The Sound of Music Heads to the Kennedy Center

A fresh, critically acclaimed revival of Rodgers & Hammerstein's The Sound of Music is set to breathe new life into the Kennedy Center Opera House, running from September 9 to October 5, 2025. This production marks the launch of a sweeping North American tour and promises to offer both longtime fans and newcomers a revitalized theatrical experience.

The Sound of Music at The Kennedy Center

Sixty-five years after its original stage debut, a critically acclaimed North American tour of The Sound of Music will transport the next generation of theatergoers to the hills of Austria. Directed by three-time Tony Award winner Jack O'Brien, the smash-hit musical classic will once again grace stages across the country, captivating audiences with its universal themes of love, resilience, and the power of music.

Directed by three-time Tony Award winner Jack O'Brien, this staging is noted for stripping away the sentimental nostalgia often associated with the classic. As O'Brien puts it, this is "not trotting out your mother's version", aiming instead for a more dramatic, richly detailed, and emotionally resonant presentation.

Though familiar, the story brims with new vitality. Set against the looming threat of Anschluss-era Austria, it follows Maria, a spirited postulant sent to care for the von Trapp children, who gradually transforms the household-and her own life-through the power of music, love, and resilience. Beloved numbers like "Do‑Re‑Mi," "My Favorite Things," "Edelweiss," "Climb Ev'ry Mountain," and the iconic title song accompany this timeless tale. Notably, the 2025 run commemorates the 60th anniversary of the enduring film adaptation, adding another layer of poignancy to the theatergoing experience.

As final notes of "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" linger in the rafters of the Kennedy Center Opera House, The Sound of Music does more than entertain-it uplifts, connects, and reawakens something timeless within us. This production marks not just the start of a sweeping North American tour, but a reawakening of a classic, reborn with emotional clarity and creative vigor by masterful director Jack O'Brien. From its stirring melodies to its stirring message of hope, resilience, and the transformative power of love, this revival invites audiences-families, longtime fans, and newcomers alike-to journey anew to those alpine hills.

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