Loosely based on a true story, The Sound of Music was last in the string of successful musicals by Rodgers and Hammerstein.
The musical opened on Broadway in 1959, starring Mary Martin as Maria and Theodore Bikel as Captain von Trapp, to wide acclaim. A film adaptation, helmed by Robert Wise, was released in 1965.
Lyricist Oscar Hammerstein fell ill and passed away in 1960, so when Richard Rodgers wrote two additional songs for the film, he wrote the lyrics too.
The Sound of Music contained many memorable songs, including the title song, "Do-Re-Mi", "My Favorite Things", "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" "So Long, Farewell", "Sixteen Going on Seventeen", and "Edelweiss."
The film surpassed Gone with the Wind at the box office and was nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture. The soundtrack album was nominated for a Grammy in 1966.
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