Two Weeks in Russia, Chapter 1

My trip to Russia started at the airport. I found throughout this trip that, in general, the American border security people are tougher and less friendly. I say in general, because there were notable exceptions. My father used to say, “Give a little man a little power…“ Maybe the TSA has a reason to criminalize people who are leaving the country, because it’s in the US that I feel looked upon as being the most guilty. As if everyone is a terrorist until proven innocent.

Let me also say, somewhat in their defense, that the Los Angeles airport is more heavily populated than all the other airports I went through, combined. But still, guys, we don’t have to make America look like a fascist state. It’s bad for publicity.

The flight took me first to Zürich, where I waited around for six hours. At this moment, I was studying Russian constantly. I even tried reading some of my book of Stanislavsky in the original Russian. Sitting in the café at the or airport with a sandwich and a cup of  coffee, I could only read and understand a couple lines because of the American pop music blaring overhead. I decided it would be much easier to think along Stanislavsky’s lines if I were listening to Tchaikovsky. Later I tried this and have found that I can understand Russian better when I listen to Russian classical music. This has led to the creation of my theory that American pop music was invented as mind control to make the masses think simplistically while the wealthy, who listen to more refined music, pick their pockets.

This traveling experience experience actually started in me a resurgence of my love for Russian composers. My sister asked me a couple months ago why I learned Russian and was going to Russia. She asked in a way that made it sound like, “Why would anybody want to go there?“ At the time, I just said the one word, “Stanislavsky.“ Later, in direct reference to my voyage, I thought how I should’ve said Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, Rachmaninoff, Igor Stravinsky, etc…Ever hear of Tolstoy? Don’t forget  Rudolph Nureyev. I mean, come on. Don’t people know these things? Don’t they know that Russia has one of the  highest cultural and artistic traditions on Earth? I guess they don’t say that on the news. I haven’t watched a lot of news lately. But every once a while I tune in enough to notice that everybody is still fighting, everybody is still lying, and the news seeks to make gripping drama out of the worst parts of humanity.

So, Music? Theater? Does anybody care anymore? Are stupid politicians our new stars? I’ll just change the channel…

So yes, I’m heading to Russia to find  Stanislavsky, the great master of modern Acting, but I’m also looking for the connection to the music, the dance, and the arts, and the literature that I have so loved in my life.

Russia, here I come!