Amira Willighagen in Venice

I’m a complete sucker for music that moves people and brings people together.  For decades I’ve cried tears of pure joy when people get up and sing the National Anthem.  When I was a young child obsessed with The Beatles, I knew I was experiencing magic when watching videos of them perform.  And now, looking back, I don’t even know if it was their music so much as the way it affected people.  But, I guess that’s really one and the same though, isn’t it?

I stumbled across Amira Willighagen in the most random of ways on the YouTube.  And while she’s been well-known throughout the world for many years now, I just fell in love with her.  In the past, especially as a former music major, I feel like I’ve been surrounded by people who are cynical of young musical prodigies.  Arguments abound as to why these young children shouldn’t be doing this.  Sometimes it’s concern for their vocal cords or for their emotional well-being.  Maybe it’s the argument that they shouldn’t be singing about the big things of life before they’ve experienced them.  And while perhaps some of these arguments might hold some validity, I think these mostly stem from places of jealousy.  And my older self sees that these young musicians are actually (often) much closer to a more spiritual and pure place than most adults.  They can connect to the Other World that is music in a much more natural way.  So, I say Huzzah to that.

But, wow.  This video.  Are you kidding me?!  A gorgeous, picture-perfect evening in Venice.  Audience members dressed in their best and members of the orchestra and choir dressed in actual ball gowns!  Oh, my heart.  And then this beautiful, calm angel walking onto the stage, in a dress that I would freely wear every single day if I could, sings the lovely O Mio Babbino Caro.  Oh, how I love this song.  I don’t really care what the translation is or if a 10-year old “should” or “shouldn’t” sing it.

But one of my favorite parts, always, is watching people’s reactions.  I can’t help but swell with a love for humankind when people connect over a shared experience like this.  Wiping away tears or gasping with amazement.  Closing their eyes in pure peace and joy.  (By the way, I realize a camera would never ever show a close-up of me at something like this, as I would be a mess of sobbing tears mixed with slightly psychotic laughter at the sheer beauty of it all.)  Anyway, give a pause and watch this.  Seriously magical.

(And I don’t often scroll through comments, but I did a little bit and fell in love with this one–“Does God know he’s missing an angel?”)