The Sound of Music

The Sound of Music is a 1965 film musical, produced and directed by Robert Wise.  It stars Julie Andrews (see blog post Emily) as Maria von Trapp, a former postulant, governess and finally step-mother to seven children who emigrate with her from Austria to America as a result of World War II.  The Sound of Music was nominated for ten Academy Awards, winning five, including Best Picture (Wise) and Best Director (Wise).

The film version was adapted from the 1959 The Sound of Music Broadway musical, music and lyrics by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II.  The stage version was based upon Maria von Trapp's 1949 memoir, The Story of the von Trapp Family Singers.

In The Sound of Music film, postulant Maria (Kutschera) is assigned by her Benedictine monastery to be a governess to the children of retired Naval Captain Georg von Trapp whose wife (Agatha) had died of scarlet fever.  

Maria, having no experience as a governess, is very nervous as she travels to the von Trapp family home near Salzburg, Austria.  For the film version only, Richard Rogers wrote the music and the lyrics for this inspirational song, I Have Confidence, sung by Maria while on her way.  

What will this day be like?
I wonder.
What will my future be?
I wonder.
It could be so exciting,
To be out in the world,
To be free!
My heart should be wildly rejoicing.
Oh, what's the matter with me?
I've always longed for adventure,
To do the things I've never dared.
Now here I'm facing adventure
Then why am I so scared?
A captain with seven children
What's so fearsome about that?
Oh, I must stop these doubts,
All these worries.
If I don't I just know I'll turn back!
I must dream of the things I am seeking.
I am seeking the courage I lack.
The courage to serve them with reliance,
Face my mistakes without defiance.
Show them I'm worthy
And while I show them
I'll show me!
So, let them bring on all their problems,
I'll do better than my best.
I have confidence.  They'll put me to the test, 
but I'll make them see I have confidence in me, 
somehow I will impress them, 
I will be firm but kind, 
and all those children, heaven bless them, 
they will look up to me, and mind me, 
with each step I am more certain everything will turn out fine, I have confidence the world will all be mine, 
they'll have to agree I have confidence in me.  
I have confidence in sunshine.  
I have confidence in rain.  
I have confidence that spring will come again.  
Besides which you see I have confidence in me.  
Strength doesn't lie in numbers.  
Strength doesn't lie in wealth.  
Strength lies in nights of peaceful slumbers.  
When you wake up, wake up.  It's healthy.  
All I trust I leave my heart to, 
all I trust becomes my own.  
I have confidence in confidence alone.  
I have confidence in confidence alone, 
besides which you see I have confidence in me.