Sita Ram: An Original World Musical at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance December 11, 2012 What happens when you combine leaders in the world of Chicago arts, culture & entertainment? An incredible musical that takes its audience on a journey of reflection and self-discovery through song, dance, fashion and design. Sita Ram began in 2002 when Krithika Rajagopalan of Natya Dance Company commissioned founding ensemble member of the Lookingglass Theatre Company, David Kresnar, and Grammy-nominated composer, Jai Uttal, to create a world musical that encompassed Chicago’s rich diversity and culture. The first show premiered in 2006 and was a great success. The Hindu epic, Ramayana, is the basis for Sita Ram as it fuses together the past, present & future – all themes that are as relevant today as they were 3,000 years ago when Ramayana was first written.
Paris Opera Ballet To Make Its Chicago Debut June 25, 2012 I’ve always LOVED Paris and all things French. My grandmother lived in France briefly as a young girl, my great-uncle taught French in Australia for over 20 years, my mother’s family lived in Belgium for 9 years (where they speak French) and I took French in middle school and high school. Sadly, from lack of practice my knowledge of the French language has dwindled, but my love of the country and culture remains strong. I was fortunate enough to go to Paris for Christmas 3 years ago with my mom and I fell more in love with it all. One of the most impressive things I saw on my trip was the Palais Garnier, home of the Paris Opéra Ballet, one of the most well known ballets in the world and the oldest (the company was started during the reign of Louis XIV). While I didn’t get to see them perform – they were touring at the time – I was able to see the beautiful theatre where their performances take place and it was awe-inspiring.
