A Prime Performance v. Not So Prime

Yesterday evening at the Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts, the Russian National Ballet Theatre presented Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's 'Swan Lake'. The costumes and dancing were exquisite and presented a beautiful sight to behold. The theater was packed, perhaps even sold out, as I overheard one patron say to another. Ballet-goers streamed across Southbridge street from the parking garage to catch their seats before the curtain lifted. Little girls in long, flouncey dresses appeared to be in their environment and everyone was anxiously awaiting to get a glimpse of the ballerinas in their tutus. And the prima ballerina? Maria Poliudova's dancing was art in motion. While she was on stage I could not avert my eyes from her, so delicate and expressive she was.

On this particular day, writing about any number of issues needing to be fixed would be easy. Take for instance, the Governor's Advisory Council forum held in Fitchburg yesterday. This meeting served as a venue for illegal immigrants to detail the difficulties of living in Massachusetts. Miguel Marino, whose opinion seemed to represent others in attendance, expressed his frustration with getting a driver's license, (See today's Telegram article, p.B4). Then there's Transportation Secretary James Aloisi's sister Carol, who, according to The Boston Globe, (p.B3 and A 19, 3/19) appears to have a $60,000 a year job without any work to do -- zilch. Or we could talk about enacting same day voter registration and how The Telegram is voicing support for it, with a few stipulations to avoid voter fraud (p.A11, 3/19/09).

However, instead of ranting about the state of affairs on this last day before Spring, I chose to focus on the beautiful and how the Hanover Theatre is a bright spot in Worcester, bringing something positive and wonderful, namely the arts, to Central Mass. at a time when their existence in schools may be threatened by lack of funding. Let's not forget about the many things needing to be changed in Massachusetts government, but once in awhile it's nice to think about the good stuff.

If you want to get frustrated, read the bottom four articles, or you could search the internet for a site that's playing Tchaikovsky and think about spring.

Sunday Telegram "Living" section, March 15, 2009 "Tradition endures in 'Swan Lake'" by Richard Duckett, p. 3 (Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts website)
http://www.thehanovertheatre.org/news/pressRelease.php?releaseID=118


Telegram & Gazette, Thursday, March 19, 2009, "Verify, then vote" editorial page, A11
http://www.telegram.com/article/20090319/NEWS/903190614/1020

Telegram & Gazette, Thursday, March 19, 2009, "Illegals tell of hardship living in state" by Paula J. Owen, p. B1
http://www.telegram.com/article/20090319/NEWS/903190621/1101

The Boston Globe, Thursday, March 19, 2009, "Patrick doesn't get the politics of outrage" by Joan Vennochi, p.A19
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2009/03/19/patrick_doesnt_get_the_politics_of_outrage/

The Boston Globe, Thursday, March 19, 2009, "Aloisi issues apology to Globe" by Matt Viser, p.B1
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/03/19/aloisi_issues_apology_to_globe/