"Thank you, Jonahtan Larson." Words spoken by an anonymous audience member to break the silence after the premiere performance of RENT, at which the composer-playwright was absent due to his unexpected death the previous night after returning home from the immensely successful final dress rehearsal. What an incredibly sad and bittersweet moment that must have been. The groundbreaking rock opera (and later excellent movie featuring most of the original cast) based on arguably the greatest opera ever written (and my absolute favorite), Giacomo Puccini's La bohème, inspires me every time I watch it or listen to the soundtrack. Even more inspiring is the story of Jonathan Larson. Larson worked tirelessly on his music, ignoring the steady stream of setbacks and rejections, had one major success, but didn't live to see its tremendous success and positive impact on people all over the world. Like other brilliant musicians, such as Mozart and Schubert, he died at the age of 35, leaving people to forever wonder what other creations could have come from such a talented mind. He lived like a poor bohemian, but like the timeless characters of La bohème, he was happy and lived for his family, friends, and his art. He never got to experience the glory his masterpiece would bring him, nevertheless, RENT and its legacy keeps him alive. His story inspires me because he didn't care what people thought about his passion -- he just pursued it, non-stop, changed the world of music and theatre, and whether he knows it or not, succeeded in his dream. I believe this story can be inspiring to everyone who has a dream. I've had lots of dreams, I would say, and I've learned in my experiences that the only way to get closer to achieving one is to get started. Just go for it. Things may change along the way, but you have to keep moving forward regardless. And there's no better time to start than now. Current dream: España.
"There's only us
There's only this
Forget regret
Or life is yours to miss
No other road
No other way
No day but today"
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