About the work
The Sound of Music is a musical by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, premiered on Broadway in 1959. It is based on the true story of the von Trapp family and is the last joint work of the legendary writing duo.
Plot
The fun-loving novice Maria is sent as governess to the seven children of the widowed Captain von Trapp. With music and warmth she wins the hearts of the strictly raised children and finally that of the reserved Captain too. Maria and the Captain marry, but the annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany threatens the family. When the Captain is to be forced into service in the German navy, the family plans its escape. At the Salzburg music festival they win a competition and then flee across the Alps to Switzerland.
Cultural significance
The Sound of Music is one of the most beloved musicals of all time and became a global cultural phenomenon through the 1965 film with Julie Andrews. Songs such as "Do-Re-Mi", "Edelweiss" and "My Favorite Things" belong to the collective song heritage of the Western world.