The Trapp Family Story
(1991 Nippon Animation, Fuji TV)

From 1975 to 1997, Nippon Animation produced a number of TV series based on renowned classics of the Western Literature. These series eventually came to be known as the World Masterpiece Theater.
The Trapp Family Story was Nippon Animation’s WMT creation for year 1991. It is based on the the same story that produced the award-winning classic musical ‘The Sound of Music’; considered one of the greatest screen musicals ever made.
This series is based on a real family and true events and tells the story of a young postulate, Maria Kutschera, who, after proving overly energetic to be a nun, for the Mother Abess and other nuns in the Nonnberg Abbey, is sent off to work in the beautiful town of Salzburg, in Austria, as a governess for Captain Trapp’s seven mischievious children.

**WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

The Von Trapp family is run by a naval officer, a seemingly cold-hearted lonely widower, Captain Von Trapp. Seeing how badly his children need a mother, he proposes to the Baroness Schraeder, a mutual friend of his beloved family friend Max Detweiler. The baroness soon realizes that it’s actually Maria – with her warmth and love for the children- whom the Captain is actually in love with.
The picture-perfect happiness of the newly formed Trapp family, with Maria vonTrapp now included, is almost ruined when Hitler, ascending to power, forces Von Trapp to decide whether to join the Nazi party–which he despises–or force his family to leave their home forever.
Due to this unfortunate circumstance, the family loses it’s complete capital that year, and she establises a family chorus with her husband’s children, which soon begans to achieve fame.
Being an officer loyal to the emperor, Trapp is forced to leave Austria after it’s annection to the Third Reich, and the Von Trapp family emigrates to the US.
This story is a wonderful classic with with elements of excitement, tragedy, romance as well as great music.