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Thursday 26 November 2009

The Hills Are Alive...

The Sound of Music Pictures, Images and Photos

With The Sound of Music...

You know what it's like when winter comes along, and you just want to wrap yourself up in an eiderdown of an evening, never to venture out into the dark again...

Well, this week, I pushed myself out of my seasonal, duvet-enhanced, comfort zone, because my lovely friend who's about to leave me to fend for myself in the office, gave me a ticket to come along to see a famous stage musical with her and her sister. (Her teenage daughter had decided that she desperately needed to get some media coursework completed, rather than accompany her mum to the theatre - Honestly, teens can be damaging to your health - They should come with words of warning stamped across their foreheads, I swear...)

I was born and raised with the musicals of the Fifties and Sixties... My own mum was of that generation where your problems could be solved, or temporarily eased, by tootling off to the Wallaw Cinema to watch Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald, or Howard Keel and Doris Day, strut their stuff and exercise their vocal chords,...

So, armed with passports to get us into Sunderland from Tyneside, (if you're local, you'll know about our cities' urban rivalry, and occasional warfare - All based on Football!), we set off after work for the bright lights and the phosphorescent gleam of the Sunderland Empire Theatre.

I am sixteen going on seventeen... La, la, la la-la, la...

Did you know? According to Lady Wiki, herself no stranger to the Silver Screen:

"The Sound of Music was the final musical written by Rodgers and Hammerstein; Hammerstein died of cancer nine months after the Broadway premiere".

Climb Ev'ry Mountain...

"Details of the history of the von Trapp family were altered for the musical. Georg Ludwig von Trapp lived with his family in a villa in Aigen, a suburb of Salzburg. The real Maria von Trapp was sent to be a tutor to one of the children, not a governess to all of them. The Captain's oldest child was a boy, not a girl, and the names of the children were changed (at least partly to avoid confusion: the Captain's second eldest daughter, the third of the seven, was also called Maria). The von Trapps spent some years in Austria after Maria and the Captain married – they did not have to flee right away – and they fled to Italy, not Switzerland. Maria von Trapp is said to have been unhappy with the movie's portrayal of her husband as having been cold and stern prior to her arrival, which she and their children strongly dispute".

TE SOUND OF MUSIC Pictures, Images and Photos

Edelweiss, Edelweiss...

"During the Cold War, the BBC planned to broadcast The Sound of Music on radio in the event of a nuclear strike on the United Kingdom. The broadcast would be part of an emergency timetable of programs designed to "reassure" the public in the aftermath of the attack".

And there was something wonderfully and timelessly reassuring about this musical - Stepping o'er into the past where the threat of invasion, the Anschluss, was greater than any of our usual, petty mortal, concerns...

Doe, a deer, a female deer...

I found myself humming along to all of the tunes - Being transported back to when The Sound of Music was on everyone's TV at Christmas... When we pulled our crackers along with the charming children, kitted out in their curtain-ware...

The Von Trapp Family Pictures, Images and Photos

High on a hill stood a lonely goat-herd...

And the film and its songs have become iconic.

But this Maria won a nation-wide BBC competition, judged by Sir Andrew Lloyd-Webbed Feet, to be a 21st Century Maria... And Michael Praed was a compelling and believable Captain Von Trapp.

Michael Praed Pictures, Images and Photos

It was wonderful.

Connie Fisher 'Hello' Pictures, Images and Photos




So long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Good-bye...

9 comments:

Gigi said...

Do you know I have NEVER seen this show/movie? Ever?

Hmmmm....thinking this might be the year......

ArtistUnplugged said...

It is a wonderful movie, the changes are interesting to hear about....I've seen it on stage also. I hope you had a really enjoyable night out! Since I'm in Thanksgiving mode here, let me tell you that I am thankful to have your site for kicks and giggles and the Mad Manic Mamas as well!

Unknown said...

Hi Fhina,

Glad you encountered "Something Good" on your evening out. Your blog is certainly one of my "Favourite Things"! Interesting about the script changes. Obviously, their life wasn't interesting enough!

Brighton Mum-Teenage Angst said...

I love, love this film! I was taken to the cinema to see it by my grandma, when I was about 4 or 5 yrs old. I think it was the 1st film I ever saw. And if I remember correctly, she took me several more times after that, as they seemed to show it every year (of course pre video/dvd times!) So wonderful memories for me. It sounds like you had a great evening, I'm pleased the show still stands the test of time.

Unknown said...

How fascinating to hear about the real von Trapp family! This film was part of my childhood too (in the sixties) but I haven't seen the musical as I'm not a fan of them. Great post. Helena xx

Christina said...

Sound of Music another one of my favorite movies! Ive seen it at least 10 times after its debut as the movie event - I did not see it on broadway! In fact, I think I purchased the movie to view it on my combo vcr/dvd player - I should look for it today as something to do after not being able to spend Thanksgiving with my Sister & her family - the weather was so uncoperative!

Jo said...

That is very interesting about how the reality of the family was changed for the movie. I had no idea. I love all the songs from that movie, now I'm going to have them going through my head all day. ;-)

Carma Sez said...

Glad you had a delightful time! This is one of the few musicals I thoroughly enjoy!

French Fancy... said...

Oh to think of Mr Praed as now deemed old enough to play Captain VT - where have the years gone, my dear?

xx

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