Evita (musical)
- This article concerns Evita the musical. For the historical person, see Eva Perón. For the film version, see Evita (film)
Evita is a musical co-produced by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber. It is about the rise to power of Juan Peron as President of Argentina and the significant role played in these events by his wife, Eva "Evita" Peron
Musical History
Like the duo's previous hit, Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita began as an album, released in 1975, with Julie Covington singing the lead role. Other parts were played by Paul Jones (Juan Perón), Barbara Dickson (the mistress), Colm Wilkinson (Che, the narrator) and Tony Christie (Agustin Magaldi). Covington's recording of "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina" reached Number One on the UK charts, in February 1977. The single had similar success internationally. Dickson's "Another Suitcase in Another Hall" also became a hit. In Britain, Australia, South Africa, South America, and various parts of Europe, sales of Evita exceeded those of Jesus Christ Superstar. The Concept Album never achieved the same level of success in the United States, however.
When it arrived on the West End stage at the Prince Edward Theatre on June 21, 1978, Evita was played by Elaine Paige, who had been selected from a large number of hopefuls after Julie Covington elected not to take the role. Che was played by the pop singer David Essex and Peron by Joss Ackland. The show successfully opened on Broadway in 1979 and starred Patti LuPone as Evita, Mandy Patinkin as Che, and Bob Gunton as Perón. Both the London and New York productions were directed by Harold Prince.
Plans were soon in place for a film, which was originally to have starred Barbra Streisand or Liza Minnelli as Eva and Barry Gibb or Barry Manilow as Che and was to have been directed by Ken Russell. This did not materialise, and it was not until the 1996 film Evita that the theatrical production came to the big screen with Madonna in the title role, Antonio Banderas as Che and Jonathan Pryce as Perón. The film was nominated for five Academy Awards, winning one for Best Original Song ("You Must Love Me").
The show was the final collaboration of Rice and Lloyd Webber.
It came sixth in a BBC Radio 2 listener poll of the "Nation's Number One Essential Musicals" (wherein Nation refers to the United Kingdom). [1]
It is to be revived at London's Adelphi Theatre from June 2006, with a brand new star-studded cast. Philip Quast is reported unofficially to be playing Juan Peron, whilst Matt Rawle has been confirmed as taking the role of Che.
Historical credentials
The lyrics and storyline were based on Mary Main's biography Evita: The Woman with the Whip, which drew in part on accounts by Evita's victims and negative stories by her enemies. Shortly after the musical appeared, Nicholas Fraser and Marysa Navarro published a more positive account of Eva Perón's life, titled: "Evita: The Real Lives of Eva Perón." They claimed that many of Main's assertions (which had influenced Rice's lyrics) were false, such as the suggestion that Eva had first gone to Buenos Aires as the mistress of a married musician, Agustín Magaldi. (Instead, they wrote, Eva's mother Doña Juana had taken her there whenever she aspired to become a radio actress.) It is also disputed that Eva was a chronically bad actress or that she slept her way to the top. Many people suggested that Rice's lyrics disparaged Evita's achievements unnecessarily, particularly her charity work.
Songs
- "Requiem for Evita" (Chorus) is a stirring Catholic requiem sung by a grief-stricken cinema crowd when they hear of Evita's death
- "Oh, What A Circus" (Che) is the narrator's disparaging assessment of the hysterical grief that gripped Argentina when Evita died in 1952.
- "On This Night of a Thousand Stars/Eva, Beware of the City" (Magaldi) is a love song by a popular tango singer to a young Eva. It transfers into "City", which has the older Magaldi trying to convince the young Eva that she is unprepared for life in Buenos Aires.
- "Buenos Aires" (Evita) shows Evita's hopes and ambitions whenever she arrives in the city for the first time.
- "Goodnight and Thank You" (Che) is a song telling the story of the many men with interest in young Evita.
- "The Lady's Got Potential" (Che) tells of Eva's success as an actress and a right-wing coup in 1943. This number was cut after the 1976 recording and was then replaced with "The Art Of The Possible" in stage productions. The film soundtrack uses both numbers; however, the lyrics to "The Lady's Got Potential" were substantially re-written.
- "The Art of the Possible" (Che) sarcastically comments on Perón's ability to play to the masses and his ambitions to become the next president, the title being based on the aphorism that "politics is the art of the possible".
- "I'd Be Surprisingly Good For You" (Evita and Perón) is the first meeting between the famous couple, shortly after a charity concert they were both involved in.
- "Hello and Goodbye" (Perón's mistress and Evita) sees Perón's old mistress being dismissed by Evita.
- "Another Suitcase in Another Hall" (Peron's mistress) is the young girl's song of rejection after having been kicked out by Eva. In the movie version, it is sung by Eva herself (after "Buenos Aires"), a romantic look at her disappointment at being rejected in the big city. The movie version, however, does have the mistress briefly reprise the song after "Hello and Goodbye".
- "Perón's Latest Flame" (Che) shows the upper-classes' disdain for Evita and the chauvinism of the Army.
- "A New Argentina" (Evita and Perón) is the election campaign to make Perón the new president.
- "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina" (Evita) is the broadcast from the balcony of the Presidential palace to her adoring supporters.
- "High Flying, Adored" (Che and Evita) looks at the price of fame as Eva dances at the Inaugural Ball.
- "Rainbow High" (Evita) has Evita insisting on a celebrity/glamorous image in order that she can impress the people of Argentina and promote Perónism at the same time.
- "Rainbow Tour" (Perón, his advisers and Che) charts the success of Eva's famous tour of Europe in 1946.
- "And the Money Kept Rolling In" (Che) is the story of Eva's charitable work, which Che disparages (Che's song implying serious skimming), but the ordinary people love.
- "Partido Feminista" (Evita) (movie version only) has one of Eva's rousing speeches to the female voters (who she has helped gain the vote for.) Her rising popularity mean that many are pressing her to run for Vice President.
- "She is a Diamond" (Perón) many of Perón's supporters do not want a female Vice President, and Perón worries that Eva's health is not up to the task.
- "Santa Evita" (The Chorus) is the song of Eva's devoted supporters, who see her as a modern-day saint, fighting for their cause against the wealthy industrialists.
- "Waltz for Eva and Che" (Evita and Che) has the story's heroine and narrator meeting in a dream sequence, in which they argue the rights and wrongs of Eva's case.
- "Your Little Body is Breaking Down" (Perón and Evita--movie version) Perón tells Evita she is dying, Evita insists they can continue on.
- "You Must Love Me" (Evita — written for the 1996 film) is a tragic song from a heartbroken Evita, revealing her fears of disappointing the people around her.
- "Eva's Final Broadcast" (Evita) sees Eva reject the calls for the vice presidency and swear her eternal love to the people of Argentina.