Carrie Underwood Performs “The Sound of Music” with Broadway Elite [Video]

It seems everyone has an opinion about Carrie Underwood's performance in Thursday's live performance of The Sound of Music on NBC.  The reviews are mixed.  Some loved it and thought she was brave for stepping up and tackling the role.  Others thought her acting was flat and she was outperformed by her more seasoned cast.  My opinion is somewhere in the middle.  Look.  Carrie Underwood is, first and foremost, a country/pop singer.  That's what she is.  That's what she does.  While she may not have the most powerful set of acting chops, she sang the role of Maria Von Trapp incredibly well.  And she did it by holding her own against some of Broadway's biggest divas.  Wanna meet them?

Many folks know (or recognize) Audra McDonald from the TV show Private Practice.  But Audra McDonald is, in fact, a Broadway legend.  She won 5 Tony Awards in a span of 11 years for roles in Carousel, Porgy and Bess, Master Class and others.  For me, the highlight of Thursday's night's broadcast was her performance of "Climb Every Mountain."  It was chilling and truly soared over the mountain tops!

If you thought that was awesome, WATCH THIS!  This is Audra McDonald, with fellow Broadway stars Marin Mazzie and Judy Kuhn (pictured), singing a medley of songs for the stage for Andrew Lloyd Webber.  This will send chills up your spine.

I was raised in theatre and have always been a Broadway junkie.  And one of my all-time favorite Broadway leading ladies in Christiane Noll, who played Sister Margaretta Thursday in "The Sound of Music."  While it was fun seeing Christiane pop up on the TV,  the role certainly did not do her talents justice.  But, in 2009, the musical Ragtime did.  Check out this performance from The 64th Annual Tony Awards, where Christiane performed "Back to Before," a song that earned her a Tony nomination.  This is amazing!

And then there's Laura Benanti, who Thursday night starred as Elsa.  In 2008, she was taking Broadway by storm in the revival of Gypsy and won a Tony for her performance as Louise/Gypsy Rose Lee.  Check out this collection of highlights from the musical . . .

Love or hate her performance, it took a massive amount of guts for Carrie Underwood to take on a live production of The Sound of Music and to do it alongside these talented ladies.  And, yes!  Carrie has sold millions of records, has a massive amount of #1 singles, and has won all sorts of awards.  But the thing is . . . Broadway is a totally different ballgame and the folks who have "made it there truly can make it anywhere."  And, quite frankly, the fact that Carrie Underwood managed to hold her own against ladies with these kinds of credentials is incredibly impressive.  So, bravo, Carrie!  BRAVO!  For having the guts, the stamina and, yes, the voice to bring the sound of music to the hills!