“HOW does a bastard, orphan, son of a whore and a Scotsman, dropped in the middle of a forgotten spot in the Caribbean, by providence impoverished in squalor, grow up to be a hero and a scholar?” So begins the opening rap in “Hamilton”, a hip-hop opera about Alexander Hamilton, which is about to open on Broadway.
The co-author of the Federalist Papers, first treasury secretary, creator of the national bank and America’s financial system, is having a moment. In addition to his musical, suggestions that Hamilton should be removed from the $10 bill to make way for a woman brought howls from his admirers, who pointed out that if anyone is to be taken off a greenback it should be the uncouth Andrew Jackson, whose portrait adorns the $20 bill.
Hamilton, a rather pompous sort, would probably disapprove of musicals. But his life, which came to an end on the banks of the Hudson in a duel with Aaron Burr, the sitting vice-president, is ready-made for one. The show’s off-Broadway run at the Public Theatre earlier this year collected a trophy-case of awards and attracted theatre-lovers as well as Beltway types like the...Continue reading
Source: United States http://ift.tt/1INMYyV
EmoticonEmoticon