Tea at Trianon: "I'm in Love with a Wonderful Guy"

John Wilson Croker on Marie-Antoinette

"We have followed the history of Marie Antoinette with the greatest diligence and scrupulosity. We have lived in those times. We have talked with some of her friends and some of her enemies; we have read, certainly not all, but hundreds of the libels written against her; and we have, in short, examined her life with– if we may be allowed to say so of ourselves– something of the accuracy of contemporaries, the diligence of inquirers, and the impartiality of historians, all combined; and we feel it our duty to declare, in as a solemn a manner as literature admits of, our well-matured opinion that every reproach against the morals of the queen was a gross calumny– that she was, as we have said, one of the purest of human beings."

~from History of the Guillotine by John Wilson Croker, 1844

Edmund Burke on Marie-Antoinette

"It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the queen of France, then dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely there never lighted on this orb, which she hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful vision. I saw her just above the horizon, decorating and cheering the elevated sphere she had just begun to move in, glittering like a morning star full of life and splendor and joy. Oh, what a revolution....Little did I dream that I should have lived to see such disasters fall upon her, in a nation of gallant men, in a nation of men of honor and of cavaliers! I thought ten thousand swords must have leaped from their scabbards, to avenge even a look which threatened her with insult. But the age of chivalry is gone; that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded...."

~Edmund Burke, October 1790

Sunday, August 4, 2024

"I'm in Love with a Wonderful Guy"

Mitzi Gaynor and Rossano Brazzi in the 1958 film South Pacific

From Debra Esolen at Word and Song:

Richard Rodgers’ neighbor, Mary Martin (of “Peter Pan” fame), was the composer’s choice to play “Nellie,” the female lead in “South Pacific.” Martin had been touring in “Annie Get Your Gun” for some time, and at first was hesitant to take the part, because she thought her voice insufficient to pair with the male lead, aging but still-excellent opera star Enzio Pinza. But Richard Rodgers encouraged her, challenged her, and customized his songs for her voice as he worked on the score. There’s a great deal of collaboration involved in producing a stage play, so we shouldn’t be entirely surprised that it was Miss Martin who conceived the idea for what is NOT our song of the week, a fun romp called, “I’m Gonna Wash that Man Right out of My Hair.”
In his effort to sell Miss Martin on her own ability to perform opposite Mr. Pinza, Dick Rodgers invited her to his home for a run-through of the songs. Always quite the trooper, Miss Martin managed to sing with a single breath the very long ending of what is our song for this week, “I’m in Love with a Wonderful Guy.” And then she promptly fell to the floor of from the piano bench! Rodgers was impressed, and the rest is “show biz history.”

There are so many stories to tell about this production that I can’t hope to mention more than a few here. But after tantalizing you the story of how Mary Martin was chosen for the cast, I can hardly refuse to give you Mary Martin’s version (from an album sung by the original cast, a recording which stayed on the charts for an astounding 69 weeks and which for over 70 years has held the top selling spot for any cast recording ever made). But I also want to share with you the young entertainer who stole hearts with the part on Nellie in the 1958 film production of “South Pacific,” Mitzi Gaynor. Miss Gaynor was perfect for the part, and though her voice was perhaps not as strong as those of others who preceded and followed her in the roll, she absolutely immortalized the character on film. I hope all of you will enjoy her performance from 1958 — and perhaps also enjoy (albeit only visually) the “sea breeze” and ocean scenery which provide the backdrop for what is indeed a wonderful song. (Read more.)