[dropcap]A[/dropcap]lmost fifty years since The Sound of Music hit the big screen in mid-1960s, its songs sung by actress Julie Andrews herself while in the role of the main character—Maria von Trapp—are still popular even today despite the onslaught of rock and other music genres. It is as if musical tastes are coming round full circle because pop songs of the sixties are now becoming popular among listeners of various ages and shades including the youths. And the hills are now alive with actress Carrie Underwood’s new look.
A new poster by America’s NBC (National Broadcasting Corporation) has sponsored a live production of the beloved shows the country star in full Maria von Trapp mode as she wears blond braids pinned to her head and even sports a dirndl—a full wide skirt gathered into a tight waist band, originating from German dialect to mean “little girl.”
Underwood, 30, will play the part that Julie Andrews made famous, alongside True Blood actor, Stephen Moyer as Capt von Trapp. New York’s Broadway veterans like Laura Benanti, Christian Borie and Audra McDonald also star jn the three-hour production.
The live version of the classic musical will start running from December 5 this year. Until then music buffs can still sing along to the Rodgers and Hammerstein film.
The film was first screened in then Calcutta in Lighthouse cinema gall in 1966. It was so popular that it ran continuously for just over a year. An Anglo-Indian woman was so fascinated that ever since she first saw it, she made it a point to book a seat every day. After some weeks when the management came to know of her obsession, they gave her a standing free entry till as long as she wanted. And this made the news.
By the way, films generally do not run more than a week in the cinema halls in Nagaland which were prevalent years ago, say in 1982. The Salman Khan-Bhagyshree starrer Maine Pyar Kiya ran for seven weeks in the then Hills Star cinema hall, Dimapur. But the film Sholay ran continuously for a year at Eros cinema hall—a local record indeed since the film scored a golden jubilee in of all places, Dimapur!
Besides, Amjad Khan as Gabbar Singh, the villain, was a greater attraction than Amitabh Bachhan or Dharmendra.
Needless to reiterate, or emphasize, the love of music, among other characteristics, has always been a trait of the Nagas of whichever tribe. That is why even illiterate cultivators, men and women, sing along as they wrok hard in the terraced fields.
Today, music has made long strides in various genres, rock, pop, jazz, classical, country folk and Western, even Hindi film songs (which incidentally are popular among the masses) and hip hop also has its adherents and so on.
As long as the earth endures no matter what the vicissitudes of life and political aspirations and related infestations, the Naga Hills will still be alive with “The Sound of Music.”
