On November 16, 1959, a new musical premiered on the stage and gripped the heart of theater-goers in America. The musical was the Sound of Music with music by Richard Rodgers and Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, the book for the musical was written by Howard Lindsay and Russell Crouse. To those of us reading those names today it is a wonder that the musical did not simply take flight the moment it began, with such a heady group of musical masters heading it up from the get-go.



The musical was roughly based on the von Trapp family, who had come to America from Austria to escape the German invasion of their country. When the Nazis annexed Austria in 1938, the von Trapps left Austria on the basis of their principles and moved to the U.S. The musical is somewhat fictionalized in order to appeal ot American audiences but is still a delightful experience in the theatre, and is one musical that definitely should be experienced live in the theatre, even for those who have come to love the film.

After all, how many times has the opening, and title, song of the musical been sung and enjoyed by audiences throughout the generations since the musical first hit the stage? The words:

“The hills are alive,

With the sound of music,

With songs they have sung,

For a thousand years.

The hills fill my heart,

With the sound of music

My heart wants to sing ever song it hears.”

Are a great favorite among theater goers of every kind, although they particularly capture the imagination of the young, the romantic and those who simply love nature, and can understand what the librettist was talking about.

And another favorite is the song sung by the oldest daughter in the musical, Liesl, who sings “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” to the boy that she has fallen in love with, Rolf:

“I am sixteen going on seventeen

I know that I'm naïve

Fellows I meet may tell me I'm sweet

And willingly I believe

I am sixteen going on seventeen

Innocent as a rose

Bachelor dandies drinkers of brandies

What do I know of those?”

These words are a favorite theme song for girls everywhere when they turn 16. The musical is definitely one that is loved and enjoyed by theatre-goers of all ages and stages in life.

Sound of Music Toronto tickets are now available for the Princess of Wales Theatre in Toronto, Ontario and are a great experience for the whole family to enjoy, so don't hesitate when looking for the best seats in the house and head over to StubHub. The show will be playing at the theatre through March 29th, and is certain to be a favorite purchase for theatre-goers in Toronto and the surrounding area. Tickets are certain to sell out, so be sure and check out tickets available at http://www.stubhub.com/the-sound-of-music-toronto-tickets as they are certain to have tickets to see this fantastic show available at all times, and as always, enjoy!