Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Yes, they sing: Von Trapp family brings authenticity to ‘Sound of Music’

Separating the real von Trapp family from the characters portrayed in "The Sound of Music" can be a little difficult.

Their name alone evokes images of children singing and skipping through Salzburg with their guitar-toting governess.

So much so that whenever Montana residents Sofia, Melanie, Amanda and Justin von Trapp, mention their last name, eyebrows are often raised.

"They always ask, 'Oh, do you sing?'" their mother, Annie von Trapp, said.

It turns out they do sing. Quite well. Perhaps it's in their genes. They are the great-grandchildren of Capt. Georg and Maria von Trapp, who were musically immortalized in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical.

The children, ages 8 to 14, have been singing together for several years, and are well aware of their family's legacy.

Wednesday they will perform "The Sound of Music" at the Aladdin Theatre for the Performing Arts. They are the first von Trapps ever to perform in the production based on Maria von Trapp's book, "The Story of the Trapp Family Singers."

"It's amazing to be up there and think how this story is about my family," 12-year-old Melanie von Trapp said via telephone from Raleigh, N.C., where the production was in its fourth day. "It's crazy. We've known about it since we were little.

"Every day we put on the play it's another opportunity to see how brave they were." First published in 1949, the family's story inspired two German films before it became the classic family musical that launched such songs as "Climb Every Mountain," "Do Re Mi" and "My Favorite Things."

The Broadway production won six Tony Awards. The 1965 movie starring Christopher Plummer and Julie Andrews won five Academy Awards.

The musical, however, is a blend of fact and fiction. The von Trapp family did flee the Nazis in 1938, but by train to Italy rather than by backpacking through the Austrian Alps. Unlike the musical, Capt. Georg von Trapp was considered by his family as a warm, loving father, rather than the cold disciplinarian portrayed by Plummer in the movie. The older von Trapp also performed regularly with the children and encouraged their musical interests.

The decorated naval captain did decline an offer by Adolf Hitler to serve with his military.

Von Trapp did separate from his girlfriend, who sided with the Germans, and later married Maria, a postulate who had left the convent to tend to a Von Trapp child who had rheumatic fever.

And yes, "They did make clothes out of curtains," said Annie von Trapp, who is married to Stefen, grandson of the captain and Maria.

New generation

The von Trapps came to America through Ellis Island. As immigrants carrying little money, they turned their singing into a career as a way to generate income. Soon they were performing throughout the United States and in Europe.

In 1939 they purchased a farmhouse in Stowe, Vt., and turned it into a lodge still in operation today.

Three of original family members are still alive. Agathe von Trapp, portrayed as Liesl in the musical, is in her 90s and recently completed her autobiography, "Agathe von Trapp: Memories Before and After the Sound of Music."

Sophia, Melanie, Amanda and Justin von Trapp began performing six years ago. They had been singing at their church and sang at a 50th wedding anniversary performance for their grandparents at the family lodge.

Two years ago when they released their first CD as a gift for their grandfather, Werner, who had a stroke.

They have since performed throughout the country, on radio, national television and at the site of the World Trade Center. Their voices, harmonious and celestial, will also be on a Christmas CD scheduled to be released in September.

They sing secular and sacred music from "Scarborough Fair" to "Dona Nobis" and Irish folk songs. Onstage they share the real stories of the von Trapps and sing some songs the older generation performed.

It was through an article in Parade magazine that North Carolina Theatre (performing in Las Vegas with the von Trapps) learned of the children, then called their manager to see if they would be interested in performing in its production of "The Sound of Music."

"It's really wonderful that the kids can be in this play and give him the respect he was known for," Annie von Trapp said. "Now they have an understanding of their heritage."

Stefen and Annie von Trapp moved to Montana to begin a mason business. The children are home schooled.

This is the first time the children have been have performed live theater. Fourteen-year-old Sofia plays the role of Louisa, Melanie plays the role of Brigitta, 11-year-old Amanda will perform as Marta, and Justin, who is 8, will play the role of Kurt, the character who represented his grandfather Werner in the movie.

Their story

Similar to many others who had seen the movie, Annie von Trapp said she didn't know it was a true story. She learned of the connection one month after working at the family's dairy farm in Waitsfield, Vt. Her mother was the one who told her about it.

"I thought it was like Mary Poppins, a Disney production" Annie von Trapp said. "And I wasn't alone."

Maria von Trapp had difficulty attaining royalties for any of the movies and the family was unhappy with the cold portrayal of Capt. von Trapp (who died of lung cancer before the musical was produced). But ultimately the family is proud of the message it delivered, Annie von Trapp said.

"Right now they're understanding and seeing what they stood for and that what they left was really important," she explained. "He really stood against Hitler. He really loved his country, Austria, and didn't want the Germans taking over. And he loved the lord ... The Germans actually wanted to give him a position to head the submarine fleet in the German Navy. It was considered an honor."

But Capt. von Trapp declined.

"That's when they knew they had to escape," Annie von Trapp said. "Anyone who says no to Hitler, they escape in the middle of the night."

The tale is common to many Europeans of the era.

"So many people had the same story," Annie von Trapp said. "It was just the von Trapps who ended up singing and sharing their story."

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