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I Couldn’t Stop Smiling At The Sound Of Music Theatre In Istana Budaya [Review]

I Couldn’t Stop Smiling At The Sound Of Music Theatre In Istana Budaya [Review]

The Sound Of Music theatre is playing at Istana Budaya for three weeks until 15 January.

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The hills are alive… with the sound of music…

The Sound Of Music (TSOM) Theatre World Tour has finally landed in Malaysia for three weeks.

READ MORE: The Sound Of Music Musical Is Coming To Malaysia This 27 December!

The stairs at Istana Budaya are displayed with the Sound Of Music background for your gorgeous OOTD spot.
(Credit: Base Entertainment Asia)

The Gala Night was held on 28 December 2022. Celebrities, members of the media and fans gathered at Istana Budaya to witness the legendary musical, live.

What’s so special about this show is that it’s a Broadway production but Malaysian children were cast as the kids in the play.

I got a chance to see their first show that night at 8.30 pm and here’s what I think.

What To Expect

For those growing up loving this classic musical film, you’ll definitely want to see it. You’ll be amazed by all the harmonious singing.

It’s a 2-and-a-half-hour performance with LOTS of singing. So if you’re bringing someone with you, make sure to bring a person who appreciates the art form.

There will be a 20-minute intermission in between for you to stretch your legs or get something to eat at the kiosk outside of the theatre.

This is when they performed Do-Re-Mi.
(Credit: Fernando Fong / TRP)

The film and the Broadway show have a lot of differences in terms of plots and song selections. There are some songs from the film and there are some songs originally from the show that you didn’t get to see in the film.

Honestly, I only came here because of the songs and I was in utter bliss that I couldn’t stop smiling and singing along. My personal favourite song was Sixteen Going On Seventeen because that was the song I heard from Vin Diesel’s The Pacifier. And My Favourite Things, because well, Ariana Grande even put that in her 7 Rings song.

Jill Christine Wiley plays Maria (left) while Lauren Kidwell plays Reverend Mother (middle) are among the two powerhouses in the play. The
(Credit: Base Entertainment Asia, Fernando Fong / TRP)

But after hearing them all live, my favourite songs from the show were The Hills Are Alive, Climb Every Mountain and definitely Do-Re-Mi.

The performers playing Maria von Trap, Baroness Elsa von Schraeder and the Reverend Mother were some of the singers that blew my mind away. But my personal favourite performer is surprisingly the Reverend Mother. She gave a wonderful performance and it felt like watching an opera singer perform.

From the left: Freidrich (Izzy Quedy), Louisa (Issabelle Ho), Kurt (Sean Lee), Brigitta (Natasha Tan), Martha (Emma Rose) & Gretl (Olivia Leong).
(Credit: Fernando Fong / TRP)

On top of that, our Malaysian kids were also remarkable and talented! I surely can’t forget little Gretl’s sweet voice in the play. She’s so adorable!

The kids sang a few numbers together like Do-Re-Mi, My Favourite Things, and So Long Farewell among others. Their voices were incredibly angelic and energetic.

These are among the 17 kids who will play their roles in the other shows.
(Credit: Melissa Suraya Ismail / TRP)

Should You Watch It?

As a girl who’s a big fan of musicals, I’d truly recommend watching this.

Musical lovers will feel elated hearing the cast’s voices right in front of them. From the melodious harmony of the kids’ voices to the stellar solo performances of the talented actors, your ears will be getting a mellifluous treat.

Reverend Mother and Maria.
(Credit: Fernando Fong / TRP)

For those new to musicals, you should give this show a try and who knows, this might be the moment you’ll fall in love with musicals. Just be prepared for a long performance.

However, to truly understand the story, you need to brush up on your history of the Austrias and Nazis right before World War II. If not, it’s a bit difficult to understand the politics and issues here.

Their wardrobe section.
(Credit: Fernando Fong / TRP)

So, if you’re keen to watch the show, book your tickets here. Get the middle seats too for the best view of the show.

A Little Background of TSOM

The uplifting story tells the life of Maria, a jovial and loving governess who changed the lives of a widowed Naval Captain von Trapp and his seven children by re-introducing them to music. She fell in love with the family and went through great challenges across the Austrian mountains as tensions rose prior to the World War II outbreak.

Captain Von Trapp and Maria.
(Credit: Fernando Fong / TRP)

The Sound Of Music is a production that was based on the true story of Maria von Trapp’s life (well, probably not 100% true). She was in the ‘Von Trapp Family Singers’ which was one of the world’s best-known concert groups in the era immediately preceding World War II.

From the left: Reverend Mother (Lauren Kidwell), Maria Von Trapp (Jill Christine Wiley), Captain Von Trapp (Trevor Martin) and Liesl (Lauren O Brien).
(Credit: Fernando Fong / TRP)

She wrote a book about her life called ‘The Story of the Trapp Family Singers’ which was published in 1949 and became a bestseller. The book then became a musical on Broadway in 1959 and was made into a movie in 1965 with Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. The film remains one of the most popular movies of all time.

If you’re not familiar with ‘The Sound of Music’ you can take a look at the classic trailer of the movie here. Maybe there are a few songs in there you’ll be familiar with.

If you’re interested in watching the play, you should hurry and check if there are any available tickets at Istana Budaya.

Istana Budaya’s Panggung Sari.
(Credit: Fernando Fong / TRP)

The Sound Of Music Malaysia

  • Venue: Istana Budaya, Kuala Lumpur
  • Date: 28 December 2022 – 15 January 2023 (3 Weeks)
  • Tickets: Lowest around RM325 and highest RM605 per seat
  • Duration: 155 minutes (20-minute intermission)
  • Showtimes:
    Tuesday – Friday: 8.30 pm
    Saturday: 3.00 pm & 8.30 pm
    Sunday: 1.00 pm & 5.00 pm

READ MORE: We Talked To The Cute Malaysian Cast Of The Sound Of Music – Here Are A Few Of Their Favorite Things


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