This week's music appreciation is actually a video from 2021's remake of West Side Story, a movie I completely missed (thanks, covid). It came to my attention through the Symphony for Kids at the Winspear last week, M is for Music, as (I Like to Be in) America was used as the piece to introduce all the different sections of the orchestra -- brass, woodwinds, strings and percussion. It's a wonderful, lively tune, and it made me wish I was up on stage dancing with the lead performer because she was clearly having a marvellous time! America was written by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.
The original movie (1961) featured a feisty Rita Moreno as the lead singer/dancer in a dark back-street-like studio, all in one piece and faithful to the story, but I like Ariana DeBose's version from 2021 even better because of all the sunlit street dancing (which doesn't actually jive with the timeline for the Broadway play). I think I'm going to see if I can find and watch both movies, just because my life could use a musical right now.
Enjoy!
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