Nyla’s Notes: To Bloom and grow, Forever – Farewell to Christopher Plummer
Published: February 7th, 2021
Dr. Nyla Ali Khan. WikiMedia Commons. Women's Web.
Dr. Nyla Ali Khan
Christopher Plummer, Tony award winning Broadway actor, passed away last week at the ripe age of 91. An incredibly talented actor, every performance of his was consummate.
The role that most people of my generation remember him for is that of Captain Von Trapp in “The Sound of Music.”
Debonair and suave, Christopher Plummer played the role of Captain Von Trapp, elegant widower and father of seven children, to a tee.
Plummer’s immaculate charm and impeccable confidence would make our young hearts beat faster than normal.
Having been a distinguished Shakespearean actor, his elocution was polished and professional.
And, his enchanting romance with Maria Rainer, played by Julie Andrews, captivated over-protected adolescent girls, like my friends and me, who were confined behind the walls of a Catholic school.
To our young minds, the mesmerizing charm of Captain Von Trapp (Plummer) was incomparable. His love for Maria, which he conceals for as long as he possibly can, was the epitome of passion.
I was always touched by the Von Trapp family’s rendition of “Edelweiss,” which symbolized their defiance of Nazi ideology and patriotism in the face of Nazi atrocities:
“Blossom of snow, may you bloom and grow
Bloom and grow forever
Edelweiss, Edelweiss
Bless my homeland forever.”
This was a man! Rest in Peace, Christopher Plummer!
Editor’s Note: Dr. Nyla Ali Khan is a regular contributor to CapitolBeatOK.com, an online news service based in Oklahoma City. She is a well-known scholar. Her forthcoming academic book is “Educational Strategies for Youth Empowerment in Conflict Zones: Transforming, not Transmitting, Trauma” (Palgrave MacMillan, May 2021). CapitolBeatOK.com founder Pat McGuigan reviewed the book favorably, characterizing it as “both academic and personal.”