Anne Midgette: “An ultimate test of cultural diplomacy is the question of who controls the narrative. On Monday, the organizers restricted media access to this high-security event. After trying unsuccessfully to reach media representatives before the event, then waiting at the door, I was told that the fire marshal had ruled that no more people could enter the building. Later, the media representative explained that she had promised the fire marshal they would not exceed the RSVP list, and they took that seriously. When I did enter, thanks to the intervention of a cathedral staffer, there was plenty of room inside. Some members of the media, certainly, had been alerted: TASS, the state Russian news agency, ran an article shortly before the event.”