To celebrate these occasions, I had the opportunity to enjoy two works in theater setting, which offered profound insights on the human experience.
First, on Mothers' Day, I went to see The Sound of Music at the Lyric Opera. As a young child, I remember watching the famous movie version of the story with Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer enough times to have a good deal of familiarity with it. But the play version I saw was a little bit different than the movie, whereby I gleaned notable insights, and especially so when I read the notes in the playbill in the days after seeing it.
Captain von Trapp, in the play version, is an ardent pro-Austrian, and is against any movement to be part of Germany/the Third Reich--a stance that places him in the minority of Austrians. This leads to some troublesome issues, especially when he wants to make marriage arrangements with the baronness, and figures more distinctly into other scenes. It also illuminates his singing "Edelweiss", right before he is to be escorted to accept his commission in the armed forces of the Third Reich.
His stance speaks to the many instances throughout history of people with nationalist leanings striving against powerful, menacing forces, which is even happening in the present day. It's the human struggle of attaining one's identity, especially against powers that move to impose an unsuitable identity. Clearly, this story doesn't shy away from socio-political matters, which is why this play version I saw had such depth. I mean, to think of how jarring it is to see the swatiska banners hanging in the background as the von Trapps perform in the concert scene at the end. Even though it features children and delightful songs, this depth, as exemplified in this and other aspects of the plot, makes it a story that every one of all ages can appreciate.
His stance speaks to the many instances throughout history of people with nationalist leanings striving against powerful, menacing forces, which is even happening in the present day. It's the human struggle of attaining one's identity, especially against powers that move to impose an unsuitable identity. Clearly, this story doesn't shy away from socio-political matters, which is why this play version I saw had such depth. I mean, to think of how jarring it is to see the swatiska banners hanging in the background as the von Trapps perform in the concert scene at the end. Even though it features children and delightful songs, this depth, as exemplified in this and other aspects of the plot, makes it a story that every one of all ages can appreciate.
Then there was Maria's struggle between her desires to be a nun, and her growing love for Captain von Trapp, which was brought to her attention very distinctly by one of the daughters--another element in the play version that wasn't in the movie. The Mother Abbess makes very clear to Maria that God calls each us of to a distinct vocation by which we glorify Him. We needn't restrict ourselves to consecrated life, as God fulfills His will in us through marital relationships. This speaks eloquently to me as I ponder my own life's vocation.
Later in the month, my family foursome went to see the movie Million Dollar Arm. It was at Hollywood Cinema Theater in Woodridge, where patrons have the opportunity to be served a meal while watching the movie. The movie tells the story of JB, a sports agent, fallen on hard times after having much success in his career. He decides to take a chance to reboot his career after a light bulb goes off while watching a cricket match. His idea is to recruit two young men from India, where cricket is popular, train them to play baseball--seemingly similar to cricket--and then get them recruited for a MLB team in the United States.
He's constantly driven by this desire to be successful, especially in terms of bringing in the big money again. It's a desire that contrasts with the realities of his own life and of the Indian culture from which he picks the two young men. These men come from tight-knit communities and culture, portrayed very strongly in the movie, and are set on the path to American-style success. And the movie shows instances of the different ethic the Indians have: They wait to eat breakfast with their host. And one of them, while conversing with his mom, tells her he's going to work, when the next scene shows the agent taking the three Indians to a party held at the lavish estate of an athlete he's seeking to negotiate a contract with.
It's a culture that has a way of appreciating life as something precious. And eventually, the agent finds that's the key to his success, and ultimately leads to the realization of his goal for them. It even leads to his living a richer life, as he bonds more closely with his tenant, Brenda.
It's a culture that has a way of appreciating life as something precious. And eventually, the agent finds that's the key to his success, and ultimately leads to the realization of his goal for them. It even leads to his living a richer life, as he bonds more closely with his tenant, Brenda.
It's also notable that this agent is willing to recruit two people from a culture where there aren't expectations to get the latest baseball players. And it's especially intriguing the two people who are selected from thousands to come to the US, because they throw at the fastest speeds, never even played cricket, which was the whole idea of going to India in the first place. (That idea was highlighted in an interested anecdote when the agent, having botched the exhibition for the MLB recruiters, goes to a restaurant with a retired talent scout, who says that the Chinese food that they're eating is the best in the country, but isn't even made by a Chinese person.)
What I got from the movie is that life is not about achieving worldly success, but is lived to the utmost when we engage in meaningful relationships with our fellow human beings.
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