At the end of the 1920s nun-to-be Maria Kutschera moved into
the house of Captain von Trapp to work as governess to his 6
children. After a year, they got married and added another 2
children to their family circle. Von
Trapp was a highly decorated World War I veteran and a widower
with 7 children, living in Salzburg.
Because of an unfortunate financial crisis, Maria started to
arrange concerts with the children singing, making a family
hobby to an profession.
In 1938 when Austria was affiliated by Hitler Germany, Captain
von Trapp refused to join Hitler's army.
The family had to flee. Packed with only their Rucksacks they
left all their fortune and belongings behind them and crossed
the Alps heading for Italy. In 1938, they arrived in New York
with no money and Maria pregnant. Starting there with no money
and without being known, they soon managed to reach national
popularity.
They had to return to Europe once more before they managed to
get permanent residence in the states, where the family kept
touring. In 1941, they purchased a large farm in Vermont, mostly
because the landscape reminded them of the beloved Austrian
Alps. It was Maria who wrote and published the family's
story.
The book
sold well. Maria accepted an offer of a German film company.
"Die Familie Trapp" and its sequel were highly successful. Richard
Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein turned the story into a highly
successful broadway musical: The Sound of Music. Rodgers and
Hammerstein adapted the musical for cinema.
In 1965 20th Centry Fox released the film 'The Sound of Music'
with Julie Andrews cast as Maria. The film would win 5 Oscars
and become one of the most popular Hollywood movies of all times.
Partly, it was shot in scene in the Austrian Alps and in Salzburg:
the Mirabell gardens, Residence square or 'Felsenreitschule'
are just some locations, which you can all still visit!
While being highly successful from the
States to Japan and exporting an image of Austria all over the
world, the Sound of Music is largely unknown in Austria and
Germany.
Only now, in 2005, the Viennese
Volksoper aims to change that and premiers the German translation
of the Broadway musical 'The Sound of Music'. Sandra Pires,
a popular Austrian singer, will take Julie Andrews place as
Maria.
The Von Trapp Family: Gretl (Kym Karath), Marta (Debbie Turner),
Brigitta (Angela Cartwright), Kurt (Duane Chase), Louisa (Heather
Manzies), Fredrick (Nicholas Hammond), Leisl (Charmain Carr),
Maria (Julie Andrews), and Georg (Christopher Plummer).
|