<P> Prior to the broadcast, members of the real - life von Trapp family were critical of casting Underwood to play Maria, agreeing with the notion that she would be a good singer but a poor actor . They suggested that Anne Hathaway, who played Fantine in the 2012 film adaptation of Les Misérables for which she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, would have been a better choice . The Sound of Music Live! received mixed reviews from entertainment critics, commending the show for its scope and supporting cast while questioning Underwood's acting capabilities . </P> <P> Kevin Fallon of The Daily Beast wrote: "Naturally, Underwood sounded astounding, as alive as those damned hills, every time she was asked to stand on top of things and belt . But whether it was because of nerves or lack of experience, her acting was painfully lifeless and amateur throughout the first two thirds of the lengthy ordeal . The singer, it seems, is a proud graduate of the school of' If I don't blink, they'll think I'm acting!"' Verne Gay of Newsday liked Underwood's performance, commenting that not only could she sing, but "she is a luminous stage presence who had the guts to take on one of the most iconic roles of the stage or screen ." </P> <P> Brian Lowry of Variety described the production "as lifeless as (its) alpine backdrops ." Marc Bernardin of The Hollywood Reporter commended the production's aesthetics but called it a "very expensive karaoke", and he wrote that Underwood "doesn't acquit herself so well when it comes to the carrying the emotional weight of the production ." He also panned Moyer, criticizing his vocal performance and describing "his attempt at conveying an emotional hollowness" as "mildly constipated" and "clenched ." However, he lauded Benanti, Borle and McDonald's "strong" performances . </P> <P> 18.62 million viewers watched The Sound of Music Live!, making it the most - watched program of the night . It had a 4.6 rating, 13 share in the 18--49 demographic, which led all networks . It attracted NBC's largest non-sports Thursday audience since the series finale of Frasier in 2004 (which averaged 22.6 million viewers), and NBC's largest non-sports audience on any night since the 2007 Golden Globe Awards . The special performed the best with women in the 25--54 demographic, reaching a household rating of 7.0 for that demographic during the primetime broadcast . It did particularly well in Oklahoma City, the capital of Underwood's home state, where it was watched by 28% of TV viewers . At least 38.69 million viewers watched a portion of The Sound of Music Live! . Factoring in DVR viewership over the week following the broadcast, the special was viewed by 21.84 million, with 3.1 million within the first three days . </P>

The sound of music live the sound of music