The Sound of Music is one of the most classic movies in history. It was directed by Robert Wise in 1965. The two main roles were played by Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer.
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Places Where The Sound of Music Was Filmed
Salzburg in Austria is the place around which the whole scenography was created. Beautiful nature but also stunning palaces influenced the success of the musical. Here are some of the spots that were featured in the film:
Mirabell Palace and Garden
The park was created in the 18th century. Filled with sculptures inspired by Greek mythology, it was a perfect background of idyllic scenes. Fans of the film might remember a big fountain, around which Maria and the children were dancing and singing Do-Re-Mi.
Mirabell Palace has the Pegasus fountain next to it, and it can also be spotted in the movie. The rose hill steps were also used for choreography.
Nonnberg Abbey
This building is the oldest female convent on the north side of the Alps. It is a very important place for the movie, but also the real von Trapp family. Here Maria Augusta von Kutscher married Baron von Trapp.
Here, the scene where the nuns go to mass and Maria is late was shot. The courtyard of the Abbey was a stage for a scene while the Maria song is sung. The gate of the Abbey is the same one to which children approached to ask Maria to come back to their home. This gate was also a background to the escape scene.
Summer Riding School
This building was a place where the real Trapp family performed at a choir competition. It appears in The Sound of Music when Christopher Plummer sings Edelweiss.
Salzkammergut
The Lake District is a very unique place with stunning, picturesque landscapes. Some outdoor scenes were shot in the area. Also, a small town, Mondsee, located in a district played an important role in the film’s scenography. The large cathedral that towers over this place was used to shoot the wedding scene, in which Maria walk down the aisle to marry the baron.
Schloss Leopoldskron in Salzburg
This castle was an important place for the whole movie. It was an interpretation of the von Trapp Villa. The terrace and the backyard with a lake that appeared in the movie are part of Leopoldskron.
The statue near the path and the gate that led to the lake are the original part of the castle. However, the pathway that a viewer can see in the movie was constructed for The Sound of Music and after shooting, it was removed.
The glass pavilion scenes were filmed in this location. However, the gazebo is now located in Hellbrunn Palace.
The Leopoldskron castle is not the one a viewer can see in the movie. The exterior shots of the von Trapp’s house were filmed at Frohnburg castle. Scenes in the interior of the house were filmed in the Fox studios in Los Angeles.
The most important scenes that were shot in Leopoldskron are:
- Walk of the Captain and Baroness Elsa von Schraeder in the garden,
- Firing Maria by the Captain when he hears that his children sing,
- A scene in which Maria and the children fall out of the boat,
- The Captain observing Maria from the balcony when she is walking in the garden.
Frohnburg Palace
This baroque palace was created in the 17th century, and its beautiful facade, front gate, and courtyard were used as a background in The Sound of Music. It represents the Trapp Villa in the film.
Here, Maria arrived to meet the von Trapps. Also, the scene when the baron tore the flag down after receiving information about the German occupation of Austria was shot here.
The scene where the Captain watched the children in a boat with Maria was shot in Fronhburg and Leopoldskron. The boat is arriving at Leopoldskron, while the balcony on which the Captain is standing is at Frohnburg castle.
What Is The Sound of Music About?
The musical tells the story of a young Austrian woman, Maria, who is about to become a nun but has some doubts. She is sent to the home of a former naval officer to take care of his children.
Even though the officer is very strict towards his kids, Maria finds her ways to teach them how to sing. During the three hours movie, she develops her love for the man and his children. Her love is reciprocated first by kids, who cannot imagine living without her, and then by the baron who notice the good influence Maria has on his kids.
The story is really charming and romantic, especially with beautiful songs and stunning views, which are seen throughout the film.
Was The Sound of Music a Success?
There is no doubt that The Sound of Music was a financial and artistic success. For five years after release, it was the highest-grossing film in history.
The filmmakers were nominated for 10 Academy Awards and won five: for best picture, best director, editing, music, and sound.
In Summary
The Sound of the Music is one of the most recognizable musicals all over the world. The beautiful and heartwarming story, with catchy songs, was a real success.
After watching it a viewer not only wants to feel real love but also visit Austria. It’s filled with stunning landscapes and beautiful palaces that created a perfect background to this love story.
