Around Town with Donna ShorThere are few certainties in this imprecise world, but trust this one: you will always have a blast atthe Russian Ball. Again this February the gala celebrating the Russian New Year had it all, from Prince AlexisObolensky, clad in a gray satin Imperial falconer’s caped suit greeting the revelers, and PrincessSelene Obolensky’s full-throated rendition of “Orche Chornye” accompanied by balalaikas, to theincredibly acrobatic sword dance of the men’s troupe, the singers, the orchestra that had gueststhronging the dance floor, the vodka and the champagne, the champagne and the vodka, until finally, atthe stroke of midnight, champagne again for the requisite toast to greet the New (Russian calendar) Year. Seen: Prince David Chavchavadze and Princess Eugenia (he resplendent in the tunic of anobleman of the Caucasus), Jim and Sylvia Symington, Steve Strickland, Olga and BobRyan, Ed von Kloberg, and Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor and her husband John (both enthusiastic and good dancers). Gertie d’Amecourt with son Guy anddaughter Nicole had two tables, and guests included Jon Baldvin Hannibalsson, the Ambassador of Iceland and his wife Bryndis Schram, who is another enthusiastic dancer, Anthony and Isabel Lanier (he is the Georgetown developer), and from the Austrian Embassy, Count Christophe and Marie-Charlotte Meran. Dmitri Obolensky, son of the Ball organizers, and his wife oversaw a large group of revelers thatincluded Nadya Houston, Elena Bender, and music conductor Richard Bray. When Prince Obolensky said that the Ball evoked the romantic spirit of the Imperial Court Ball, a guestcommented that just as everyone is Irish on March 17th, at this Ball everyone is Russian for a night. This drew a chuckle from the prince, who reminisced that when he was head of the State Department’sRussian Language division, he issued a greeting each March 17th as an honorary Irishman, and signed it,of course, Alexis O’Bolensky.
More Moscow Nights: History—both on the musical and social scene—was made in Washington when Russian Ambassador Yuri V. Ushakov and his wife Svetlana hosted a lavish dinner party for610 guests, with Tchaikovsky’s opera, Iolanta, as the prime attraction.
This was a “first” in Washington, the presentation of a staged and costumed opera in an embassy— and on atemporary stage in their huge ballroom which, though magnificent, is without the usual opera-houseamenities. Despite some minor behind-the-scenes glitches to validate Murphy’s Law, the opera and theevening were smashing successes. Tchaikovsky wrote Iolanta, the one-act dramatic opera, when he wrote The Nutcracker. Iolanta was recognized then for its excellence, but later it was The Nutcracker, considered a meretrifle at the time, that went on to world-wide recognition with the ballet. Iolanta is seldom performed outside Eastern Europe, and there are few recordings extant. The rolesare demanding, and the short one-act is difficult to pair with another work to provide opera-goers a fullevening. The post-performance dinner at the Embassy featured crisp-skinned roast suckling pig, excellent sturgeon,and delicious bite-sized cream puffs. Some of the many Ambassadors and their wives who attended were the Ambassadors of Greece, GreatBritain, Romania, France, Italy, and Finland. Countless Senators and Representatives were alsoin attendance. A chief supporter of the evening was Vance Coffman, CEO of Lockheed-Martin, whoattended with his wife Arlene. Other guests were Judith Terra, the James Billingtons (he is the Librarian of Congress), Carter Brown, Deecy Gray, the Jim Dickinsons, GeorgiaGraves, the James Wolfensohns, and Natasha Kaplan. Virginia Hayes-Williams (themother of Mayor Anthony Williams and an opera singer herself ) was completely in her element asshe sat with the cast at dinner. Others included Mrs. Vladimir Tolstoy, Cyd Everett, AllisonLaLand, the J. Willard Marriotts, Prince and Princess Obolensky, Molly Raiser, the John Richardsons (Marjorie was I.R.S. Commissioner), Mignon Smith and NedConques, Lucky Roosevelt, Victoria Westin and Michael Vergason, Chris Warnke, ElizabethSherman and her granddaughter Kimber, the Stephen Trachtenbergs (he is President ofGeorge Washington University), and Esther Coopersmith. It was Esther, at the dinner she gave last fall introducing the Ushakovs to many of Washington’s moversand shakers, who predicted that the couple would play a leading role in Washington life during theirposting here. They are both linguists who attended the Moscow State Institute of International Relations(where she was also a professor of French), and have held important posts. Judging by the success oftheir “opera evening,” Esther was absolutely right.
Press-ing Their Luck: One-line zingers were the order of the day when politicians addressed theblack-tie Washington Press Foundation’s 56 th Annual Congressional Dinner at the J.W. Marriott Hotel. Thecrowd of almost 1,000— who alternately laughed and groaned at the jokes– included Senators andRepresentatives, along with media stars, and a good number of the city’s press corps. Seen: Herblock,Mary McGrory, Helen Thomas, House Majority Leader Dick Armey, Sen. John Warner, Rep. Charles Rangel, and Rep. Al Wynn of Maryland. Mary and Pat Munroe had two tables that were almost afamily affair, including his sister Mary Gray and nephew Alex Coby. Also there were Henry and Barbara Tilford, the Hon. Paul and Becky Rogers, Ymelda Dixon, RearAdmiral John Harllee and his wife Helen, Allison LaLand, Mrs. John (Virginia Warren) Daly, and Robert and Clare Crawford Mason.
Matt Cooper of Time magazine emceed, introducing Sen. Ted Kennedy as one of thesenior Senators for whom Hart, Dirksen, and Russell are “not just buildings, but former colleagues.”Taking the cue on age and identity, Kennedy responded anent George W. Bush that he “hates to see ayoung man get ahead because of his family name,” then added the second zinger: “I guess New Hampshiredid, too.” As for the stand-up future of Kennedy and the other four speakers (Senators Marcy Kaptur and Susan Collins, and Reps. Tom Davis and Nancy Pelosi) who did comic turns: no oneurged them to give up their day jobs.
All For Art: The oeuvres of twenty-nine renowned Hungarian artists recently went on displayat the Hungarian Embassy, where the Ambassador and Mrs. Jeszenszky held a reception for theopening of the exhibit. Hostess Edit Jeszenszky said that introducing these contemporary artists toWashington will serve as a pilot program to further a Hungarian “Arts in Embassies” program around theworld—modeled after the State Department’s successful venture. The Hungarian effort is sponsored by theNadasdy Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to cultural and environmental exchanges. Oneguest, Aniko Gaal Schott, was told that the President of Hungary has decreed she be awarded their Order of The Republic for her work on behalf of the people of her native land. More to followafter the ceremony.
A New Playpen: Members of the historic Georgetown Club were delighted to find they have a newplace to play, and an ultra-glamorous one at that, thanks to Wyatt Dickerson and the designtalents of Aniko Gaal Schott. Scouring the countryside for furnishings to achieve the exact effectthey wanted, the result is elegant—black draped, with flattering crystal lights—and now members and theirguests have a gorgeous builtin nightclub for dancing, with late-night suppers available if hungerstrikes. The chef produced a terrific inaugural dinner for the 100 atttendees: perfectly-executedpoached halibut smothered in a cream sauce, enlivened with “Pearls of the Volga” (caviar), and delectablelamb chops.
Vive Wilson! was the slogan seen bedecking Paris streets in some 1918 photographs thatcaptured the spirit of wartime France and President Wilson’s visit there. These photographers are onexhibit at the S Street Woodrow Wilson House, the District’s only Presidential museum and his formerhome. The Ambassador of France spoke at the opening reception, emphasizing Wilson’s popularity inhis country, as the photos attest. The exhibit was first shown in the museum dedicated to Franco-Americancooperation at the 16 th-century Chateau Blerancourt, outside of Paris. That museum, which features theFrench participation in our Revolutionary War, was founded by Ann Morgan, daughter of banker J.P. Morgan.
There’s still more Wilson House news from the National Trust for Historic Preservation: the AESCorporation will underwrite a new “Global Perspectives” speakers series, which will begin with a dinnerwith U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Bill Richardson (former Ambassador to the United Nations,which had its origin in Wilson’s groundbreaking League of Nations). The series, which underscoresPresident Wilson’s legacy as a statesman and peacemaker, was announced by a trio of movers and shakers onthe Washington scene: AES Senior Vice President Kenneth Woodcock, his wife Dorothy, andProperty Council Chairman of Wilson House, Jane Sloat.
Triumph of the Spirit: The Ambassador of Cambodia hosted the launching of LoungUng’s book First They Killed My Father (Harper Collins) at Café Milano. It is the story of theterrors of the Pol Pot regime as Loung viewed them during her childhood. Her family had to flee theirhome because they were educated people, were forced by hunger to traverse land-mined fields to find food,and endured countless other hardships.
Sponsors of the evening included Sen. Patrick Leahy, a Congressional leader on human rights andbanning land-mines, the Vietnam Veterans Foundation, founders of the International Campaign to Ban LandMines, Helen Thomas, the UPI White House Bureau Chief, and Blanquita Cullum, President ofthe National Association of Radio Talk-Show Hosts. Queen Noor of Jordan, who travels the world speaking against land mines, described the story asthe “triumph of an indomitable spirit.”
Glimpses of Galicia: The Ambassador of Spain and Beatrice de Oyarzabal celebratedthe opening of a photography exhibit at the National Press Club, which focuses its attention on thecolorful region of Northwest Spain called Galicia. The invitations, adorned with an image of a massiveiron-bound door by photographer Didi (Mrs. Walter L.) Cutler, gave a hint of what would be seen inthe show. Admiring her work were friends Donna and John Pflieger, Lloyd and Ann Hand,Giselle Theberge, sporting on one shoulder the “Corcoran Lion” pin designed by Ann Hand, Willee and Finlay Lewis, and the Maximo Flughelmans.
Galicia is known worldwide as the end site of the centuries-old pilgrimage route to Santiago deCompostela (St. James Way), where the bones of the apostle are said to be kept in its impressivecathedral. The photographs in the show seem imbued with a sense of sadness, even those of childrendancing in the bright Galician sun.
The Way of the Mime: When Marcel Marceau, the world’s premiere mime, appeared at Ford’sTheater last month, many Washingtonians attended multiple performances to glimpse his alternating shows.With only an expressive face beneath the traditional white greasepaint of a pantomime artist, and anexpressive body—still agile at 76—Marceau creates a small miracle each time he steps on the stage, andall this without uttering a word.
This column mentioned last month that although silent onstage, Marceau is a voluble, enthusiastic, andfascinating conversationalist offstage. During his Washington sojourn, he appeared on countless localtalk shows, gave a lecture on his “moves” as a mime at the Smithsonian, spoke at a luncheon at theNational Press Club, and even appeared midafternoon at the Alliance Francaise—and that’s only a partiallisting of his Washington talks! Nevertheless, as he told one reporter discussing his eloquent silentart: “I’ve discovered that silence touches people as much as music.” Is there something “Around Town” should know about? E-Mail donnashor@AOL.com.
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