Klaus Döring's Classical Music/Klaus Döring's Klassische Musik

Real-life Maria Von Trapp teaches Julie Andrews how to yodel.  Picture: The Julie Andrews Hour/The Sound of Music Blu-Ray/YouTube By Maddy Shaw Roberts   How do you solve a problem like Maria? Well, how about a yodelling lesson, for starters… In 1965,  Julie Andrews  yodelled her way into all our hearts with her portrayal of Maria Von Trapp, governess to the seven  Von Trapp children  in  The Sound of Music. And it turns out, Andrews really got to meet the real Maria Von Trapp whose family’s story – somewhat loosely – inspired the hit film. In one scene, Maria helps the children put on a puppet show, and sings along to ‘The Lonely Goatherd’ (that’s the one that goes ‘High on a hill was a lonely goatherd, lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo’) as they perform. But according to real-life Maria, well, “There is yodelling, and then there’s…  yodelling .” During an episode of  The Julie Andrews Hour , a television variety series which ran for one sea...

... leaving musicians without a job Phantom of the Opera orchestra halved when show returns to West End.  Picture: Getty By Maddy Shaw Roberts, ClassicFM London   Phantom of the Opera was celebrated for having the largest orchestra in the West End. Now, it’s being sliced in half. Despite promises the original production would return after  coronavirus  restrictions are lifted,  The Phantom of the Opera ’s orchestra will be cut in half when it returns to the West End. Andrew Lloyd Webber ’s hit  musical , once celebrated for having the largest orchestra in the West End, has reduced its players from 27 to just 14. All 27 members were released from their contracts while Her Majesty’s Theatre was undergoing refurbishment, with hopes they might be rehired. Now, while 14 musicians can re-audition for the show’s return on 21 July, 13 of the jobs no longer exist. Instruments including the  oboe ,  harp ,  percussion ,  trumpets  and horns h...