| Evita | |
|---|---|
Poster from the original West End Production at the Prince Edward Theatre |
|
| Music | Andrew Lloyd Webber |
| Lyrics | Tim Rice |
| Productions | 1976 concept album 1978 West End 1979 Broadway 1996 Film 2006 West End revival 2008 UK Tour 2010 UK Tour |
| Awards | Olivier Award for Best New Musical Tony Award for Best Musical Tony Award for Best Score Tony Award for Best Book |
Evita is a musical with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice. It concentrates on the life of Argentine political leader Eva Perón, the second wife of Argentine president Juan Perón. The story follows Evita's early life, rise to power, charity work, and eventual death.
Evita began as a rock opera concept album released in 1976. Its success led to productions in London's West End in 1978, and on Broadway a year later, both of which enjoyed considerable success. A major 1996 film of the musical was made, starring Madonna and Antonio Banderas. The musical was revived in London in 2006. Evita has had numerous professional tours and worldwide productions, and numerous cast albums have been recorded.
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In 1972, Robert Stigwood proposed that Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice develop a new musical version of Peter Pan, but they abandoned the project.
The source material for the musical that made Rice intrigued about Eva Peron was a brief radio play he heard whilst driving his car, but more importantly the TV film Queen of Hearts by Argentine film director Carlos Pasini Hansen that Thames Television produced and had aired in the UK on the 24th of October 1972.
Tim Rice had missed that showing but an executive of CIC (Cinema International Corporation) in London who was a mutual friend of Rice and Pasini introduced them and Pasini arranged for Tim to see the film at Thames Television which he did "at least twenty times" saying also that "by that time I had seen Pasini's superbly researched film, I was hooked."[1] Rice then heard a radio play about Eva Duarte de Perón and approached Lloyd Webber with an idea for a musical collaboration based on her life. The more Rice investigated Eva Perón, going so far as to travel to Buenos Aires to research her life, with many documents and contacts that Pasini had supplied, the more fascinated he became by the woman; he even named his first daughter after her. The idea of writing a score including tangos, paso dobles, and similar Latin flavours intrigued Lloyd Webber, but he ultimately rejected the idea. Lloyd Webber decided instead to collaborate with Alan Ayckbourn on Jeeves, a traditional Rodgers and Hart-style musical based on the P.G. Wodehouse character, which proved to be a critical and commercial failure.[2]
Lloyd Webber returned to Rice, and they began developing Rice's proposed musical. The authors of the 1996 book Evita: The Real Life of Eva Perón claim that the musical was based on Mary Main's biography The Woman with the Whip, which was extremely critical of Eva Perón.[3]
Though Rice praised the Main biography, it was never officially credited as source material. Rice suggested that they create a character known as Che to serve as a narrator and Greek chorus. It was not his intention to base him on Che Guevara, but when Harold Prince later became involved with the project, he insisted that the actors portraying Che use Guevara as a role model.[4] In the 1996 film adaptation, the character returned to his more anonymous roots. This was also the case for the 2006 London revival.[5]
As they previously had done with Superstar, the songwriting team decided to record Evita as an album musical and selected actress and singer Julie Covington to sing the title role. Released in 1976, the two-disc set included Paul Jones as Juan Perón, Colm Wilkinson as Che, Barbara Dickson as Perón's mistress, and Tony Christie as Agustín Magaldi. When the project began to take shape, Pasini wrote the dialogue in Spanish of the first scene of the musical "A Cinema in Buenos Aires" for the first recording of the album in which Julie Covington plays Eva. In this recording Pasini plays the part of the actor in the soundtrack of the "1952 movie that grinds to a halt" and also reads the official communique of Eva's death. In the brochure that accompanied the album that dialogue appears translated into English and the first "thanks" are to Carlos Pasini when the recording was first presented to the press in Andrew Lloyd Webber's country home. The visual presentation was organized by Pasini and his colleague Anton Furst using all the photographic material provided by Pasini.
Lloyd Webber and conductor Anthony Bowles presented the musical at the second Sydmonton Festival before making the recording with the London Philharmonic Orchestra.[6] Prior to its release, they played it for Harold Prince and invited him to become involved with the eventual staging. Prince agreed, commenting, "Any opera that begins with a funeral can't be all bad", but he advised them that he could not take on any new commitments for the next two years.[7]
In Britain, Australia, South Africa, South America, and various parts of Europe, sales of the concept album exceeded those of Jesus Christ Superstar; in the United States, however, it never achieved the same level of success. Covington's recording of "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" (originally titled "It's Only Your Lover Returning")[8] was released in October 1976. It reached #1 on the UK Singles Chart[7] and enjoyed similar success internationally. Dickson's "Another Suitcase in Another Hall" also became a hit. In the U.S. and UK, respectively, Karen Carpenter and Petula Clark released cover versions of "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina". In December 1976 Rice wrote to Pasini, then in Rome, telling him of the good reaction of the English public to the album ("already sold 10.000 copies") and saying that he "promised not to accept any film offers without letting you (Pasini) know".
Lloyd Webber and Rice reworked several elements of the musical before producing it for the stage. Some songs were dropped and some shortened, while others were introduced and some lyrics rewritten. The 1976 album and the stage version featured different versions of the dialogue between Eva and Perón during "Dice Are Rolling." The earlier version concluded with "Eva's Sonnet", during which she reaffirms her vice-presidential aspirations. The stage version of "Dice are Rolling" concluded on a shorter version of the sonnet as Eva collapses due to her worsening illness. Additional lyrics were written for the stage version of "Oh, What a Circus".
Lloyd Webber and Rice approached Prince again, and he told them that he would be ready to start rehearsals in early 1978. When he began working on the project in May, he changed very little, other than deleting Che's rock number "The Lady's Got Potential". Prince requested a song he could stage to chart Perón's rise to power, and Rice and Lloyd Webber responded with the musical chairs number "The Art of the Possible", during which military officers are eliminated until only Perón remains.[9] Inspired by the murals of Diego Rivera, Prince suggested the proscenium be flanked by artwork depicting the struggles of the Argentine peasants. He jettisoned the original monochromatic costumes designed for the chorus members and dancers; instead, he had them go to charity and secondhand clothing shops to purchase costumes.[10]
Evita opened in London's West End on 21 June 1978, and on Broadway the following year.
The opening reveals a cinema in Buenos Aires, Argentina on 26 July 1952, where an audience is watching a film ("A Cinema in Buenos Aires, 26 July 1952"). The Spanish dialogue is heard during the film, an announcer interrupts with the message (begun in Spanish, but fading into English) that "Eva Perón entered mortality at 20:25 hours this evening...." The audience is heartbroken, and they sing "Requiem for Evita" (in Latin, which is modeled on a Catholic requiem). Ché, the narrator, cynically assesses the hysterical grief that gripped Argentina when Evita died ("Oh What a Circus").
Che introduces the audience to 15-year-old Eva, in 1934. She has her first love affair with tango singer Agustín Magaldi after she meets him at one of his shows ("On This Night of a Thousand Stars"). Eva blackmails Magaldi into taking her with him to Buenos Aires and though he is initially resistant, he eventually surrenders ("Eva, Beware of the City"). Upon her arrival at the city, Eva sings about her hopes and ambitions of glory as an actress ("Buenos Aires"). She soon dumps Magaldi, and Che relates the story of how Eva sleeps her way up the ladder, becoming a model, radio star, and actress ("Goodnight and Thank You"). He then tells of both a right-wing coup in 1943 and Eva's success, implying that Argentine politics and Eva's career may soon coincide. Che also makes a point to introduce the figure of Colonel Juan Domingo Perón, an ambitious military colonel who was making his way up the Argentine political ladder. ("The Lady's Got Potential"). In a game of musical chairs that represents the rise of political figures Perón and other military figures compete for power and exhibit their political strategy ("The Art Of The Possible").
After a devastating earthquake hits the town of San Juan, Perón organizes a charity concert at the Luna Park to provide aid to the victims. Eva attends and briefly reunites with Agustín Magaldi, who coldly shuns her for her past actions. Perón addresses the crowd with words of encouragement and leaps off the stage, meeting Eva as soon as he exits ("Charity Concert"). Eva and Perón share a secret rendezvous following the charity concert, where Eva hints that she could help Perón rise to power ("I'd Be Surprisingly Good For You"). Eva dismisses Perón's Mistress, (the character is known only by that title), who ponders the rejection ("Another Suitcase in Another Hall").
After moving in with Perón, Eva is introduced to high society, but she is met with disdain from the upper classes and the Argentine Army ("Perón's Latest Flame"). In 1946, Perón launches his presidential bid after being promoted to general in the army, and while in bed with Eva, he discusses his chances at winning the election. Eva reassures him and soon they organize rallies where the people show their support and hope for a better future, while in the sidelines Perón and his allies plot to dispose of anyone who stands in their way ("A New Argentina").
Perón is elected President in a sweeping victory in 1946. He stands "On The Balcony of the Casa Rosada" addressing his descamisados (shirtless ones). Eva speaks from the balcony of the Presidential palace to her adoring supporters, where she reveals that despite her initial goal of achieving fame and glory, she has found her true calling to be the people of her country ("Don't Cry for Me, Argentina"). Che analyzes the price of fame as Eva dances at the Inaugural Ball with Perón, now Argentina's president-elect ("High Flying, Adored").
Eva insists on a glamorous image in order to impress the people of Argentina and promote Peronism. She prepares to tour in Europe as she is dressed for success by her fashion consultants ("Rainbow High"). Her famous 1946 tour meets with mixed results ("Rainbow Tour"); Spaniards adore her, but the Italians liken her husband to Benito Mussolini, France is unimpressed, and the English snub her by inviting her to a country estate, rather than Buckingham Palace. Eva affirms her disdain for the upper class, while Che asks her to start helping those in need as she promised ("The Actress Hasn't Learned the Lines (You'd Like to Hear)"). Eva begins the Eva Perón Foundation to direct her charity work. Che describes Eva's controversial charitable work, and possible money laundering ("And the Money Kept Rolling In (And Out)").
Eva appears at a church to take the sacrament in front of her adoring supporters ("Santa Evita"), but goes into a trancelike state, beginning to hallucinate. In her vision she and Che heatedly debate her actions; Che accuses Eva of using the Argentine people for her own ends, while Eva cynically replies that there is no glory in trying to solve the world's problems from the sidelines ("A Waltz for Eva and Che"). At the end of the argument, Eva finally admits to herself and Che that she is dying and can't go on for much longer. Afterwards, Eva finally understands that Perón loves her for herself, not just for what she can do for him and his career ("You Must Love Me").
Perón's generals finally get sick of Eva's meddling and demand that Perón force her to leave politics. However, Perón objects and claims that if it wasn't for her they would never have achieved as much as they have ("She Is A Diamond"). However, he also acknowledges she won't be able to keep working for long as she will soon succumb to her cancer. Meanwhile, Eva is determined to run for vice president, much to Perón's fear that they will be overtaken by the military if she runs and that Eva's health is too delicate for any stressful work, but Eva insists she can continue, despite her failing health ("Dice Are Rolling/Eva's Sonnet").
Realising she is close to death, Eva renounces her pursuit of the vice presidency and swears her eternal love to the people of Argentina ("Eva's Final Broadcast"). Eva's achievements flash before her eyes before she dies ("Montage"), and she asks for forgiveness, contemplating her choice of fame instead of long life and raising children ("Lament"). Eva dies, and embalmers preserve her body forever. Che notes that a monument was set to be built for Evita but "only the pedestal was completed, when Evita's body disappeared for 17 years...."
Act I
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Act II
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The musical employs an eclectic range of styles. Classical music in Evita includes the opening choral piece ("Requiem for Evita") and a choral interlude in "Oh What a Circus", as well as instrumental passages throughout the musical such as the orchestral version of the "Lament" and the introduction to "Don't Cry for Me Argentina". Rhythmic Latinate styles are heard in pieces such as "Buenos Aires", "And the Money Kept Rolling in (And Out)" and "On This Night of a Thousand Stars", while ballads include "High Flying, Adored" and "Another Suitcase in Another Hall". Rock music includes "Oh What a Circus", "Peron's Latest Flame", and a song cut from the original production called "The Lady's Got Potential". The song was reinstated for the 1996 film with revised lyrics by Rice, and has also been used in Japanese,[11] Czech,[12] and Danish[13] stage productions to expand on Argentine history for audiences less familiar with the subject.
Tomas Eloy Martinez mentioned:
Che as well as Evita symbolise certain naïve, but effective, beliefs: the hope for a better world; a life sacrificed on the altar of the disinherited, the humiliated, the poor of the earth. They are myths which somehow reproduce the image of Christ.—Tomas Eloy Martinez[14]
The lyrics and storyline of the musical are based on Mary Main's biography, Evita: The Woman with the Whip, which drew heavily upon the accounts of anti-Peronist Argentines. Shortly after the musical appeared, Nicholas Fraser and Marysa Navarro published a more neutral account of Eva Perón's life, titled Evita: The Real Lives of Eva Perón, in which they claim 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 when she aspired to become a radio actress. Some critics also suggested that Rice's lyrics disparaged Evita's achievements unnecessarily, particularly her charity work. According to Navarro and Fraser, "it [Evita] was based for the most part on the earliest and seamiest versions of Evita's life, something happened to the tale in its retelling and the Evita who emerged each evening, dressed first as a teenager, then a hooker, and finally, in tulle and silver foil, as First Lady, was far from being sympathetic."[15]
Following the success of the film version of Evita, in 1996, the government of Argentina released its own film biography of Peron, titled Eva Perón: The True Story, asserting that it corrected distortions in the Lloyd Webber account.[16]
Evita opened at the Prince Edward Theatre on 21 June 1978 and closed on 8 February 1986, after 2,900 performances.[17] Elaine Paige played Eva with David Essex as Che and Joss Ackland as Perón.[18] Paige was selected from among many hopefuls, after Julie Covington declined the role. The production was directed by Harold Prince, choreographed by Larry Fuller, and produced by Robert Stigwood. Paige was succeeded by Marti Webb, Stephanie Lawrence, Siobhán McCarthy (who had played The Mistress when the show opened), Jacquey Chappell and lastly Kathryn Evans.[19] Gary Bond replaced David Essex as Che, then Mark Ryan, who had first starred as Magaldi, later assumed the role.
In his review in The Sunday Times, Derek Jewell called the show "quite marvelous" and described Lloyd Webber's "ambitious" score "an unparallelled fusion of 20th century musical experience" and Rice's lyrics as "trenchant" and "witty". Bernard Levin of The Times disliked it, however, calling it as an "odious artefact ... that calls itself an opera ... merely because the clichés between the songs are sung rather than spoken" and "one of the most disagreeable evenings I have ever spent in my life".[20]
This production won The Society of West End Theatre (S.W.E.T) award as Musical of the Year, and Elaine Paige won the award for Performance of the Year in a Musical. Harold Prince (Director of the Year) and David Essex (Performance of the Year in a Musical) received S.W.E.T. nominations.[21]
The show opened at the Broadway Theatre on 25 September 1979 and closed on 26 June 1983, after 1,567 performances and 17 previews. Patti LuPone starred as Eva, with Mandy Patinkin as Che, Bob Gunton as Perón, and Jane Ohringer as Peron's mistress. Harold Prince directed with choreography by Larry Fuller.[22] During the run, six actresses alternated playing the title role, in addition to LuPone: Terri Klausner, Nancy Opel, Pamela Blake (matinees), Derin Altay, Loni Ackerman and Florence Lacey (evenings).[23] David Cantor understudied Patinkin and performed as Che.
LuPone has stated about her time in Evita:" 'Evita' was the worst experience of my life,' she said. 'I was screaming my way through a part that could only have been written by a man who hates women. And I had no support from the producers, who wanted a star performance onstage but treated me as an unknown backstage. It was like Beirut, and I fought like a banshee.'"[24]
The musical's Spanish-language version premiered at the Teatro Monumental in Madrid on 23 December 1980, directed by Jaime Azpilicueta and with Paloma San Basilio as Eva, Patxi Andión as Che, Julio Catania as Perón, Tony Landa as Magaldi and Montserrat Vega as Perón's mistress. The song "No llores por mí, Argentina" became a hit single and was interpreted by singers like Nacha Guevara. The Spanish-language production later played in Barcelona and other cities, as well as in Latin American tours.
There have been numerous US and international touring productions of the show:
On 2 June 2006, the first major London production of Evita in 25 years opened in the West End at the Adelphi Theatre, directed by Michael Grandage with Argentine actress Elena Roger as Eva, Philip Quast as Perón and Matt Rawle as Che.[37] Its song list included "You Must Love Me", written for the 1996 film, which had never been part of an English-language stage production. The production opened to rave reviews, but ticket sales were slow, and the production closed on 26 May 2007, after a run of less than 12 months.[38] Quast and Roger received Olivier Award nominations for their performances in this revival.
The Stratford Shakespeare Festival produced Evita as its first rock musical from May 28 to November 6, 2010. The principal characters are played by Chilina Kennedy (Eva), Juan Chioran (Juan), and Josh Young (Che), with direction by Gary Griffin.[39][40]
A Broadway revival of the West End production of Evita is planned for Spring 2012 at the Marquis Theatre and Elena Roger is expected to play the title role, with Ricky Martin as Che, Michael Cerveris as Peron, direction by Michael Grandage and choreography by Rob Ashford.[41][42][43] The show is being produced by Hal Luftig and Scott Sanders, and the confirmed schedule is for rehearsals to begin mid-February 2012[44] with previews expected to begin in March and an official opening in April.[45]
A second Brazilian Production directed by Jorge Takla premiered at 'Teatro Alfa' in March 26 with Paula Capovilla as Evita, Daniel Boaventura as Perón and Fred Silveira as Che.
| Character | Original London Production | Original Broadway Production | 2006 London Revival | 2012 Broadway Revival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eva Perón | Elaine Paige | Patti LuPone | Elena Roger | Elena Roger |
| Che | David Essex | Mandy Patinkin | Matt Rawle | Ricky Martin |
| Perón | Joss Ackland | Bob Gunton | Philip Quast | Michael Cerveris |
| Perón's Mistress | Siobhán McCarthy | Jane Ohringer | Lorna Want | Rachel Potter |
| Magaldi | Mark Ryan | Mark Syers | Gary Milner | Max Von Essen |
Paige's replacements included Marti Webb, Stephanie Lawrence, Siobhán McCarthy, Jacquey Chappell, Kathryn Evans.
Alternate Evas in the London production who never inherited the role were Susannah Fellows, Maria Morgan. (Michelle Breeze, who was Elaine Paige's understudy (but not the alternate) went on to create the title role in the New Zealand production.)
Essex's replacements included Gary Bond, Mark Ryan, Martin Smith, Jimmy Kean.
Ackland's replacements included John Turner, Oz Clarke, Daniel Benzali.
Plans for a film developed soon after the West End and Broadway openings. It was to have starred Barbra Streisand or Liza Minnelli as Eva, and Barry Gibb or Elton John as Che, and was to have been directed by Ken Russell.[46] These plans never came to fruition.
It was not until 1996 that Evita came to the big screen. Alan Parker directed the film, 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," composed especially for the film).
| Year | Award Ceremony | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | The Society of West End Theatre | Best New Musical | Won | |
| Best Performer of the Year in a Musical | Elaine Paige | Won | ||
| Performance of the Year in a Musical | David Essex | Nominated | ||
| Director of the Year | Harold Prince | Nominated | ||
| Year | Award Ceremony | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Laurence Olivier Award | Outstanding Musical Production | Won | |
| Best Actor in a Musical | Philip Quast | Nominated | ||
| Best Actress in a Musical | Elena Roger | Nominated | ||
| Best Theatre Choreographer | Rob Ashford | Nominated | ||
Evita came in sixth in a BBC Radio 2 listener poll of the UK's "Number One Essential Musicals".[47]
One episode of The Simpsons, "The President Wore Pearls", has a plot loosely based on the musical, with Lisa Simpson in Eva's role. The episode includes parodies of songs such as "Don't Vote for Me, Kids of Springfield". At the end of the episode, a comical disclaimer is displayed stating, "On the advice of our lawyers, we swear we have never heard of a musical based on the life of Eva Perón".
During Glee, "Special Education", the characters Kurt Hummel and Rachel Berry sing "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina" when Kurt is auditioning for a solo in the Warblers for Regionals. In the season three episode "Hold On to Sixteen" A rival showchoir sings "Buenos Aires" as their competition piece.
At least 25 English language cast albums have been released, along with many foreign language recordings. There are currently four in Spanish, five German, three in Japanese, and two in Hebrew, with additional recordings in Czech, Danish, Dutch, French, Hungarian, Icelandic, Korean, Portuguese, and Swedish.[48]
Soprano Kiri Te Kanawa recorded a complete operatic version of the score with Christopher Lee as Peron. This recording, however, has never been released.
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