1/6/2023 0 Comments Sean bean imagesMuch of her early repertoire was markedly British, drawn from the English classical canon and rounded out by traditional folk songs. It generated considerable media coverage and yet another grand nickname: "command singer in pigtails".Īndrews performed a solo set at the event, and was also charged with leading the national anthem at the close. One of the most pointed alignments of Andrews' juvenile stardom with a discourse of postwar British nationalism came with her appearance at the 1948 Royal Command Variety Performance.Īppearing just two weeks after her 13th birthday, Andrews was the youngest artist ever to participate in the annual event. In the middle of a communal singalong, a powerful voice suddenly materialised out of her tiny frame, astonishing all into silent delight. Like a scene from a morale-boosting melodrama, the story claimed the young Andrews was huddled one night with family and friends in a Beckenham air raid shelter. From political calls for expanded child welfare to the era's booming family-oriented consumerism, images of children saturated the cultural landscape, serving as a lightning rod for both social anxieties and hopes.Ī popular myth even traced her prodigious talent to the very heart of the Blitz. The figure of the child was pivotal to the rhetoric of postwar British reconstruction. The devastation of the war cast a long shadow, and there was a keen sense a collective social rejuvenation was needed to reestablish national wellbeing. While much of it was PR hype, the representation of Andrews as an extraordinary musical prodigy resonated deeply with postwar British audiences. On the back of such stories, Andrews was given a slew of lionising monikers: "prima donna in pigtails," "infant prodigy of trills," "the miracle voice" and "Britain's juvenile coloratura." Reports claimed the pint-sized singer had a vocal range of over four octaves, a fully formed adult larynx and an upper whistle register so high dogs would be beckoned whenever she sang. Newspapers were ablaze with stories about the "12-year-old singing prodigy with the phenomenal voice". #Sean bean images professionalA 1945 BBC talent report filed when the young singer was just nine years old enthused over "this wonderful child discovery" whose "breath control, diction, and range is quite extraordinary for so young a child."Īndrews made her professional West End debut in 1947 where she dazzled audiences with a coloratura performance of the Polonaise from Mignon. Possessing a precociously mature soprano voice, Andrews was widely promoted in the era as a child prodigy. The idea of Julie Andrews as a figure of uplift has a long history.ĭecades before she attained global film stardom in Hollywood, Andrews enjoyed an early career as a child performer.īilled as "Britain's youngest singing star," she performed widely on the postwar concert and variety circuit with forays into radio, gramophone recording and even early television. Andrews herself is alleged to have quipped "sometimes I'm so sweet even I can't stand it." But it's an element of feel-good edification that fuels much of the star's iconic appeal. It is a sweetness-and-light image that is easy to lampoon. On conferring the award, the AFI praised Andrews as "a legendary actress" who "has enchanted and delighted audiences around the world with her uplifting and inspiring body of work".Īs anyone who has seen "Mary Poppins" (1964) or "The Sound of Music" (1965) can attest, "uplift" is central to the Julie Andrews screen persona. In June, the American Film Institute presented its 48th Life Achievement Award, the highest honor in American cinema, to the beloved stage-and-screen star Julie Andrews. This article was originally published on The Conversation.
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