NBC scored big with the ambitious live production of The Sound of Music on Thursday evening, drawing 18.5 million viewers to the three-hour extravaganza.
Country star Carrie Underwood led the cast as Maria von Trapp opposite True Blood's Stephen Moyer as Captain von Trapp, as well as seasoned theater vets Audra McDonald, Laura Benanti and Christian Borle. The pre-recorded soundtrack is available for purchase on iTunes, with a DVD hitting shelves Dec. 17.
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The Hollywood Reporter highlights the top five TiVo moments from the live production:
1. 8:38 p.m. -- Maria and the von Trapp children sing "Do-Re-Mi"
Maria taught the von Trapp children to sing for the very first time following the death of their mother, doing so through the classic "Do-Re-Mi."
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2. 8:54 p.m. -- Maria sings "The Lonely Goatherd" to calm the children down during the storm
Underwood showcased her yodeling during this part of The Sound of Music Live, bringing together the von Trapp children during a stormy evening in an effort to comfort them. The song focuses on a goatherd whose yodeling is heard from far away until he falls in love with a girl.
3. 8:05 p.m. -- Carrie Underwood as Maria makes her first appearance on screen singing the title song
The country singer's introduction as Maria was one of the most-TiVoed moments of the telecast. It was the first time viewers got a chance to see Underwood in action as the main protagonist.
4. 9:16 p.m. -- Captain von Trapp joins in singing "The Sound of Music" with the children while they are serenading Elsa Schrader
Moyer, better known as vampire Bill Compton on HBO's True Blood, exercised his vocal abilities through a rendition of the title track. The moment came at a pivotal point in The Sound of Music, showing a softer side of Captain von Trapp who had never let his children have fun prior to Maria's arrival.
5. 10:58 p.m. -- As the nuns sing "Climb Ev'ry Mountain," Maria and the von Trapp family flee over the Alps to escape the Nazis
Nearing the end of the three-hour production, the Abbey's nuns -- led by Mother Abbess -- belted out "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" as the von Trapps distance themselves from the Nazi threat.
Email: Philiana.Ng@THR.com
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