See also
- The Sound of Music Live (TV Movie) at IMDb (British broadcast, 1h 59min)
- Great Performances: The Sound of Music (2018) at IMDb (American broadcast, 2h 30min)
- 2015 in British television
The Sound of Music Live is a television special that was originally broadcast by ITV on 20 December 2015. The special was an adaptation of Rodgers and Hammerstein's 1959 Broadway musical The Sound of Music , starring Kara Tointon as Maria von Trapp, performed and televised live from 3 Mills Studios in London.
On 9 November 2018, The Sound of Music Live premiered in the United States as an episode of PBS's performing arts anthology Great Performances . [1]
In October 2015, ITV announced that it would transmit a live adaptation of the musical The Sound of Music as part of its holiday programming lineup, in what would be the first time that such a programme had been attempted in the United Kingdom. [2] The Sound of Music Live was part of ITV's continuing efforts to broadcast more live "event" programs, which are designed to attract critical masses of viewers by encouraging them to watch via the original broadcast, rather than via catch-up services and digital video recorders. The desire for increased ITV viewership came especially in the wake of declining ratings for its reality music competition The X Factor , whose series 12 finale had the second-smallest viewership in the programme's history. ITV had similarly broadcast live episodes of its series Coronation Street in 2000 and 2010 in honour of the programme's 40th and 50th anniversary respectively, and in 2015 for ITV's 60th anniversary. [2] The production was directed live by Coky Giedroyc and Richard Valentine after six weeks of rehearsal.
This was not the first time that The Sound of Music had been adapted in such a manner. In 2013, U.S. network NBC broadcast its own live television adaptation of The Sound of Music starring country singer Carrie Underwood; similarly to ITV's version, it was an adaptation of the original musical, and not based on the film version. Although it received mixed reviews, it was seen by over 18 million viewers. As follow-ups, NBC produced similar adaptations of Peter Pan and The Wiz in 2014 and 2015 respectively. [3] [4] Creative director Coky Giedroyc stated that ITV's iteration would be a "whole different animal" in comparison to NBC's, explaining that she wanted to "keep it true to the original", and maintain a focus on the political aspects of the story. [5] [6] The production was conducted on soundstages at 3 Mills Studios in London, with the sets alone having a budget of nearly £750,000. [5]
The Sound of Music Live received mixed reviews. Mark Shenton of The Stage said it was a failed experiment, with "uninspired and sometimes insipid" choreography and direction, although he praised the cast's performances. [8] Claire Allfree of The Daily Telegraph said it lacked both the intimacy of live theatre and the scope of the big screen, but nevertheless judged it "more a success than it was a failure," saying that former EastEnders star Tointon "brought a refreshing earthiness and grit to Maria that made the passionate, unconventional novice feel thoroughly modern and accessible." [9] The Mirror said that Tointon was "showered with praise" for her performance. [10]
The programme was watched by over 3.82 million viewers according to overnight ratings figures, being beaten by the series eleven finale of The Apprentice (5.31 million) and its lead-in, the BBC Sports Personality of the Year presentation (5.78 million). [11] [12]
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 1949 memoir of Maria von Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers. Set in Austria on the eve of the Anschluss in 1938, the musical tells the story of Maria, who takes a job as governess to a large family while she decides whether to become a nun. She falls in love with the children, and eventually their widowed father, Captain von Trapp. He is ordered to accept a commission in the German navy, but he opposes the Nazis. He and Maria decide on a plan to flee Austria with the children. Many songs from the musical have become standards, including "Do-Re-Mi", "My Favorite Things", "Edelweiss", "Climb Ev'ry Mountain", and the title song "The Sound of Music".
Georg Ludwig Ritter von Trapp was an officer in the Austro-Hungarian Navy who later became the patriarch of the Trapp Family Singers. Trapp was the most successful Austro-Hungarian submarine commander of World War I, sinking 11 Allied merchant ships totaling 47,653 GRT and two Allied warships displacing a total of 12,641 tons. His first wife Agathe Whitehead died of scarlet fever in 1922, leaving behind seven children. Trapp hired Maria Augusta Kutschera to tutor one of his daughters and married Maria in 1927. When he lost most of his wealth in the Great Depression, the family turned to singing as a way of earning a livelihood. Trapp declined a commission in the German Navy after the Anschluss and settled in the United States.
Melanie Clare Sophie Giedroyc is an English actress, comedian and television presenter. With Sue Perkins, she has co-hosted series including Light Lunch for Channel 4, The Great British Bake Off for the BBC and chat show Mel and Sue for ITV. In early 2017 Giedroyc co-presented the BBC show Let It Shine. Since 2015 she has held a number of commentating roles for the Eurovision Song Contest.
"Edelweiss" is a show tune from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music. It is named after the edelweiss, a white flower found high in the Alps. The song was created for the 1959 Broadway production of The Sound of Music, as a song for the character Captain Georg von Trapp. In the musical, Captain von Trapp and his family sing this song during the concert near the end of Act II. It is a statement of Austrian patriotism in the face of the pressure put upon him to join the navy of Nazi Germany following the Anschluss. It is also Captain von Trapp's subliminal goodbye to his beloved homeland, using the flower as a symbol of his loyalty to Austria. In the 1965 film adaptation, the song is also sung by the Captain earlier in the film when he rediscovers music with his children.
The Trapp Family was a singing group formed from the family of former Austrian naval commander Georg von Trapp. The family achieved fame in their original singing career in their native Austria during the interwar period. They also performed in the United States before emigrating there permanently to escape the deteriorating situation in Austria leading up to World War II. In the United States, they became well known as the "Trapp Family Singers" until they ceased to perform as a unit in 1957. The family's story later served as the basis for a memoir, two German films, and the Rodgers and Hammerstein Broadway musical The Sound of Music. The last surviving of the original seven, Maria Franziska, died in 2014 at the age of 99. The youngest and last surviving member of the Trapp Family Singers is Johannes von Trapp.
Kara Louise Tointon is an English actress, known for portraying the role of Dawn Swann in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. In 2010, she won the BBC competition series Strictly Come Dancing, and in 2015, she appeared as Maria in the ITV live production of The Sound of Music Live.
The Sound of Music is a 1965 American musical drama film produced and directed by Robert Wise from a screenplay written by Ernest Lehman, and starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, with Richard Haydn, Peggy Wood, Charmian Carr, and Eleanor Parker. The film is an adaptation of the 1959 stage musical, composed by Richard Rodgers, with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and a book by Lindsay and Crouse. Based on the 1949 memoir The Story of the Trapp Family Singers by Maria von Trapp, the film is set in Salzburg, Austria, and is a fictional retelling of her experiences as governess to seven children, her eventual marriage with their father Captain Georg von Trapp, and their escape during the Anschluss in 1938.
"The Sound of Music" is the title song from the musical of the same name that premiered in 1959. It was composed by Richard Rodgers with lyrics written by Oscar Hammerstein II. The song introduces the character of Maria, a young novice in an Austrian abbey.
How Do You Solve a Problem like Maria? was a British reality television talent show that documented the search for an undiscovered musical theatre performer to play the role of Maria von Trapp in the 2006 Andrew Lloyd Webber and David Ian stage production of The Sound of Music.
The Story of the Trapp Family Singers is a 1949 memoir written by Maria Augusta von Trapp, whose life was later fictionalized in Rodgers and Hammerstein's Broadway musical The Sound of Music in 1959.
Emma Williams is an English actress of stage, screen, TV and radio. She has been nominated four times for an Olivier Award.
"The Lonely Goatherd" is a popular show tune from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music.
Mary Rose Helen "Coky" Giedroyc is an English director known for her work on Women Talking Dirty, The Virgin Queen, The Nativity, and Penny Dreadful.
The Sound of Music Live! is an American television special that was originally broadcast by NBC on December 5, 2013. Produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, the special was an adaptation of Rodgers and Hammerstein's 1959 Broadway musical The Sound of Music. The television special starred country singer and American Idol winner Carrie Underwood as Maria von Trapp, and was performed and televised live from Grumman Studios in Bethpage, New York.
Ariane Rinehart is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her performance in The Sound of Music Live! as the eldest von Trapp daughter, Liesl, which was described by critics as the standout performance in the production.
Peter Pan Live! is an American television special that was broadcast by NBC on December 4, 2014. The special featured a live production of the 1954 musical adaptation of Peter Pan, televised from Grumman Studios in Bethpage, New York, starring Allison Williams in the title role and Christopher Walken as Captain Hook.
"Something Good" is a song written by Richard Rodgers for the 1965 film version of the 1959 stage musical The Sound of Music. It replaced the original song sung by Maria and Captain Georg von Trapp called "An Ordinary Couple". Since then the song has been used in the various reproductions of the play and most recently the 2015 television special, The Sound of Music Live.
The Wiz Live! is an American television special that aired live on NBC on December 3, 2015. Produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, it is a performance of a new adaptation of the 1975 Broadway musical The Wiz, a soul/R&B reinterpretation of L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The broadcast is performed live from Grumman Studios in Bethpage, New York. This adaptation of the musical combines aspects of both the Broadway play and its 1978 film adaptation.
Hairspray Live! is an American television special that aired live on the American television network NBC on December 7, 2016. Produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, and hosted by Darren Criss, it is a performance of a new adaptation of the 2002 Broadway musical Hairspray.
Dr. Seuss' The Grinch Musical is an American Christmas musical television special that aired on NBC on December 9, 2020. It is a performance of an adaptation of the 2006 musical Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical, which is based on the 1957 book How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr. Seuss. It was filmed at the Troubadour Theatre in London. The special stars Matthew Morrison as the titular character, Denis O'Hare and BooBoo Stewart as Max the dog, and Amelia Minto as Cindy-Lou Who.
