The Hills Are Alive, With The Sound Of Music

A Great Beginning To A Magical Evening

By Tan Rui Shan

As soon as the house lights went off, the nuns captivated the audience with their rich, powerful voices as they sang their prayer from all around, and amongst the audience. Led by Mother Abbess (played by Janelle Visagie), the nuns performed the opening and closing prayer numbers with great detail and precision, in which, I am very proud to say that 4 of them were in fact, our very own home-grown talents from Singapore. The ensemble choral sound was well-balanced and gloriously pitched, it was definitely a real treat for your ears.

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Arguably one of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s most popular and successful musicals, The Sound of Music staged at the Mastercard Theatres this November has brought back many fond childhood memories with familiar tunes such as ‘Do-Re-Mi’, ‘Edelweiss’ and ‘The Sound of Music’. Having to meet the expectations of such an iconic musical that was sung exquisitely by the renowned Julie Andrews in the 1965 film, this production has definitely done the musical proud.

A Classic Play, With A New-Age Maria

When the curtains rose to introduce Maria (played by Carmen Pretorius) with her iconic opening song, ‘The Sound of Music’, not only were the audience riveted by Pretorius’ flawless and pitch-perfect vocal performance, her own take on the role of Maria was extremely refreshing and exciting to watch as she injected her personal flavor of humour and innocence. Memorable numbers like ‘Do-Re-Mi’ and ‘The Lonely Goatherd’ best exemplified Pretorius’ tight chemistry with the Von Trapp children and the intelligent use of choreography in storytelling.

The Voices Of The Nuns, Second To None!

One of my favourite numbers from the nuns for the night was ‘How do you solve a problem like Maria?’ They established clear dynamics and chemistry between each other, demonstrated great vocal clarity and strong acting choices that made this number incredibly funny and enjoyable.

I remember watching this musical film when I was much younger, and the power ballad ‘Climb Every Mountain’ by Mother Abbess being the least favourite song of mine. However, operatically-trained Visagie sang the song so effortlessly, and with such great sincerity, that her flawless performance brought me a new perspective to the song, making it an incredibly heart-stopping and emotional moment.

The 7 Children Of The Von Trapp Haven!

One of the main highlights of the show were of course, the adorable Von Trapp children, who executed numbers like ‘So Long, Farewell’ with great precision and high energy. The children no doubt stole the show (and our hearts) completely. Furthermore, the children cast to play the Von Trapp children are home-grown talents from Singapore, who have had to juggle their time between school and rehearsals. I have never been a prouder Singaporean, and am immeasurably impressed by their level of professionalism and learning spirit. The youngest actor, Emily Kitamura, who played Gretl, is without a question my favourite Von Trapp kid for the night. She played her parts superbly with her large stage presence and personality, despite being the youngest on stage.

It Isn’t A Musical Without A Phenomenal Stage

While the cast did an exceptional job with their performance, the audience were also treated to a visual feast with the brilliant set design and lighting display that played a vital role in setting the right tone and atmosphere for the world of the musical. The realistic backdrop for the house of Von Trapp was absolutely stunning.

Scene changes and transitions were made seamless and almost unnoticeable because of the sharp design and direction. The play of lighting topped with the efficient use of space – from the majestic halls of the wealthy Von Trapp mansion to the silhouette of the high hills and valleys – created magic on stage. The clever design elements from the set – lighting to staging, complemented the performance without distracting the audience, and transported us into the world of Austria in 1938.

Curtain Call

Just before the curtains fell, the final image of the beautiful Von Trapp family standing at the top of the hill against the warm, orange light of the sunset shining upon their faces left a lasting impression on me. As the iconic song began ringing in my head again – ‘The Hills Are Alive, With The Sound Of Music’…, it reminded me of why The Sound of Music is such a timeless musical and never fails to touch hearts.

Verdict

This musical, from cast, music, design to direction, all adds up to one of the best musicals I have seen in Mastercard Theatres so far. It is one of the best ways to spend an evening with your family, where you get a real treat for your ears and soul as you are taken on a magical journey with a young nun who discovers love, family and the power of music.

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