Sunday in the Park with George

"And when the woman that you wanted goes
You can say to yourself 'well, I give what I give'
But the woman who won't wait for you knows
That however you live, there's a part of you
Always standing by
Mapping out a sky
Finishing a hat"

My absolute favorite piece of music, drama, maybe art. "Sunday in the Park with George" by Sondheim. Not really well known for him, but it's just perfect. It follows the pointillist painter, George Seurat, as he rises to fame, and also falls in love with Dot, a local girl he uses as a model to paint. Dot and George have a very rocky relationship, fiery with passion, but ultimately, George can never fully give to Dot what she asks of him. He is always "finishing the hat" in his paintings, always needing that extra minute or hour or moment. His work seems to control him, and it has terrible effects on his relationship with Dot. But there are moments when their love transcends all of that, and it is so real and raw and unbridled.

The music, oh the music is just incredible; puts you in a trance. I don't know how to describe it. The perfect blend of words, with melodies that make your head lose focus. I sway just thinking about it now. And the dialogue, gut-wrenching. Dot and George love each other, but George "is what he does", and it ultimately chases Dot away. Before he does, though, George immortalizes Dot in his most-famous painting ever, and one that is at the pinnacle of the pointillist movement, "Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte."

I feel for George. I see his passion for his work, and his need for love. I feel his sense of longing, knowing he could have the best thing possible for himself, his ever-loving and supportive Dot, and how he still cannot find a way to shake the forces making him stay up all night and paint. I sympathize with his solitude, preferring loneliness over a broken heart. I admire the way he put his entire life on the canvas, without censorship, and every little dab I see when I go up close is so moving, so carefully placed. A simple, yet complex man, who knew what was important, and fought his demons as best he could. And most importantly, I admire his ability to love. He was not a cold person, uninterested in the joy of a smile on a woman's face, or her smell, or the way she tasted.

A somber mood for me today. Singing "Sunday" all day, feeling a bit like George. Perhaps it's just a phase; perhaps I need to finish the hat.