The Sound Of Music

  

 
The Sound of Music is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It is based on the memoir of Maria von Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers. Many songs from the musical have become standards, including the title song "The Sound of Music", "Edelweiss", "My Favorite Things", "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" and "Do-Re-Mi".

The original Broadway production, starring Mary Martin and Theodore Bikel, opened in November 1959, and the show has enjoyed numerous productions and revivals since then. It has also been made into an Academy Award-winning 1965 film musical. The Sound of Music was the final musical written by Rodgers and Hammerstein; Hammerstein died of cancer nine months after the Broadway premiere.

The 1988 Takarazuka (Japan) version
In 1988, the Snow Troupe of Takarazuka Revue performed the musical at the Bow Hall (Takarazuka, Hyōgo). Harukaze Hitomi and Gou Mayuka starred.
1990 New York City Opera production
A 1990 New York City Opera production was directed by Oscar Hammerstein II's son, James. It featured Debby Boone as Maria, Laurence Guittard as Captain von Trapp, and Werner Klemperer as Max Detweiler.
1993 Stockholm premiere
In the original Stockholm production, Carola Häggkvist played Maria, Tommy Körberg played Captain Georg von Trapp, Erik Skutnick played Max, and Emilia Brown played Gretl.
1998 Broadway revival
In 1998, director Susan H. Schulman staged the first Broadway revival of The Sound of Music, with Rebecca Luker as Maria and Michael Siberry as Captain von Trapp. It also featured Patti Cohenour as Mother Abbess, Jan Maxwell as Elsa Schraeder, Fred Applegate as Max Detweiler, Dashiell Eaves as Rolf, and Laura Benanti, in her Broadway debut, as Luker's understudy. Later, Luker and Siberry were replaced by Richard Chamberlain as the Captain and Benanti as Maria. Lou Taylor Pucci made his Broadway debut as the understudy for Kurt von Trapp. This revival opened on March 12, 1998, at the Martin Beck Theatre, where it ran for 15 months. It then went on tour in North America. This production was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical.


 

1999 Australian revival
An Australian revival of The Sound of Music played in the Lyric Theatre, in Sydney, New South Wales in 1999. Lisa McCune played Maria; TV personality Bert Newton was Max; and John Waters was Captain von Trapp. The children's cast included Nikki Webster. This production was based on the 1998 Broadway revival staging directed by Susan Schulman and choreographed by Michael Lichtefield. The show was produced by the Gordon Frost Organisation and Sports and Entertainment Limited. The production also toured Melbourne, Victoria, Brisbane, Queensland, Adelaide and Perth, where Rachael Beck replaced Lisa McCune as Maria and Rob Guest took over as Captain von Trapp.
2005 Vienna Production
The first full-scale Austrian production opened on February 26, 2005 at the Volksoper Wien. It was directed and choreographed by Renaud Doucet, with designs by André Barbe. The production is still in the repertoire of the Volksoper with 12-20 performances per season. The cast includes Sandra Pires, Martina Dorak and Johanna Arrouas as Maria, Kurt Schreibmayer and Michael Kraus as Kapitän von Trapp and Heidi Brunner, Gabriele Sima and Ulrike Steinsky as Mutter Oberin (Mother Abbess).
2006 London revival
An Andrew Lloyd Webber production opened on November 15, 2006, at the London Palladium continues to run as of May 2008, produced by Live Nation's David Ian and Jeremy Sams. Following failed negotiations with Hollywood star Scarlett Johansson, the role of Maria was cast through a UK talent search reality TV show called How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria? The talent show was produced by (and starred) Andrew Lloyd Webber and featured presenter/comedian Graham Norton and a judging panel of David Ian, John Barrowman and Zoe Tyler.
Connie Fisher was selected by public voting as the winner of the show. In early 2007, Fisher suffered from a heavy cold that prevented her from performing for two weeks. To prevent further disruptions, an alternate Maria, Aoife Mulholland, a fellow contestant on How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?, played Maria on Monday evenings and Wednesday matinee performances. Simon Shepherd was originally cast as Captain von Trapp, but after two preview performances he was withdrawn from the production, and Alexander Hanson moved into the role in time for the official opening date along with Lesley Garrett as the Mother Abbess. After Garrett left, Margaret Preece took the role. The cast also featured Lauren Ward as the Baroness, Ian Gelber as Max, Sophie Bould as Liesl, and Neil McDermott as Rolf. Other notable replacements have included Simon Burke and Simon MacCorkindale as the Captain and newcomer Amy Lennox as Liesl. Summer Strallen replaced Fisher in February 2008, with Gemma Baird portraying Maria on Monday evenings and Wednesday matinees.
The revival received enthusiastic reviews, especially for Fisher, Preece, Bould and Garrett. A soundtrack recording of the London Palladium cast was released. Later assessments continued to be favorable: "Summer Strallen has the look, the style and the depth of character to convince her audience that she is Julie Andrews and delivers her opening songs with the right emphasis and quality.... I was very impressed with Amy Lennox.... Preece... stepped up to the mark." The production closed on February 21, 2009 after a run of over two years.
2007 Stockholm revival
A Stockholm revival began in September 2007 with Pernilla Wahlgren as Maria, Tommy Nilsson as Kapten von Trapp, Ulrika Liljeroth and Emmi Christensson as Liesel, Gert Fylking as Franz, Fillie Lyckow as Frau Schmidt, Malena Laszlo as Baroness von Schröder, Johan Wahlström as Max Detweiler, Jörgen Olsson as Rolf, and Margareta Dalhamn as Mother Abbess. Some of the characters names were translated into Swedish for a better flow, such as three of the children's names: Fredrik, Märta and Greta. The production was directed by Staffan Götestam and the choreography was done by Denise Holland Bethke.
2007-2008 Salzburg Marionette Theatre production
The Salzburg Marionette Theatre has been touring their version of the show, featuring the recorded voices of Broadway singers such as Christiane Noll as Maria. The U.S. tour began in Dallas, Texas in November 2007. It opens on May 9 in Salzburg, with performances scheduled through December 2008. The director is Richard Hamburger.
2008 International productions
2008 productions include Toronto, where the role of Maria was chosen by the public through a television show, How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?, which was produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber and David Ian and aired in July and August. Elicia MacKenzie was declared the winner over fellow "Maria" Janna Polzin. Polzin was cast as an "alternate Maria" for Toronto stage production. She is currently playing Maria twice a week (Wednesday evenings and Saturday matinees), while MacKenzie will perform the role six times weekly. An Oslo, Norway revival is scheduled to premiere in September 2008, with Maria Arredondo as Maria, Bjørn Skagestad as the Captain and direction by Trond Lie, who directed the 1993 Stockholm production. In Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, a production ran with Kiara Sasso as Maria and Herson Capri as the Captain. A Dutch version of the musical premiered in September 2008 with Wieneke Remmers as Maria, directed by John Yost.