Credit: Pexels
Pirate Productions has announced its upcoming musical production for November 2024, the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic The Sound of Music, a beloved family-friendly musical that takes the audience to Austria on the eve of Nazi Germany's annexation of Austria in 1938.
The musical tells the story of Maria, who takes a job as governess to a large family while she decides whether to become a nun. She grows attached to the seven children and eventually falls in love with their widowed father, Captain von Trapp. The musical features multiple well-known, catchy songs such as “Do-Re-Mi”, “My Favorite Things”, the emotional “Edelweiss”, “Climb Ev'ry Mountain” and the poignant title song “The Sound of Music”.
The show will be staged from Thursday 7 to Sunday 10 November 2024 at Kinneksbond in Mamer. Pirate Productions is currently looking for intermediate and upper-level music students or amateur musicians who may want to volunteer and help the group put together a 32-piece orchestra. The following instruments are needed:
- flute (& piccolo) - two players;
- oboe & English horn - one player;
- clarinet - two players;
- bassoon - one player;
- horn - three players;
- trumpet - three players;
- trombone - two players;
- tuba - one player;
- percussion - one player;
- drums - one player;
- guitar & mandolin - one player;
- harp - one player;
- violin - eight players;
- viola - two players;
- cello - two players;
- bass - one player.
Musicians who would like to participate should contact Eric Gherardi, Musical Director for The Sound of Music, via email: gherardieric@hotmail.com.
Speaking to Chronicle.lu, Eric Gherardi, a musician and music teacher who has collaborated with Pirate Productions over the past decade as Musical Director, and Victor Bonanno, Director of The Sound of Music, discussed the upcoming show in more detail.
Chronicle.lu: Please tell us more about Pirate Productions' decision to perform The Sound of Music. What inspired this choice?
Eric Gherardi & Victor Bonanno: The Sound of Music was chosen as our next production because it is a well-loved musical with unforgettable music, memorable characters and a touching story. It is a story about perseverance, about finding the place where you belong and, most importantly, about “climbing your mountains”. Life is full of obstacles, fears and worries, but this musical teaches us to face these problems with a smile on our face and a song in our heart, in the hope that tomorrow will be a better day. These last few years have been particularly challenging for our generation. We have been facing pandemics, increasing environmental concerns, as well economic and political turmoil. This show is a reminder of the immense power of music and hope. It is for this reason that these last few years this show has seen a sort of a revival, and this year, for its 65th anniversary, we have decided that it would be a good opportunity to honour this timeless classic.
Chronicle.lu: How are you planning for this large production? In addition to the call for musicians, will you also have a call for singers (later)?
Eric Gherardi & Victor Bonanno: We have already had auditions to choose the cast, and rehearsals are planned to start in May. Musicians will start their rehearsals later on, so there is still time for anybody who would like to apply to be part of the orchestra. We are also still looking for volunteers to help with the production aspect of the show, from backstage, to sound and lights, to costumes, to set building... the list is endless. So if anybody is interested in joining in one way or another, do get in touch with us.
Chronicle.lu: What can audiences expect from your interpretation of The Sound of Music? Will there be any unique elements or twists?
Eric Gherardi & Victor Bonanno: Undoubtedly, audiences are most familiar with the movie adaptation of the stage show. Essentially, the movie version and the stage version are very similar, but one could notice a few songs which are missing in the movie and some dialogue and character development which are slightly different in the stage version. It will therefore be a nice surprise, both for fans of the movie and also for people who will be watching the musical for the first time, to experience this well-known show from a slightly different perspective.
Chronicle.lu: How are auditions going for the various roles? Have there been any surprises or standout performances so far?
Victor Bonanno: The response to the audition calls has been great, and I am very excited to be working with a lot of new and emerging talent. From the feedback and reactions we’ve had so far, it is very clear that there is a lot of love for this show, and as director, it gives me great satisfaction to share my own love for this musical with a cast and crew who share the same passion for this show. I can’t wait for all of us to eventually present this labour of love to an equally enamoured audience.
Chronicle.lu: Are there any community partnerships or collaborations involved in this production? How has the local community contributed to planning and preparations for bringing this beloved musical to the stage? If not yet, are you planning to create more collaborations/ involve the local community further?
Victor Bonanno: Pirate Productions is a non-profit theatre company that has been operating for almost 50 years and has amassed a big following in the Luxembourgish amateur theatre scene. We have a long-standing partnership with Harmonie Municipale Schifflange, particularly with the musical director Eric Gherardi, who has been involved in many of our productions in the last ten years. We are also extremely grateful to Kinneksbond in Mamer who every year agree to house us in their wonderful theatre. As you might imagine, a production of this sort takes a lot of time and effort. It also requires a lot of money. As a non-profit organisation, we do what we can with what we can afford, but any help, financial or otherwise, is always welcome. [Concerning this production, email: som@pirates.lu.]
