The Sound of Music (1965) to Open 2015 TCM Classic Film Festival with Live Appearance by Stars Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer

Delta Air Lines Returns as Exclusive Founding Partner for Sixth Annual Festival, Set to Take Place March 26-29, 2015, in Hollywood

Hollywood will come alive with The Sound of Music (1965) this spring as the beloved, Oscar®-winning classic returns to the big screen to celebrate its 50th anniversary with a gala opening-night screening on Thursday, March 26 at the 2015 TCM Classic Film Festival. Legendary stars Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer will join Turner Classic Movies host Robert Osborne at the world-famous TCL Chinese Theater IMAX to introduce the beautifully restored film and kick off the sixth annual festival, which will run March 26-29, 2015, in Hollywood. The film is being presented in collaboration with Twentieth Century Fox, in celebration of their Golden 50^th Anniversary Blu-ray release arriving on March 10, 2015. TCM has also announced that Delta Air Lines is returning once again as the festival's exclusive Founding Partner. The official airline partner of the TCM Classic Film Festival, Delta has provided air travel for many of the festival's VIP guests every year since the festival began.

The Sound of Music is the story of the Von Trapp family, whose lives are forever changed by the arrival of Maria, the warmhearted young governess who brings joy and music to the Captain (Plummer) and his children.  The film earned Andrews her second consecutive Oscar nomination after having won the previous year for her performance in Mary Poppins (1964). Additional information about The Sound of Music and its leading lady is included below.

The TCM Classic Film Festival's screening of The Sound of Music will mark the second year in a row that a Rodgers & Hammerstein musical has opened the week's festivities. Last year, the duo's groundbreaking Oklahoma! (1955) launched the 2014 TCM Classic Film Festival, with Shirley Jones attending.

The Sound of Music joins a growing list of restored classics being showcased at the 2015 TCM Classic Film Festival. TCM previously announced that the festival will feature restored versions of Ron Howard's Apollo 13 (1995), William Dieterle's The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939) and Charles Reisner and Buster Keaton's Steamboat Bill Jr. (1928). The Keaton comedy will also be accompanied by legendary silent film composer Carl Davis conducting the world premiere performance of his new score for the film.

Passes for the 2015 TCM Classic Film Festival are on sale now and can be purchased exclusively through the official festival website: www.tcm.com/festival. Additional screenings and events will be announced over the coming months.

50th anniversary celebration presented in collaboration with Twentieth Century Fox - Featuring a live appearance by Julie Andrews & Christopher Plummer

Robert Wise's sumptuous, Oscar®-winning adaptation of Rogers & Hammerstein's The Sound of Music is one of the most beloved musicals of all time and one of the genre's biggest box office hits. It is the story of Maria, a spirited young woman who leaves a convent and becomes a governess to seven unruly children.  Her charm and songs soon win the hearts of the children and their father but when Nazi Germany unites with Austria, Maria is forced to attempt a daring escape with her new family.

Also starring with Andrews and Plummer in The Sound of Music are Eleanor Parker, Richard Haydn and Peggy Wood, along with Charmian Carr, Nicholas Hammond, Heather Menzies, Duane Chase, Angela Cartwright, Debbie Turner and Kym Karath as the von Trapp children.

The Sound of Music is packed with musical delights, from the stunning and iconic mountaintop opening title song to the infectious joy as Maria  and the children sing "Do-Re-Mi" while canvassing the spectacular Austrian countryside. Other unforgettable songs in the film include "My Favorite Things," "Edelweiss" "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" and "Sixteen Going on Seventeen," to name a few.

The Sound of Music topped the box office in 1965 and continues to rank as one of the most popular films of all time. The film earned 10 Oscar nominations, winning for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Sound, Best Film Editing and Best Adapted Score.

For the sixth consecutive year, thousands of movie lovers from around the globe will descend upon Hollywood for the TCM Classic Film Festival. The 2015 festival is set to take place Thursday, March 26 - Sunday, March 29, 2015. Over four packed days and nights, attendees will be treated to an extensive lineup of great movies, appearances by legendary stars and filmmakers, fascinating presentations and panel discussions, special events and more.

The theme for the 2015 TCM Classic Film Festival will be History According to Hollywood:

The Old West. Medieval England. Ancient Rome. Hollywood has found endless inspiration in re-creating historical moments and bringing to life the heroes and villains of the past, creating a form of time travel for audiences through the ages and around the world. These films, however, are not always true to the historical record. Filmmakers have often created works about the past that are a reflection of the period in which they were made, or change facts to suit a particular storyline. The 2015 TCM Classic Film Festival will explore how cinema has shaped how we view - and remember - history.

TCM host and film historian Robert Osborne will once again serve as official host of the TCM Classic Film Festival, with TCM's Ben Mankiewicz introducing various events. The festival's official hotel and central gathering point for the sixth consecutive year will be The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, which has a longstanding role in movie history and was the site of the first Academy Awards® ceremony. The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel will also offer special rates for festival attendees. Screenings and events during the festival will be held at the TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX, the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres and the Egyptian Theatre, as well as other Hollywood venues.

Passes for the 2015 TCM Classic Film Festival are on sale now and can be purchased exclusively through the official festival website: www.tcm.com/festival. The number of passes available, especially top-level "Spotlight" passes, is limited.