Maria Augusta Trapp
Maria Augusta von Trapp was an Austrian-born figure, best known as the matriarch of the Trapp Family Singers and the inspiration behind the musical and film "The Sound of Music." Born in Vienna in 1905, she faced a challenging childhood marked by the early death of her mother and a strict upbringing. After earning a degree in education, she entered a convent but eventually left to marry Georg Ritter von Trapp, a naval commander with seven children from a previous marriage. Together, they fostered a love for music in their family, leading to the formation of their singing group, which gained prominence in the late 1930s.
As World War II loomed, the Trapp family fled Austria, eventually settling in Vermont, where they established the Trapp Family Lodge. Maria continued to manage the lodge and her children's music careers after Georg's passing in 1947. She authored her autobiography, which chronicles their journey and musical legacy, contributing to her family's enduring cultural impact. Later in life, Maria engaged in missionary work in the South Pacific before returning to Vermont, where she lived until her death in 1987. Her life story remains a testament to resilience and the power of family.
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Subject Terms
Maria Augusta Trapp
Singer
- Born: January 26, 1905
- Birthplace: Vienna, Austria
- Died: March 28, 1987
- Place of death: Morrisville, Vermont
Biography
Maria Augusta von Trapp was born in Vienna, Austria, in 1905. Trapp endured an unhappy childhood, as her mother died when she was two and her father left her in the care of a strict uncle who kept her isolated from other children. As a young adult, Trapp earned a college degree in education, but she ever became a teacher. Instead, after a religious conversion she entered the Nonnberg Abbey in Salzburg, Austria, as a postulant.
As one of her duties as a nun, Trapp was sent to care for the sick child of the wealthy widowed naval commander, Georg Ritter von Trapp. The two fell in love, and in 1927 she relinquished her religious vows to marry Georg. As a new wife, Trapp kept busy taking care of her husband’s seven children from his first marriage and the three children they had together. Despite her rigorous domestic duties, Trapp’s life was happy and her home was always filled with music as the Trapp children loved to sing. Trapp encouraged their love of music and hired the local priest, Father Wasner, to train their voices.
In the late 1920’s, Georg lost his fortune when the Austrian National Bank closed. Facing financial difficulties, Maria arranged paid singing performances for the children. Their talents became greatly recognized and their performances were in demand. In 1937, they made their first European tour and gained international recognition as the professional group known as the Trapp Family Singers.
With the onset of World War II, the Trapp family, accompanied by Wasner, fled Nazi- dominated Austria and moved first to Italy and then to the United States. The family settled in Vermont, where they opened the Trapp Family Lodge. They made a successful living touring the country as performers and providing instructional music camps at the lodge.
After Georg’s death in 1947, Maria continued to run the family lodge and manage her children’s singing careers. She also penned her autobiography, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers, published in 1949. This book inspired a Broadway musical, The Sound of Music, written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, and was the basis for the film adaptation staring Julie Andrews as Trapp. In 1957, the Trapp Family Singers disbanded, and Trapp and three of her children became missionaries in the South Pacific. After completing her mission, Trapp returned to Vermont, where she managed the family lodge until her death in 1987.