg where he will be teaching classes at the Moscow School of Ballet, the Bolshoi Ballet, the Kirov Ballet and the Vaganova School of Ballet.

It’s wonderful that an American dance icon, such as Mr. Bryant, will be taking his unique approach to dance and sharing it with dancers in Russia, creating more cultural connections between both countries. I hope his experiences in Russia serve as inspiration for his upcoming choreography for his students!

Mayor Emmanuel’s wife, Amy Rule, and Aleksandra Efimova

Aleksandra Efimova and Patricia Maza-Pittsford, consul general of El Salvador

From May 20 to 21, leaders from around the world will gather in Chicago for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) meetings, hosted by President Barack Obama.

This is the first time that an American city other than Washington, D.C., has hosted at NATO summit, and more than 60 countries are sending delegates to discuss topics such as support of Afghanistan, the debt crisis in Europe, intelligence and more.

To welcome the delegates, the Chicago 2012 Hosting Committee, headed by Mayor Rahm Emmanuel’s wife, Amy Rule, is planning a series of events, dinners, and cultural activities that will showcase Chicago’s rich heritage and economic vitality to the world. Two of the most anticipated events include a dinner with President Obama at Soldier Field and a visit to Gary Comer Youth Center with First Lady Michelle Obama.

I am so proud to be one of 70 prominent Chicagoans who has been asked to serve on the committee because of my devoted activism on behalf of the city and my deep commitment to strengthening international ties.

While the summit will be closed to the public, the Chicago NATO Host Committee is also planning a variety of programs to inform Chicagoans about this historic event. Some of the events will include: a kite festival at Montrose Harbor on May 19; a sports youth summit featuring soccer, basketball and wrestling; a culinary event; theater and restaurant specials; and international-themed events at Chicago Public Schools.

When I was deciding where I wanted to live seven years ago, I looked for a city that would value community service and would be a strong advocate for international cooperation, and after only living here seven years, I know that I have chosen the perfect place for me!

I am looking forward to enthusiastically promoting the city of Chicago and welcoming world leaders to our vibrant city.

Brett Batterson, Executive Director of the Auditorium Theatre, and Aleksandra Efimova

Last night, I had the pleasure of attending an important fundraiser for the American Ballet Theatre right here in Chicago at the Ivy Room.

Due to the unseasonably warm weather, attendees enjoyed cocktails and hors d’oeuvres outside in the summer-like air before we headed inside for an elegant dinner.

At the event, I had the honor of meeting ABT’s Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie and Executive Director Rachel Moore, as well as several principal dancers from the company, including Natalia Osipova, who will be dancing the lead role in the company’s performance of Giselle, playing at the Auditorium Theatre tonight through Sunday.

Many prominent members of Chicago’s arts community were also in attendance, including Julie Nakagawa, artistic director of Danceworks Chicago; members of Auditorium Theatre’s board of directors; and representatives from Carol Fox & Associates, a arts-related public relations firm.

The American Ballet Theatre is one of the premiere ballet companies in the United States, and although they are based in New York, recently, the company has begun traveling to other cities including Chicago, Washington,
D.C., Los Angeles to bring high-caliber dance to more Americans.

For the last several years, The American Ballet Theatre has been performing at the Lyric Opera when they visit Chicago, but this year, for the first time, the company is moving its performances to the Auditorium Theatre.

At the fundraiser, Brett Batterson, Artistic Director of the Auditorium Theater, spoke about how thrilled he was to bring such a preeminent ballet company to the people of Chicago.

I, too, am pleased that Chicagoans will have the chance to experience the beauty and rich tradition of this superior dance company, and hope you will join me in seeing Giselle this weekend!

I was surprised and amazed Friday night when I saw the Lyric Opera’s final opera of the season, Rinaldo.

Composed by George Frederic Handel, Rinaldo is a classic story of war and love. Originally set during the Crusades, the story is about General Goffredo and a knight, Rinaldo, who are using sorcery to fight King Argante’s army and liberate Jerusalem from the Arabs.

This production, however, is far from typical. Instead of the Crusades, we find ourselves in a surrealist world with no specific time of place.

The set design is particularly mesmerizing and filled with imaginative, modern touches like a giant piano that is suspended from the ceiling that is also used for a jail. There is also a huge green eye that is suspended in mid-air and looks seductively down on the audience. Massive letters spelling out “Gerusalem� at the back of the stage added to the dramatic effect.

Many of the singers were performing with the Lyric for the first time, and I was truly impressed by the beauty of their voices. I also loved the energy and youthfulness of the cast. It seemed as if everyone in the cast was younger than 35, making the production feel vibrant and fresh.

Sasha Danilishen, Accounting Manager at Aleksandra Enterprises, said she, too, was amazed by Rinaldo. “It was just wonderful, beautiful. It wasn’t like anything you usually see at the opera,� Sasha said.

Despite the fact that the show lasted three and a half hours, everyone was on the edge of their seats, waiting
to find out what the Lyric would come up with next, and at the end, people were clapping and clapping profusely.

“To be honest, it was the most fun I’ve ever had at the opera,� Sasha said.

Have you ever wanted the chance to go behind the curtain at the opera? As a tour leader, that’s exactly what I had the chance to do on Sunday during the Lyric Opera’s Backstage Tour fundraising event.

I served as a guide for guests and took them to ten different stops on the tour, and at each stop, a Lyric expert told us interesting facts about what goes into producing a grand, large-scale opera.

Guests snapped photos as we went along, capturing all of the magic behind the scenes. Stops included the wig room, the make-up room, the wardrobe room where the Lyric’s gorgeous costumes are made by hand, and the rehearsal room, where we saw some of the golden Egyptian boats from the current production of Aida sitting off to the side.

One of the most thrilling moments, however, was when we climbed down into the orchestra pit and sat in the actual musicians’ chairs ― what a spectacular view!

Finally, we had an opportunity to walk onto the stage itself, which was still set up for the current production of Show Boat with an elaborate Mississippi river boat right in the middle of the stage. Standing next to the scenery made me feel as if I were actually in the show.

About 400 people took part in the regular tour of the Lyric, and about 70 people joined the premium tour, which included an elegant gourmet luncheon with the Lyric’s Dramaturg, Roger Pines, as well as the opportunity to have their photo taken on the main stage and a parting gift from Lyric Opera’s Board of Directors. All of the proceeds benefited the Lyric’s Guild Board.

I was so pleased to be a part of this event that gave guests an insider’s look at what goes into producing one of the Lyric’s masterpieces. Lyric Opera Backstage Tours take place only twice a year. Don’t miss this magical opportunity to see it for yourself on Sunday, March 11!

On Feb. 12, I was so happy to open the doors of the Russian Pointe Dance Boutique for an elegant cocktail reception for all of the dancewear retailers who were in Chicago attending the Midwest Regional Dance Show.

More than 50 retailers and dancewear vendors attended the event. People talked as they dined on appetizers and sipped on wine, champagne and signature Russian vodka.

The cocktail party was a trip down memory lane for Penny Anderson, owner of Dancer’s Dream in Geneva, IL, who had visited the Russian Pointe Dance Boutique 10 years ago when her daughter was getting fitted for a pair of pointe shoes. Penny said she loved being invited to the boutique this time as a fellow retailer.

“It was very impressive and very relaxing,� Penny said of the event.

For dancewear retailers who run their own stores, the reception offered them a unique opportunity to connect with others who go through similar struggles and share ideas.

“It was a great way to get to know people,� said Kelly Musick, who opened her store, Dance Universe, in October in Joplin, MO, after a tornado struck down the only dancewear retail store in town.

For me, it was a wonderful way to meet retailers on a person level and say thank you for their continued support.

I also personally autographed copies of the Growing Through Arts® storybooks for people who attended, and many retailers said they couldn’t wait to take the books home to their daughters, nieces, and event to use them as fundraising pieces.

It was truly a pleasure to invite so many people who have supported Russian Pointe® throughout the years into our beautiful flagship store, and I hope everyone enjoyed the evening as much as I did.