Carrie Underwood has been getting hate tweets from fans of the original movie of The Sound of Music starring Julie Andrews as the nun, Maria. Despite the tweets, Underwood, 30, is carrying on with rehearsals for the live show, The Sound of Music Live! undaunted and undeterred from performing in the three-hour NBC production that will air at 8/7c December 5, 2013.
Carrie Underwood is a very good singer, but people around the world have wondered if she was perhaps trying to compare how well she sang with how well Julie Andrews sang in the 1965 film. The original movie is much beloved by fans, and Julie Andrews will forever be associated with the role of Maria von Trapp. Everyone who has played Maria since the movie has been compared to Andrews, 78, and all have fallen short.
However, Carrie Underwood has a deep respect for The Sound of Music and she has never claimed that she thought she was as good of a singer as Julie Andrews. She has responded to the hate tweets by saying that she knows she’s “not Julie.” Underwood has stated that “Nobody is and I would never pretend that I was… I know my place.”
The NBC production The Sound of Music Live! is really based more on the original 1959 Rodgers & Hammerstein musical than on the 1965 movie. Of course, they are very similar, and the songs are the same; but, in any case, knowing that Carrie isn’t trying to compare herself to Julie Andrews in any way, to me, is a good thing.
I’m more interested in seeing the NBC version that she’s in than ever before, not to compare it to the 1965 movie — there will be no comparison — but, more to see how ell she does in the role, without comparing her performance to anyone else’s. Also, the fact that the performance will be live has increased my admiration of Carrie, because it’s a very gutsy move whenever anyone performs live, and especially if he/she is playing an iconic role and the entire world will notice if she makes any mistakes. That takes guts.
Stephen Moyer, who has acted in the series True Blood, will be portraying Captain von Trapp. He, also, has big shoes to fill, but any mistakes he might make are more likely to be forgiven than any which Underwood might make.
NBC has a lot riding on how well The Sound of Music Live! does in the ratings, as no network has dared to plan, schedule, and air a full-scale musical for live TV in over 50 years.
Also, there will be probably many fans of the original movie who would like the NBC version to be a faithful remake of the 1965 movie — but, it will be, instead, more like the musical from 1959, as reimagined for TV by the Oscar-winning executive producers, Neil Meron and Craig Zedon.
The entire cast has already recorded a The Sound of Music Live! album. It will be released in stores on December 3, 2013. All this Thanksgiving week, they’ve been rehearsing for the production in full costume.
The Sound of Music Live!, according to Meron, might be just the start of the live musicals and remakes of musicals that will be staged for tV — that is, if it gets high enough ratings to demonstrate that there’s s demand to see them.
Video tape has made live TV shows, with the exceptions of sports and news, virtually unnecessary. But, still, there is a certain feel to live performances that you just don’t get with recorded ones.
You know that the actors realize if they mess up one tiny bit, their performance is there for everyone to see. Also, when it comes to comedies filmed in front of live studio audiences, I like that feel, and I enjoy watching blooper reels whenever they do sometimes screw up a line.
Underwood is determined to not let the negative tweets ruin the experience of playing Maria von Trapp. Even the original Maria from the movie, Julie Andrews, has come to Underwood’s defense, saying that she wished the production well, and adding that “I think she’s great.” Now, that’s a classy thing to say, and it comes from a classy person.
Julie Andrews has said that performing the role was a high point in her life, and that she commends Carrie Underwood for taking on such a challenging role.
If The Sound of Music Live! flops, that won’t be the end of Carrie Underwood’s career as a country singer. She has many fans, and she’s a great singer. However, if the NBC production ends up doing very will in the ratings, and Carrie gets critical praise for taking on the role of Maria von Trapp, who knows? Maybe we will see her in other musical and/or acting roles in the future! How do you think Carrie Underwood will do? Please leave your comments below!
Written by: Douglas Cobb
eCanadaNow.com
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9 Responses
Isnt it time something was done about these tweeters. Make them face the person they are abusing, they wouldn’t be so anonymous then and wouldn’t have the guts to say anything. Its disgusting and I am saddened by the way the world has gone.
i never heard ms. underwood sing before, and julie andrews was on my mind. ms. underwood’s voice was thin and strident, the children were too cute and silly. having spent two days at the trapp family lodge and hearing a few of the great grandchildren sing and one who spoke about the family, i was greatly disappointed with this performance be it only ten minutes long.
I and my family thoroughly enjoyed the performance of Carrie Underwood. She in no way tried to be Julie Andrews but gave a good performance of her own.
the sount of music tv special was really enjoyable. Carrie Underwood was delightful as Maria. Thanks to NBC for putting something worthwhile on TV for our entire family to watch. We recorded it so we can watch it over and over again. Best TV show in many, many years.
She did a great job! Really enjoyed the show.
I just finished watching it and lived it. I taped it for the grand kids since it was three hours long and they have school tomorrow, but I am looking forward to seeing it again and again. I am and always have been a musical snob and very rarely like remakes of old favorites. I loved Mary Martin as Maria on Broadway and felt Julie Andrews would never be Maria. After seeing the film I loved Julie Andrews too, and now I really appreciated Carrie Underwoods live gutsy performance. Brava Carrie , brava !!!
I think she is wonderful. She is not portraying Julie Andrews, but portraying Maria vonTrapp. This is an excellent production.
I love Carrie Underwood. She will be great!!!
From the sound of music clips, the singing is good; however, the acting does not come across natural. Will watch performance.