The Sound of Music

The Sound of Music is a stage musical by Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein II, with a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse.

The original text

Based on the book The Trapp Family Singers by Maria von Trapp, it tells the story of the Von Trapp Singers and their escape from Nazi Germany.

First produced in New York in 1959 to record-breaking advance ticket sales, where it won eight Tony Awards - including “Best Musical”. The show opened in London in 1961 and became the longest-running American musical of its generation.

Translations and adaptations

The 1965 Hollywood film, which starred Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, won five Oscars, including “Best Picture”, and quickly became the highest-grossing film in history. Even today, The Sound of Music remains the most successful movie musical in history.

An immensely popular burlesque version , the South African mini rock musical called Almost the Sound of Music, was created by Charl-Johan Lingenfelder for Artscape in 1994. Directed by Mark Graham with Anthea Thompson, Christine Weir and Heinrich Reisenhofer.

South African productions

1963: First produced in South Africa by Brian Brooke with Heather Lloyd-Jones at the Brooke Theatre, also starring Michael Newell as "Rolf".

1964: Produced at the Lyric Theatre by Des Morley with David Horner and Marcelle Mitchell.

1972: Staged by the Port Elizabeth Shakespearean Festival by Helen Mann.

1976: Brickhill-Burke and PACT revival of The Sound of Music at His Majesty's Theatre in June 1976. Direction and choreography were taken care of by Joan Brickhill and Louis Burke, the latter of which also starred in this production together with Judy Page, Jarmilla Tellinger, Terry Lester and Diane Todd.

1984: Staged by the Port Elizabeth Gilbert & Sullivan Society

1985: Performed by CAPAB Opera and the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra in the Nico Malan Opera House, opening on 18 November. Directed by David Matheson.

1992: Performed by CAPAB Opera and the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra in the Nico Malan Opera House, opening on 5 March. Directed by David Matheson.

1996: Staged by the Port Elizabeth Gilbert & Sullivan Society

1996-7 Performed by CAPAB Opera and the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra in the Nico Malan Opera House, opening on 11 December, closing 4 January. Directed by David Matheson, assisted by Kim Gunning, with Angela Kilian (Maria), Mike Huff (Captain von Trapp), Christina Farr (Mother Abbess), Diane Wilson, Alexander Duncan, Lindy Abromowitz, Aletta Loopuyt, Jinny Sagorin, Angela Gilbert, Philip de Vos, Mary Dreyer, David Matheson, Nedil Johnson, Lex Alport, Bernd Rückemesser, De Wet van Rooyen Jnr, Joanna Hawkins, Keghan Dawson, Nerine Lombaard, Vanessa Mann and Andrea Pretorius. The Cape Philharmonic Orchestra was conducted by musical director Graham Scott, with set design by Peter Cazalet, costume design by Dicky Longhurst, lighting design by John T. Baker, sound design by Robin Shuttleworth and Vetta Wise as chorus master.

2002: Staged by the Port Elizabeth Gilbert & Sullivan Society

2003: Staged by the Cape Town Gilbert and Sullivan Society in 2003.

2005: Directed by Ralph Lawson at The Playhouse Opera, Durban, starring Angela Kilian, Peter Butler, Dale Wesson, Frances Currie, Claire Mortimer, Garth Anderson, David Chevers, Tamar Meskin and others.

2014 Andrew Lloyd Webber's 2013 production was brought to South Africa by Pieter Toerien, David Ian and The Really Useful Group, with André Schwartz as Captain von Trapp and Bethany Dickson as Maria. The season: Cape Town - Artscape Opera, 19 February 2014 – 29 March 2014; Johannesburg - The Teatro at Montecasino, 5 April 2014 – 8 June 2014. Directed by with André Schwartz as Captain von Trapp and Bethany Dickson as Maria, as well as Janelle Visagie as Mother Abbess, Tarryn Sudding as the Baroness Schraeder, James Borthwick as Max Detwieler, Carmen Pretorius as Liesel von Trapp, Rhys Williams as Rolf Gruber, Malcolm Terrey as Franz, Rika Sennett as Frau Schmidt, Genna Galloway as Sister Berthe, Monique Weich as Sister as Margaretta and LJ Neilson as Sister Sophia. Pauline du Plessis, Ami Rose Barber, Sebe Leotlela, Pisto Msongelna, Claire Simonis, Mike Huff, Richard White, Adam Pelkowitz, Mark Sykes, Duane Alexander, Ryan Flynn, Torah Rapoho and Claire Taylor are the ensemble cast.

Sources

Press release by Pieter Toerien Productions (10/15/2013)[1]

GP/WCtmusical - The Sound of Music for Artscape - 19/02/2014 - Artslink.co.za News

Percy Tucker, 1997: pp. 182, 328.

Gerald Buttigieg: Post on the website Facts About Durban(January 1, 2014)[2].

Daily News, 9 December 2005.

Programme of the 1996-7 production by CAPAB Opera.

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