How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria, the Most Beautiful Sound I Ever Heard
Growing up, The Sound of Music was my mom’s favorite and we shared that movie watching experience at least once a year. When it was broadcast on tv at Christmas and/or Easter it was a scheduled activity. Eventually we owned the double VHS tape set and we could watch it whenever our heart’s desired. I remember thinking it was such a special treat. Such a beautiful, fun movie, long enough to require an intermission like a true night at the theatre! Willing myself to stay awake because I loved it so much but often losing the battle to a deep slumber on the orange, velvet, seventies style sofa. Heavy eyelids shutting for good and usually during Maria’s long processional march down the aisle. The sound of the organs and the nuns singing ‘Maria’, royal and sophisticated yet room for a hint of the subtle light hearted feeling that makes sense at Maria’s wedding. Accustomed to ‘Ave Maria’ as the wedding march processional music of choice we were entertained with another round of “how do you solve a problem like Maria?” Included in ‘Processional Waltz’. All this made for a special lullaby for me, as a child with my head on my mother’s lap. As years progressed and technology advanced I soon owned the DVD set, collector CD box set with glossy booklet, coffee table book, as well as making it to countless live stage productions, sing-alongs etc, a true fan for sure. That deeper connection I mentioned before, was largely due to Edelweiss. The beauty and sorrow as I witnessed my mother’s heartache for her homeland long left behind. Squeezing my mother’s hand as I listened and watched as she sang through tears. Captain von Trapp’s “small and white, clean and bright” may as well have been about the little jewel of an island floating on clean and bright sand, my mother’s beloved Cuba rather than his snowy white mountains of Austria.
My dad’s favorite was West Side Story. Also with A Maria but this time the story is about what happens once you’ve already had to leave your home and now face new obstacles as an outsider trying to make a life for yourself in a new world. We had the Original Broadway Cast Recording as well as the 1961 Motion Picture Soundtrack, we saw it on stage, sang all the words together. He told me how it reminded him of life in Chicago after immigrating from Honduras no older than a Shark or a Jet. I remember his stories describing the turf wars and how for him they were actually between the Puerto Ricans and the Hondurans and who would get access to the grass field at the local park. Borinqueños wanted to play baseball and the Catrachos wanted to play soccer. I loved hearing all the tales of young men balancing rebellion and responsibility in a new land of opportunity and freedom but yes, this also included many struggles and hardship. I loved singing and laughing along to the silly scenes with my dad and just like The Sound of Music, I knew every single lyric. Speaking of lyrics, my two favorite lyricists have always been Hammerstein and Sondheim! Wow! Those two men have given me so much and the fact that this new version of this amazing musical was released just weeks after Sondheim’s passing and the original Broadway show was considered his first professional job makes the moment even more bittersweet and come full circle. In high school I was cast as Maria in an in-class workshop. I was so excited! I mean, I’d have more fun playing Anita but back then I could barely get the guts to do the part of Maria. I definitely wouldn’t have been able to pull off Anita. I brought in a beautiful white dress for the ‘I Feel Pretty’ scene. Dizzily spinning in the mirror was easy enough but I was a freshman and our Tony was a Senior on the football team and looked like a man and I almost died of embarrassment. I swear the blushing together with my natural complexion would have put Natalie Wood’s makeup to shame. Years later West Side Story at the San Diego Civic Center was one of the first double dates Brian and I shared with my parents. I was so happy to share that with my favorite people. Fast forward to my own kids loving both these musicals. Conor has been snapping fingers and practicing his ‘Cool’ walk for weeks as I have been excitedly awaiting the premiere of the remake. We have gone down the Rachel Zegler rabbit hole and are happy about the Latine representation and all the surprises that await. Ariana DeBose, our new Anita in yellow and red this time, original Anita (to the film version, 1961 not the role itself as of course the spectacular Chita Rivera), the one and only Rita Moreno and the new role written just for her. Both female lead character names are Maria, both my grandmothers had Maria in their names, my first born daughter’s middle name is Maria. My youngest daughter, Lucia shares the name of the bridal shop Maria and the girls work at. So much of these stories intertwine with our real lives, we carry them in our hearts. Many a remake, have left me disappointed but I know I will love it this time. Tonight, Tonight, I get to watch Spielberg’s remake and I couldn’t be more excited.
Remembering one's past, bonding with loved ones, imagining ourselves in the story or understanding a different narrative. These are the moments that make for that deeper connection to these works of art. I was thrilled when my cousins asked if I wanted to go with them when the movie comes out. New memories to add to my special list. Go watch West Side Story and make some connections and memories with someone you love.
