Photo Coverage: Andrew Lloyd Webber-Produced THE SOUND OF MUSIC Opens in Manila; Show Runs Until 10/22

Manila, Philippines--From England to New Zealand to Hong Kong, Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber-produced 2006 lavish revival of "The Sound of Music" finally made it to Manila, which officially held its gala performance last Friday, September 29, at The Theatre at Solaire and an after party at the Diamond Hotel. (Thanks to Globe Live, Lunchbox Theatrical Productions, Concertus Manila, and David Atkins Enterprises--yes, it takes a village to import a first-rate international theatrical production!)

At the gala performance, VIP guests and local celebrities such as teen stars Elmo Magalona and Janella Salvador ("Born For You"- ABS CBN), TV host Rovilson Fernandez (Asia's Got Talent), actress-singer Nikki Valdez, TV host and actor IC Mendoza ("Showbiz Connect na Connect" - TV 5), and husband and wife Franco Laurel and Ayen Munji-Laurel, among others, joined the rest of the packed crowd in a thunderous standing ovation at the curtain call.

The special performance starred Carmen Pretorius, the luminous South African actress who plays Maria Rainer-von Trapp; Nick Maude as Captain von Trapp; Janelle Visagie as Mother Abbess; Haylea Heyns as Baroness Schraeder; Jonathan Taylor as Max Detweiler; Michael McMeeking as Rolf; Zoe Beavon as Liesl, and local child actors Kyle Rafanan as Friedrich; Quinn O'Hara as Louisa; Tory Cortez as Kurt; Rayne Cortez as Brigitta; Princess Rabara as Marta, and Alysha Africa as Gretl.

Webber's original creative team for the show includes Jeremy Sams as director; Simon Lee as musical supervisor; Michael Lloyd as musical director; Arlene Phillips as choreographer; Robert Jones as set and costume designer; Mark Henderson as lighting designer; Mick Potter as sound designer; Robert Russell Bennett as orchestrator, and Trude Rittmann as dance and vocal arranger.

"The Sound of Music" features the music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, with a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, suggested by "The Trapp Family Singers" by Maria Augusta Trapp.

The score includes favorite Broadway show tunes such as "My Favorite Things," "Do-Re-Mi," "Edelweiss," "Climb Ev'ry Mountain," "Sixteen Going on Seventeen," "The Lonely Goatherd," and the title song "The Sound of Music."

The original Rodgers and Hammerstein musical opened on Broadway in 1959; it won six Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The 1965 Hollywood movie version starred Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer; it won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

"The Sound of Music" plays The Theatre at Solaire (Aseana Avenue, Paranaque City) until Sunday, October 22. Buy tickets (P1,500-P7,000) at TicketWorld.com.ph.

Photos: Ulysses Manuel

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