Stratford Summer Music welcomes the von Trapp Children for one performance only at Stratford Festival Theatre Monday, August 7, 2006.

Stratford, Ont… This summer Stratford will be alive with the sound of music as the von Trapp Children, grandchildren of the famous singing family, will perform one concert during Stratford Summer Music’s sixth season. The concert will be held on Monday, August 7, 2006 at 3:00 p.m. at the Stratford Festival Theatre.

The concert will be hosted by Canadian stage and television actor Cynthia Dale who portrayed Maria in the Stratford Festival’s production of The Sound of Music in 2001.

The children: Justin, 11; Amanda, 14; Melanie, 15; and Sofia, 17 are the direct descendants of Baron Georg von Trapp, the father of the famous singing family whose story captivated the world. In their performance the children include classical and sacred music, folk songs from various European and American traditions, and the well-known hits from The Sound of Music.

Inheriting the family’s exceptional musical gift and love of singing, the children launched their musical career in 1997 by performing at the 50th wedding anniversary of their grandparents at the von Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, Vermont. They have since recorded three CDs, performed across the world to sold out audiences and received international media attention. In 2003 they even played the roles of the very characters based on their grandfather and three of his sisters in a North Carolina Theater production of The Sound of Music.

The children’s grandfather, Werner von Trapp, was portrayed as the character Kurt in the Rodgers & Hammerstein Academy award-winning film and the Tony award-winning Broadway musical.

“In a season where we’re saluting one great Austrian figure – Mozart - it’s fun to be remembering that another renowned Austrian musical tradition is now the von Trapp family story,” said John A. Miller, Artistic Producer of Stratford Summer Music. “Our music festival is delighted to be welcoming the von Trapp Children for their Canadian professional premiere.”

Tickets for The von Trapp Children’s concert are priced at $30 - $35 and can be purchased beginning Wednesday, June 14 by calling the box office at 519-273-1600 or 1-800-567-1600.

For more information on Stratford Summer Music go to the website at www.stratfordsummermusic.ca
or call 1-866-288-4313.
Photos of the von Trapp Children are available for downloading at http://vontrappchildren.com/pics.html.

The Arden Park Hotel and The Stratford Automobile Dealers Association proudly sponsor the Von Trapp Children’s concert.