Reviews

The Sound of Music (York)

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14 March 2012

York Light Opera Company’s ambitious production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music is warmly supported by its loyal fan base at York Theatre Royal and the excellent standard of the musical elements, both orchestra and singers, is a joy.

Despite an occasional lack of momentum, especially during scene changes, overall this is an energetic, focused production that clearly relates the story of Maria, the exuberant postulant nun, who is sent as a governess to the seven Von Trapp children. This heart-warming love story also contains a real thrill of fear as the growing Nazism in Austria begins to close in around the family.

Alex Ward takes on the mammoth role of Maria, with superb diction throughout, and all on stage perform with confidence and clarity. With classic songs like “Do-Re-Mi”, “Climb Ev’ry Mountain”, “Sixteen Going on Seventeen”, and “Edelweiss”, as well as the famous title song, this is pleasant, gentle entertainment, with cheerful tunes, easily solvable problems, lavish sets, stunning costumes and children of various ages with the voices of angels, so just the tonic for our dismal times.