Von Trapp granddaughter to perform in Arlington Heights
Elisabeth Von Trapp says one of her earliest memories of singing was at the age of 3 when she and her sister and brothers sat at their father's knee while he played guitar.
If the iconic image of Capt. Von Trapp comes to mind, of him gathering his children around him while he played “Edelweiss” on his guitar, it's no wonder. Elisabeth Von Trapp's father, Werner — or Kurt as he was called in the movie — was one of those children.
He would tour for nearly 20 years with his stepmother, Maria, and his siblings after the family arrived in this country in 1938, and singing has remained a constant in their large extended family.
Elisabeth Von Trapp, the granddaughter of the legendary Maria and Capt. Von Trapp, brings that rich heritage with her wherever she performs. She grew up in Vermont, not far from where the Trapp Family Lodge is located.
Von Trapp returns Sunday, Jan. 14, to the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre in Arlington Heights. In doing so, she continues a legacy to “The Sound of Music” that started back in 2005 when her nieces and nephews performed there to sold-out audiences.
“It is a rare opportunity,” says Executive Director Joe Keefe, “to present an artist who combines timeless music, legendary presence and the confluence of both world and musical theater history.”
Von Trapp's show at the Metropolis, “Something Good — The Songs of Rodgers and Hammerstein,” is the only one she will perform in the Chicago area this winter.
“I have my own version of ‘The Sound of Music' that I tell through music,” Von Trapp said in a phone interview.
She described her father's strong influence in her singing career, and even of her grandmother Maria's encouragement.
“At family reunions, I sat next to (Maria) and sang with her,” Von Trapp says. “I was very close to her. She was running the business at the time, but I learned a lot from her. And she supported my music and came to my earliest concerts.”
Her father, she adds, taught her the importance of being totally in a song, of finding a sense of peace through its music — and imparting that to the audience.
“He was a different person when he was playing his music,” Von Trapp says.
Von Trapp has been singing professionally since she was a child, but for the last 15 years she has toured steadily, with her husband, Ed, managing her engagements. For the Metropolis performance, Von Trapp will play her guitar along with Paul Asbell — a star in his own right — who accompanies her on guitar.
“It sounds like an orchestra of two guitars,” Von Trapp says.
Look for the many influences in her life to come forward, from her upbringing on a farm in Vermont, to learning a love of singing from her famous family, to her Austrian roots from both of her parents.
“Live music is like a dialogue between myself singing and the audience,” she says, “where we can share in that powerful moment.”
“Something Good: The Songs of Rodgers and Hammerstein featuring Elisabeth Von Trapp”
<b>When:</b> 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 14
<b>Where:</b> Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights
<b>Tickets:</b> $35
<b>Details:</b> (847) 577-2121 or <a href="http://www.metropolisarts.com/">www.metropolisarts.com/</a>