“S.HUROK PRESENTS” was a banner spread across America for almost 50 years, highlighting the Russian immigrant who brought ballet, live music, theater, and opera to small towns and great cities throughout the land. From the 20s to the 70s he presented the greatest names in the performing arts: Marian Anderson at her Lincoln Memorial concert; Benny Goodman in his first performances at Carnegie Hall; and world-reknowned artists like Cliburn, Nureyev, Rubinstein, Stern, Segovia, Bernstein, Fonteyn, Yo Yo Ma, and many more.

Hurok was perhaps best known for presenting the Bolshoi Ballet and Opera, the Kirov, Moiseyev, the Moscow State Symphony, Rostropovich, and Baryshnikov, to name just a few. His efforts to strengthen cultural ties with the Soviets led to wide acclaim—and the bombing of his office.

After Hurok’s death, my partners and I purchased Hurok Concerts, Inc. Our struggle to maintain the business contains all the Broadway drama you might expect, replete with appearances by the likes of Jackie O., Liz Taylor, Maria Callas, Agnes de Mille, Fred Astaire, Vladimir Horowitz, Salvatore Dali, and Nadia Comaneci.

We’ll spend the first two sessions reviewing the history of the Hurok dynasty; the last two detailing why good intentions and significant talent were insufficient to overcome Hurok’s determination to be the greatest of his own attractions, making sure the party ended with his passing. Join us for an amazing tale evoking the long-lost glamour of the mid-20th century.