Man of La Mancha

I had absolutely NO idea what I was going to write about this weekend. I spent the whole week reading the Hunger Games Series (OMG I WEPT), and studying for music history, and as a result sleeping very little. So I was going to take a nap instead of update because I couldn't decide what to write about anyways, but then I got on facebook. A friend of mine had posted a video of Linda Eder singing A New Life from Jekyll and Hyde, and I was reminded that I super love her. But, I had already written about Jekyll and Hyde, and then I remembered her singing this...

Hear me now 
Oh thou bleak and unbearable world, 
Thou art base and debauched as can be; 
And a knight with his banners all bravely unfurled 
Now hurls down his gauntlet to thee! 

That my friends, was I, Don Quixote from the musical Man of la Mancha. I challenge you to watch that clip without being terribly impressed. Not possible you say? Called it.

This post isn't completely about Linda Eder, but thinking of that video made me want to write about Man of La Mancha.

If you don't know the story of Don Quixote, 

A classic, it is.

then shame on you. You don't have to read to book (you should, I've read part of it before being swept away by midterms in the fall), you can watch the movie, but I see it as a significant piece of literature that must be remembered in some way. Like in a musical! Maybe titled Man of La Mancha! Yaaay back on track.

Don Quixote's real name is Alonso Quijano, but he names himself Don Quixote when his mental faculties waver. He makes the decision to go out into the world to offer his chivalry and make the world better, accompanied by Sancho Panza.

This is actually from the opera, but I liked the picture

Sancho Panza knows that his master is crazy, but he loves him anyways and does his best to keep him safe. It's so cute.

Don Quixote does some crazy things, but you love him no matter what he does or how he embarrasses himself. He is such an extremely noble character with beautiful motives. The Impossible Dream.

This is my quest

To follow that star

No matter how hopeless

No matter how far

To fight for the right

Without question or pause

To be willing to march into Hell

For a heavenly cause

That song gets me. Every frickin time. Brian Stokes Mitchell makes a perfect Don Quixote. 

Now go look up the story, and fall in love with it.

While you do that, I'm going to go fight some windmills. I mean...ferocious giants...