The Sound of Music is set in Salzburg, Austria in the late 1930’s……
Georg, Captain von Trapp, is widowed leaving him to find a governess to educate his children. He seeks help from the Mother Abbess of Nonnberg Abbey, who recommends a young postulant nun called Maria.
Maria is concerned at leaving the abbey to take up this position, but after meeting the seven children, she grows to like them and teaches them to sing and play – something that has been absent in their lives since their mother died.
The Captain is engaged to a Baroness, who is more interested in parties and the social life in Vienna, than befriending The Captain’s children. A party is held and the Captain and Maria end up dancing together. Maria realises she has feelings for him, so returns to the Abbey. The von Trapp children are very upset at losing the one governess they love. Maria is also in turmoil, and seeks advice from the Mother Abbess.
Maria returns to the von Trapp household, where the Captain tells her that the wedding between him and the baroness has been called off. He admits that he has always loved Maria. They marry and leave for their honeymoon.
Whilst away, Max, a friend of the Captain, encourages the children to sing in a concert. Georg and Maria return to find that Austria is being taken over by The Nazis. Unhappy with the prospect of living under the Nazi regime and the Captain having to serve in Hitler’s forces, the von Trapp family decide to leave Austria. The family plan to escape immediately after the concert, and are pursued by the Nazis. They hide in the Abbey, and with the help of the nuns, escape to freedom over the mountains.