This production is based on the original play with Mary Martin, not the popular 1965 movie with Julie Andrews. As a result, some scenes and songs seem out of order when they are actually in the correct order based on the original play. Plus, some characters are not developed as much as in the 1965 movie while others are more developed. This review is a comparison of this production to the Julie Andrews movie, since that is what most people have seen.
I found the singing by Audra McDonald as the Mother Abbess in this production to be far better than that of Peggy Wood in the 1965 movie. I always dreaded the singing by Peggy Wood. Though good, she was too high-brow for me. Audra's singing is fun, more energetic, and most of all, understandable. In fact Audra's portrayal of the Mother Abbess is more "real". I also found the Baroness to be more likable in this version than the 1965 movie. In fact I found myself hoping the Captain would marry the Baroness! Only later do her political sympathies develop and so you realize the Captain could never marry the Baroness. Unlike the 1965 movie, she doesn't seem at all interested in shipping the Von Trapp children off to boarding school. Speaking of the children, you don't see them as much in this production, so you don't really appreciate their characters. Liesl and Rolf are still an item but Rolf does the right thing in the end this time. But their frolic in the garden seems stiff. Max is Max but a bit more selfish and conniving; but in the end, you see he comes around. The Nazi's are more threatening in this version, and I suspect they were more sanitized for the 1965 movie. The Captain is more stern which makes his quick decision to marry Maria seem less like love, more rash and less "natural". I don't think I would've picked Carrie Underwood for Maria. There's really no passion between her and the Captain. Maybe I missed it but I didn't really see them "falling" in love - it just suddenly happened and Maria is running off to the convent. The development of their love just didn't happen. Finally, the Sisters are also not as developed in this version as they are in the 1965 movie and as a result, there's no creative thwarting of the Nazi's.
So why only a "6" rating. Simply put, the audio was AWFUL! I would probably purchase this to go with my 1965 version but only if the audio is corrected. Plus, Carrie Underwood didn't seem quite right for the role of Maria. And there were a few bloopers, like when the Baroness was trying to approach the Captain but someone was standing on her dress and when the Admiral either forgot his lines or missed his cue. But bloopers just remind the audience this was live.
I found the singing by Audra McDonald as the Mother Abbess in this production to be far better than that of Peggy Wood in the 1965 movie. I always dreaded the singing by Peggy Wood. Though good, she was too high-brow for me. Audra's singing is fun, more energetic, and most of all, understandable. In fact Audra's portrayal of the Mother Abbess is more "real". I also found the Baroness to be more likable in this version than the 1965 movie. In fact I found myself hoping the Captain would marry the Baroness! Only later do her political sympathies develop and so you realize the Captain could never marry the Baroness. Unlike the 1965 movie, she doesn't seem at all interested in shipping the Von Trapp children off to boarding school. Speaking of the children, you don't see them as much in this production, so you don't really appreciate their characters. Liesl and Rolf are still an item but Rolf does the right thing in the end this time. But their frolic in the garden seems stiff. Max is Max but a bit more selfish and conniving; but in the end, you see he comes around. The Nazi's are more threatening in this version, and I suspect they were more sanitized for the 1965 movie. The Captain is more stern which makes his quick decision to marry Maria seem less like love, more rash and less "natural". I don't think I would've picked Carrie Underwood for Maria. There's really no passion between her and the Captain. Maybe I missed it but I didn't really see them "falling" in love - it just suddenly happened and Maria is running off to the convent. The development of their love just didn't happen. Finally, the Sisters are also not as developed in this version as they are in the 1965 movie and as a result, there's no creative thwarting of the Nazi's.
So why only a "6" rating. Simply put, the audio was AWFUL! I would probably purchase this to go with my 1965 version but only if the audio is corrected. Plus, Carrie Underwood didn't seem quite right for the role of Maria. And there were a few bloopers, like when the Baroness was trying to approach the Captain but someone was standing on her dress and when the Admiral either forgot his lines or missed his cue. But bloopers just remind the audience this was live.