It wasn't the Russian Ballet, however...

www.vheadline.com Posted: Sunday, February 16, 2003 By: Charles Hardy

VHeadline.com commentarist Charles Hardy writes:

A friend once told me that, when she attended a ballet in Moscow, she experienced a different environment from that which she had sensed in New York.  She said that, when the lights went on for the intermission, she realized that the hands of the people in the audience were different.  They were the hands of working people and not the fine-manicured hands that one might see in a New York theater.

I don't know if her observation was valid or not.  I've never been to a ballet in New York or in Moscow.  But I did experience a similar feeling on January 18, in the Caracas Municipal Theater.  It was a free cultural presentation given by a group of actors, musicians, and artists who call themselves 'The Artists and Cultural Workers for the Constitution.'

When I entered the theater, it was already half-full and the line outside still stretched six blocks.  The atmosphere was joyful.  While waiting in line, the people had been entertained by clowns on stilts and a variety of musical groups.  All of a sudden, a woman in the audience stood up and started addressing those in the theater.  She was not part of the presentation.  She had a message.  Gradually everyone quieted down and she spoke.  Someone shouted, "Go up on stage!  Use a microphone."  With a smile on her face, she did.

Then someone shouted, "There is a woman here with a poem."  An elderly woman ... in her seventies or eighties I would guess ... was helped on stage.  She read her poem.  The audience applauded.  Then, before leaving the stage she shouted, "Uh, ah, Chavez no se va!"  (Oh, ah, Chavez isn't leaving!)  Smiling, she was helped off the stage.

The Teatro Municipal de Caracas is a beautiful historic landmark that has been renovated by the present government.  (One of those accomplishments of a government that supposedly hasnt accomplished anything).  It is a wonderful building that, in times past, certainly held the elite of Caracas ... now it is used frequently again, but for conferences and meetings of those who support the government.

When the scheduled act began, there were stilt-walkers and stories, traditional music and contemporary dancing.  I learned afterwards that none of those participating were paid.  It was a act of love, of solidarity with the Constitutional process in Venezuela.

Outside were the masses that couldn't enter the theater for lack of space.  Musicians on the steps of the theater entertained them.

A few days after the performance, I received a copy of a statement from the Artists & Cultural Workers for the Constitution organization.  I didn't pay too much attention to it until I saw a page 3 article in Ultimas Noticias on January 25.  It turns out that there's another group called "The People of Culture" (Gente de la Cultura) that doesn't see things from the same perspective.  They held a press conference at the Hotel Eurobuilding during which Ibeyisse Pacheco spoke and Frank Quintero sang ... their document also appeared as a paid advertisement.

I called the person who gave me the first statement and asked if they had held a news conference since I hadn't see anything in the paper about their statement.  She said that they would have liked to have published it, but they didn't have that kind of money.

One thing that is interesting about this to me, is the fact that I know the people personally who signed these two documents.  I also know other artists who signed neither.  I consider many to be my friends.  I suppose it is simply another manifestation of the divisions that exist within the country.

But there's another dimension that caught my attention.  The presentation of the "Manifesto of The People of Culture" was made at a 5-star hotel.  Why do all the opposition press conferences seem to be in Caracas' luxury hotels (or under their shadow as is the case of the five-star-hotel-generals in Altamira)?  Doesn't the opposition realize what they are saying, and have been saying to the ordinary Venezuelan who only enters such places to clean rooms or to guard their doors?  Or don't they care?

One would almost think that Carlos Ortega and his crew work for the Melia Caracas since that banner is always in the background at their press conferences.  I wouldn't be surprised that, if the opposition reads this editorial, the banner will disappear and that soon they'll all be wearing baseball caps backwards like the governor of Miranda.

As I mentioned, I have friends in both camps ... but to this day I have never been in the Eurobuilding, the Melia Caracas or the Four Seasons.  I suppose they are nice.

• I did enjoy that afternoon at the Municipal Theater, however ... it, too, is nice.

It wasn't the Russian ballet that I watched that Saturday afternoon, but the performance was worthwhile ... and, the hands of the audience were not all manicured, in case that says something.

Charlie A native of Cheyenne, Wyoming (USA), VHeadline.com columnist Charles Hardy has many years experience  as an international correspondent in Venezuela. You may email him at: hardyce2@yahoo.com