When Words Fail

A symbol of sadness or an expression of happiness?  A display of vulnerability or a sign of relief?  They say that tears are simply words that the heart can’t express…

No one will say for certain if the following story is true, but here it goes: it was a premiere of Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker” in New York City, and who’s who of the city’s elite made it a point to be in attendance.  To miss this most famous stage production of the Russian ballet was unjustifiable, so hardly anyone was surprised to see William Vanderbilt II walk in with what everyone could only assume was his latest love interest.  Well known for his womanizing, gambling, and other leisure activities, Vanderbilt had also established a reputation as the most ruthless, manipulative, and heartless businessman in the country.  His myopic obsession with money at the expense of absolutely everything else was legendary.

As the performance proceeded, Vanderbilt was visibly bored, and it was clear that he was counting the minutes till his required appearance would be over.  They were in the Act II of the ballet, and as the Sugar Plum Pas de Deux played on, Vanderbilt’s lady-friend leaned over to him to comment on the dress she had just noticed in the front row.  Shocked, she saw tears swelling up in Vanderbilt’s eyes; strange as it were, since she’d never seen him display any emotions, let alone cry.  Stumped and confused, she looked away, and just minutes later Vanderbilt got up and rushed out of the theater, followed by her and a thousand perplexed glances.

It was only a few weeks later, during an interview with the New York Times’ reporter, that Vanderbilt acknowledged it was the music that moved him to tears – arguably for the first time in a long while, if ever.  He could not explain his own reaction, not to anyone around him, nor to himself…

Evoking emotion is the main point of any art, and when we come face to face with a great artist, composer, writer, we often get more than we bargained for… They infuse a tiny piece of their soul into each of their creations, and seeing and hearing their work can, from time to time, push emotions beyond their limit.  Without even knowing it, our inner self recognizes the presence of something that transcends time and space, something that is beyond explanation.  That’s when words fail and tears start to speak.