María Eva Duarte de Perón, better known as Evita or simply Evita, was an Argentine politician, activist, actress, and philanthropist who served as First Lady of Argentina from June 1946 until her death in July 1952. Born on May 7, 1919, in Los Toldos, Argentina, she was the second wife of Argentine President Juan Perón. Her legacy has been shrouded in myth, with the English-speaking world primarily known through the distorted lens of opposition politics.
Evita was more than just the First Lady of Argentina; she was the heart and soul of a nation. Her marriage to Colonel Juan Perón was a significant event in Argentina’s history. Evita was also the second wife of three famous Argentines: her husband President Juan Peron, footballer Diego Maradona, and footballer Diego Maradona.
The Evita Museum, housed in a 1923 mansion constructed for the Carabassa, is dedicated to Argentina’s iconic first lady and wife of President Juan Domingo Perón. The museum features a large steel image of María Eva Duarte de Perón, known as Evita, on both the north and south walls. The Evita Cultural Tour takes visitors to visit significant landmarks from Eva Peron’s life, such as the Retiro Train Station, Corrientes Avenue, and The Luna.
Recoleta Cemetery, Buenos Aires’ iconic landmark, is home to the Evita Museum, which showcases the life and legacy of one of the most famous women of Argentina, Eva Perón.
📹 Evita Peron’s “Mausoleum”, Buenos Aries, Argentina
This video goes to the Recoleta District and Cemetery, where Evita Peron is buried.
Which balcony did Eva Perón speak from?
The Casa Rosada Pink House, renowned for its balcony where Eva Perón delivered addresses to the public during the late 1940s and early 1950s, represents a pivotal moment in Argentine political history. The edifice constitutes a pivotal episode in the metropolis’s annals.
Where is the Evita balcony?
The Casa Rosada, a salmon-colored building on the Plaza de Mayo, is a popular attraction in Argentina, known for its balcony scenes from the late 1940s. The building is famous for Evita Perón’s address from the balcony, and Madonna sang the song “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” on it during a scene for the movie “Evita” in 1996. Free tours on weekends allow visitors to stand on the famous balcony and enjoy a great view of the Plaza de Mayo.
The Madres de Plaza de Mayo, a group of Argentine mothers, walk around the square every Thursday afternoon around 3:30 pm to protest the disappearance of their children under the military dictatorship from 1976 to 1983. Wearing white headscarves, the mothers walk in silence around the Pirámide to call attention to the unsolved disappearance of their children. Prices displayed are for one adult in USD, with taxes and surcharges included. Prices may vary depending on fare availability and additional baggage fees may apply.
Is there a monument to Evita Peron?
In 1952, the Argentine Congress approved a monument dedicated to the workers of Argentina, with a chapel containing a casket holding Eva Perón’s remains. Juan Carlos Pallarols, a renowned silversmith, was born in 1942 in Banfield, Buenos Aires Province. Born to a well-known Catalan silversmith, he began his apprenticeship at an early age and became an autodidact in his profession. His innate curiosity and the influence of his father Carlos and grandfather José, who were also silversmiths, draftsmen, and painters, enabled him to become an autodidact in his profession. Pallarols’ innovative spirit and investigative capacity have earned him national and international fame.
What is the most famous statue in Argentina?
The Christ the Redeemer of the Andes is a monument located in the Principal Cordillera of the Andes, at 3, 832 meters above mean sea level, on the border between Argentina and Chile. Unveiled on 13 March 1904, it symbolizes eternal peace and is believed to have been made from war cannons. Engraved at the feet in Spanish are the words, “Sooner shall these mountains crumble into dust than Chileans and Argentines break the peace which at the feet of Christ, the Redeemer, they have sworn to maintain”. The monument is believed to be made from war cannons, though some historians regard this as doubtful.
What is Eva Perón’s famous quote?
The website features the founder’s biography, which reveals that while admiring Eva, she is also passionate about the Peronist doctrine. After Perón’s ousting by the Liberating Revolution, any mention of him or his wife was banned, leading to a personality cult. Eva’s famous quote “my biggest fear in life is to be forgotten” supports this. She was obsessed with personifying these projects, neglecting her health for her work.
Acknowledging she could never have children, she adopted the population of Argentina as her own. The website’s biography and political output contain highs and lows, and whether a positive or negative opinion of her depends on the reader’s disposition.
Where does Evita take place?
In Buenos Aires, Argentina, the story begins with the announcement of the death of Eva Peron, the spiritual leader of the nation. The film takes viewers back in time to 1934, when Eva was 15 years old and had her first love affair with tango singer Agustin Magaldi. Despite warnings from her family, Eva eventually gives in and sings about her ambitions in Buenos Aires.
As she realizes he is married, she begins sleeping with anyone who will help her achieve her goal as an actress. The film also tells the changing political face of Argentina and the right-wing coup of 1943, with Colonel Peron climbing the political ladder.
At a charity concert, Eva meets Peron and they realize they can help each other out. As it becomes public knowledge that Peron and Eva are together, she faces disdain from the upper classes and the Army. In 1946, Peron begins his election race, which Eva assures will be successful. Together, they fight for “A New Argentina” and threaten to take down anyone who stands in their way.
What do Argentines think of Evita?
Many union members in Argentina view Evita as their patron or nostalgically look at her photos, believing she and her husband, Juan Domingo Perón, brought prosperity to their country through the Peronism movement. This movement, currently the largest opposition force in Argentina, is attributed to the recent election of President Javier Milei as a means to defeat Peronism and its previous hold on the presidency. Human rights director Julio Piumato believes Evita is the spiritual reservoir of the people.
What was Eva Perón famous for?
María Eva Duarte de Perón, also known as Eva Perón or Evita, was an Argentine politician, activist, actress, and philanthropist who served as First Lady of Argentina from June 1946 until her death in July 1952. Born in poverty in Los Toldos, she moved to Buenos Aires at the age of 15 to pursue a career in stage, radio, and film acting. Eva Perón became a central figure in Peronism and Argentine culture due to the Eva Perón Foundation, a charitable organization that had a significant impact on Argentine society.
In 1944, she met Colonel Juan Perón during a charity event in San Juan, Argentina. They married the following year and Perón was elected President of Argentina in 1946. Over the next six years, Eva Perón became powerful within pro-Peronist trade unions, advocating for labor rights and championing women’s suffrage. She also founded the Women Peronist Party and ran the Ministries of Labor and Health.
In 1951, Eva Perón announced her candidacy for the Peronist nomination for Vice President of Argentina, receiving support from the Peronist political base and low-income and working-class Argentines. However, opposition from the military and bourgeoisie and her declining health forced her to withdraw her candidacy. In 1952, she was given the title of “Spiritual Leader of the Nation of Argentina” by the Argentine Congress.
What is the theme of someone named Eva?
In “Someone Named Eva,” the protagonist, Milada, navigates the loss and rediscovery of her identity during the Nazi occupation. She does so by focusing on her family heritage and the small Czech community, which serve as microcosms of her identity.
Who is the most respected person in Argentina?
A survey conducted between December 2018 and June 2019 revealed that Argentine soccer player Lionel Messi is the most admired man in Argentina, followed by former NBA basketball player Manu Ginóbili with an admiration score of 12. 67 percent. The survey was conducted by YouGov, which gathered open-ended nominations from panelists across 41 countries, asking them to name the person they most admire.
The 20 men and 20 women who received the most nominations were nominated in at least four countries. An additional 10 popular local figures were added to the lists for individual countries. The results were combined into a percentage share of admiration.
What is Mrs Peron’s nickname?
Many great leaders in history have strived to make the world a better place to live in. Some of the most significant leaders include Eva Peron, the second wife of Juan Perón, the President of Argentina, and her First Lady from 1946 until 1952. Eva’s character, compassion, and kindness etched her image in the minds of Argentines and the world during the 1940s and 1950s.
Evita’s dream of becoming an actress was changed when she met Juan Perón, who was the Secretary of Labor and Social Welfare and aspired to become the President. Together, they campaigned for Juan’s presidency, which was popular with the working class due to their focus on workers’ rights and welfare.
Elite figures were threatened by Juan’s arrest before the election, but after protests, he was freed, allowing him to gain victory in the Presidential Election of 1946. Call on courage and embrace inner leadership to be the change you want to see.
📹 Staged Right: The Creation of Evita
This episode goes in depth to talk about the inception of “Evita” as a concept album, becoming a landmark musical in the British …
I have rediscovered the Original EVITA White Album after more than 40 years, and while I admit that back then, I considered the Original American Recording the definitive and superior version and the White Album just an early experiment, now I am completely and absolutely blown away by Colm Wilkinson as Che! I also truly appreciate hearing the early lyrical incarnations and orchestrations before they evolved into the EVITA that Hal Prince eventually brought to Broadway. I saw the Original Broadway Production of EVITA with Derin Altay as Eva, a week after Patti LuPone had left the show. I knew what I was missing, but nonetheless, it was the most dazzling stage craft I have ever experienced to this day. EVITA marked a distinct pinnacle for Weber and Rice, and its brilliance would never again be creatively matched or realized by either of them in future endeavors. It is their Masterpiece. Patti LuPone will always be the ultimate Eva for me. She just nails every moment and every note on the American Cast Recording, but she also gives us a virtual acting performance. She actually acts the role in tandem with her powerhouse vocal abilities. What sets Patti LuPone apart from all the other Evas, then and since, is the fact that yes, she is a magnificent and dynamic singer, and yes, a great dancer in her day, but hands down, without question, she is the superior actress to all of them. That’s why no one will ever be able to touch Patti LuPone’s performance in EVITA. It is one for the ages.
I’m spanish and I saw EVITA by Patti Lupone in New York in 1979. I was there on holidays with my parents that night it was my 16 birthday. I will never forget it. Thank you Pa, Ma and Patti. I still have the ShowBill. Next day we went to the Manhattan Theater Club to see Nacha Guevara!!!! OMG!!!! both shows changed my life
Hi, antiperonist argentinian here. Thank you for your excellent and respectful analysis. As many other argentinians, I’ve had a complicated relationship with the musical -separating the art from the people that inspired it isn’t easy, and Evita remains a controversial figure here. Your article was very informative and well made. Thank you for sharing it!
When “Evita” came to Los Angeles, my parents had to get tickets a year in advance, that’s how hot this show was. I had the Broadway cast album with LuPone and Patinkin and had the entire score memorized. I never thought of Eva Peron as a sympathetic figure. Thank you for such an in depth look at this show!
I´m from Argentina, …When everyone talk about that iconic speach in the balcony of the Casa Rosada the fact is, in real life, she never did taht speach in the Casa Rosada. That last speach before she died was in another building in the 9 de Julio Av. Andrew Lloyd Weber thought that was better moved that speah to Casa Rosada.
I’m glad you mentioned newer interpretations of the show, like Sammi Canold’s. As much as I love Evita as it started out, the fact remains that it’s the story of a Latin American woman filtered through the perspective of two English men. (Who were going on the only English-language biography available at the time–a very anti-Eva-biased book called The Woman With The Whip.) That’s probably why it comes off as “wasn’t Eva horrible for using her body to get ahead?”, while interpretations like Sammi Canold’s lean more into, “wasn’t Argentine society horrible for leaving an intelligent and ambitious woman with no options BUT to use her body to get ahead?”
Saw it in London in 1985. The scene that stands out the most is “The Art of the Possible” with the musical chairs and generals; I thought that was a brilliant piece of theater and a demonstration of how less can be a lot more. I didn’t know enough about musicals at the time to make note of who was in the title role, but I’m fairly sure it wasn’t Elaine Paige by then.
“Evita” is probably my favorite musical and I was able to catch Loni Ackerman filling the role on Broadway before it closed. I had the extreme honor of directing it about fifteen years ago and, as tumultuous as it was, would do it again at the drop of a hat … provided I knew there was at least one actress out there capable of the task. I’ve seen too many productions that have fallen woefully short of doing it justice. I’m not a fan of Elaine Paige’s talent, though she was impressive in “Piaf,” and Madonna … my stomach just does flips when I recall her saying, “No one can do it but me.” Awful. No, LuPone set the bar and I have yet to see anyone come close. That aside, I, too, obsessively researched the actual Eva Peron and was left just about as bewildered as everyone else, including this narrator.
Thank you for uploading this on the day I saw my first production of Evita. Absolutely loved it. One thing I’ll share is that during “Dont Cry for Me Argentina” I did shed a tear as she walked to the microphone as I was so taken in by the beauty. And then I had one following thought..” oh my God, I’m falling for it like everyone else”. Glad my instinct was right hahaha
I saw Elaine Paige in the London production. I walked away thinking there were two great songs — High Flying Adored and Another Suitcase. The staging of Dangerous Jade stuck with me, too. I later heard the concept album which really made me sit up. Covington’s voice has a dryness to it that I think produces the Brechtian distance Prince talked about.
Julie Covington is an intriguing figure in musical theatre, such a beautiful voice. I don’t know why she wasn’t featured in the original london cast recording of Rocky Horror, perhaps that’s also an interesting story. She’s also the only person who I believe is able to successfully cover a Kate Bush song, The Kick Inside.
Really excellent episode. Incredible amount of work. When I was 20- 21 in 1976/77, I discovered the original album. At that age, at that time, any depth about the politics of Evita, escaped my consciousness. I remember in my apartment in West Hollywood blasting, “The Lady’s got potential’, until I got complaints from the neighbors. When Patti LuPone came to the LA production, I was fortunate enough to see Patti Lupone in it. However, I honestly always liked the OG album better than all versions. When the movie came out I waited several months (right before they would pull it)to see in in Suburban Santa Rosa, at the Airport 8….small screen. Why did Madonna “speak” the speech, instead of singing, on the Casa Rosada, after DCMA? Who’s decision was that? Isn’t Evita a Rock Opera? It left me feeling a little unsettled. It was better than I could have imagined though. Again I really enjoyed how thorough your episode is.
I’ve been perusal “Santa Evita” on Hulu—a show created by an Argentinian studio. Judging by their depiction of Evita, the issue is that she was relentless. She was like an attack dog—once she latched onto something, she would never let go. Whether it was Juan Peron himself, or women’s suffrage, or helping anyone she could with her foundation, she wouldn’t stop until she got what she wanted. She was fiercely loyal to whatever she latched onto.
Barbara Dickson wasn’t – at this point – a theatre actress. She had emerged from the Scottish folk revival of the late 1960s but it was her exceptional performance singing Beatles songs in Willy Russell’s hard hitting play ‘John Paul, George, Ringo…and Bert’ which made her a star. Robert Stigwood immediately signed her to his RSO label and just months later she hit the UK top 10 with her single ‘Answer Me.’ Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber had seen Barbara Dickson in JPGRB and were hugely impressed and at one point considered her for the role of Evita. Dickson doesn’t however have the ‘belting’ voice required but was perfect for the role of the mistress. In 1977 ‘Another Suitcase in Another Hall’ hit the UK top 20 given Dickson her second hit and cementing a career that continues to reverberate. In 1983 she won an Olivier Award for creating the role of Mrs Johnstone in Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers. In 1985 she had a UK No 1 hit with I know Him so Well (with Elaine Paige) from the ABBA/Tim Rice show ‘Chess.’ In 1999 she won a second Olivier Award for her performance as Viv Nicholson in ‘Spend Spend Spend’. She continues to be a hugely successful live artist and is an accomplished musician and song writer.
I love your article, especially your statement that we should still be aware of the warnings shared through the musical. I’m a Filipino and I do see similarities between the Perons and the Marcoses. This is why I was shocked that the son of former president Marcos is now the current president of the Philippines. Theater, like any other forms of literature, can sadly be used as propaganda for certain groups, the purpose to glorify and to change the narrative. I hope people would understand that even though these people did do good things, they still committed atrocious acts. “Humanizing” a contentious figure is such a complex subject, a double-edged sword.
You just explained to me my own experience with Evita, which I saw in a Chicago production that both thrilled me and turned me off. I’ve never quite understood my feelings about it but I think Jesse Green’s review hits the mark exactly for me. Thank you for all the information, insight, and honest thought process that you obviously put into this article. You just earned my ‘sub’. Can’t wait to watch more of your content!
IMHO, it was the television advertising campaign that really sold this play and made it (and Patti Lupone) such a huge success. Who could ever forget the shot of Patti Lupone singing “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina” on the balcony of the Casa Rosado? Or remember anything more about the spot other than that particular shot? Elaine Paige, who? That image was emblazoned in the minds of many and it was definitely money well spent! On another note… which was probably never even considered or would have never happened given the times (or she couldn’t sing it), but… I always wondered what and how Diana Ross (in her prime) could have done with that one shot for her career and the notoriety of the show. I mean… if nothing else, Ross can surely wear a ball gown and bring the regalness and gravitas required of that moment.
There are a number of conflicting reports (even by Rice himself) as to whether Che was intended to be staged as Guevara (even though the character’s concept album story was based on him) but it was Prince who insisted on the revolutionary image. The UK has had a number of revivals of Evita over the years, one of the more recent directed by Jamie Lloyd. Of course, the first West End revival was quite different to Prince’s original and very definitely had Che as an everyman (this revival made it to Broadway in 2012). You appear to have some contacts so I look forward to how you deal with Chess 😉
As an original cast member in both the London & Broadway versions, I found this intensely interesting. Thank you for it. But I do have a question. After all the wonderful coverage of Elaine and Patti, I wondered why you didn’t mention that it was in the papers that Hal had wanted to fire both of them. In London it was in the Observer, the week before we opened entitled, The Che & Eva show. The journalists had followed us through the rehearsal process and interviewed pretty much however they wanted. Apparently Hal wanted to bring Bonnie in but Tim & Andrew said no. And in LA it was in Suzi’s New York column. In both cities we had emergency company meetings full of tears with Hal having to build up his actresses and assure the casts that he was now firmly behind his leading ladies, that they had improved dramatically etc. In London it was unfortunate, but when Peppi and I were again at such a meeting in LA we sort of wondered. Was there manipulation here? I would love to get your take on this. PS: Elaine and Patti were wonderful to work with. At least that was my personal experience. As were Susannah and Terri.
I Saw Patty LuPone twice in her LA run…The first was a Saturday Matinee. Then I saw it right before it was leaving LA. She was really good. But the first performance I couldn’t get over how different it was from the album, and Julie Covington. Especially except for the album, During “On The Balcony of the Casa Rosada”, she sings her speech like an opera, but the PL version was spoken on pitch, instead. It threw me for a loop the first time I saw it, but It was incredible. I noticed that Elain Paige was singing the speech. I’ll have to revisit that cast album. Very Very Good, Incredibly thorough documentary film. Thank you so much.
Even though I am not a director by any means, I have always had this idea in my head that I would love to stage this with a female Che. That would give me the chance to explore two differing women’s roles in the contentious postwar years—the supportive perfect wife (who actually is the force behind the throne) or the rebel struggling to be heard while both are fighting against traditional female roles. The most lingering image I have is the choreography for A Waltz for Che and Eva—a mirror dance for the two women instead of a traditional waltz. Che’s bitterness towards Eva would be even more loaded with meaning.
Perón wasn’t a dictator, he was democratically elected president every single time. He was participant in a dictatorship, and he wasn’t shy In using his support group against his enemies, but still, once elected president, he stride for a just democracy. But don let it be misunderstood, everyone in power supports democracy, if it’s of benefit to them, independently of which country they from. It’s the same for every system of power, no one that holds power in for example Saudi Arabia sees a full democracy as a good change, their continuation of power is guaranteed in that system. There’s a balance between those in power and those who are not, it’s a matter of who in power hold the support of the other. Change can only be achieved when a conflictive group, in the population, has no support for those who are in power. Greetings form Argentina by the way 🇦🇷 👋
Great content as usual 👏🏼 just want to add that I would love it if you were to cover the life and career of Elaine Paige in one of your articles. I feel sometimes she can be somewhat overlooked compared to her broadway peers. Probably due to her mostly being a West End star. She was truly a trailblazer in musical theatre and a powerhouse talent- both as a singer and actor. As well-researched and well-edited as your articles are, I’m certain it would make for great viewing!
I wish you had mentioned the recent Evita production that was boycotted as the director refused to cast Latino actors in the roles. Because of that boycott a lot of Evita productions (including the 2019 one you mentioned) have finally cast Latino actors in the roles to avoid bad publicity. Evita is the only musical with an Argentine/Hispanic woman at the center. The late 90s revival (which wanted to cash in on the Latin-English crossover of the 90s) that unfortunately failed to make it to Broadway was the first production to see Evita as a Latin American show with Latin American people rather than by 2 UK men. And a bunch of people still call that production a masterpiece! Elena Roger faced a lot of flack because of her accent even though that’s literally what Eva would’ve sounded like. It was also nice to finally not have a gringa who couldn’t pronounce “Buenos Aires” correctly.
You do these soooo well, you’re so inspiring! Watched it several times already and having you tell me about Eva, her legacy and the making of the musical makes it almost ok that I was embarrassingly unaware of “Evita” before. And your Spanish pronunciation is great! 😁 thank you thank you thank you for the hours you put into this, it’s a labor of love and it really shows. Yay StagedRight! 🩵🩵
I am Argentine by birth. My mom, dad and I migrated from Buenos Aires to the USA in 1964, almost 2.5 months after The Beatles first visit and 5 months after President Kennedy’s assassination, quite a turbulent time. I was 7. Although Argentina is a democracy and political unrest is a daily given, we’d migrated for economic reasons. The cost of living in Bs. As. was skyrocketing and jobs and living quarters were increasingly hard to find. The Paris of South America was going thru a growth spurt. My mom had told me quite a bit about Evita and Peronists as she’d lived thru this in her late teens and early twenties. She wasn’t into politics but her father was and many of his friends were always in discussions around her while growing up. She didn’t like the woman and she didn’t like Peron and avoided any discussion like the plague. It was very dangerous to express any criticism. Evita indeed had the nation entirely fooled and people followed her blindly. It seemed to me that it was like the early days of Hitler (or any leader of that sort) who creates such a frenzy that it’s hard for anyone to stay cool and get perspective. Hence “The crowd is fickle, it can be manipulated.” . Imagine, years later, finding out a musical had been written about this complex and intriguing woman. Well, we both loved it! All in all, it is just a very broad sketch, but then how much can one capture in two hours? Of course, I’m lucky having all this “insider” information so I can fill in the blanks without even trying.
Thank you for your honesty concerning Madonna’s portrayal of Eva. Everyone I know loves it, but they hadn’t heard the other iterations and productions. They hadn’t heard Julie Covington or Elaine Paige or Patti Lupone, so they had never heard Lloyd Webber’s score as it was originally intended. Anyone familiar with the previous incarnations of Eva knows how challenging the score is and how it had to be dummied down to fit Madonna’s range. You cited how the score had to be modulated down to fit her voice, but it was also slowed down a bit, in my opinion slowing down the whole of the story, the whole of the film. Not saying Madonna was horrible, but it’s obvious the 1996 film was entirely a Madonna vehicle. No one was going to toss her aside for the sake of an actress whose range better fit the score. So thank you for that. I thought I was the only one of my generation who saw that, or at least the only one without a pedigree in musical theatre.
My friend Chris Lloyd Pack was Company Manager on the original – his brother Roger was in the beloved sitcom ONLY FOOLS AND HORSES. Their Father was Charles Lloyd Pack a great character actor. Our friend the late Ant Bowles was the original Musical Director and I’m pretty sure was the orchestral arranger. I was therefore very lucky enough to see it from vantage points on the stage and audience. Hal Prince kept a tight grip on the discipline of the show and would dive in unannounced on a matinee for instance. There are many backstage stories on this show and Chris required the tact and skills of a diplomat in delivering the notes. Even pop star Kathy Kirby apparently auditioned. Our MISSING PIECES company choreographer Richard Marcel choreographed for MADONNA in the movie … even more tact required!
I knew Miss Lapone because my very dear friend and former roommate while living in NYC back in the 90’s was a dresser and wardrobe supervisor on several of Miss Lapone shows, the last was Noices Off which I saw and assume didn’t like because I remember nothing about it. Miss Lapone and my dear friend worked at the Broadway Cares charities together and so they knew each other well and I was in the company of Miss Lupone several tjmes. A couple years later she came to my home town Buffalo NY to perform with the Buffalo Philharmonic in one of her supposed favorite concert venues Kleinhans Music Hall. My Lupone obsessed gay friends dragged me to see her and had to since they paid for my ticket. After waking me up when the concert was over they stalked the back stage door for her to emerge. She of course talked to everyone which is something a lot of stars of her caliber don’t do. I approached her with the thought she’d immediately recognize me and throw me a hug. But she didn’t. “Who?” I reminded her after a couple of names I threw her and situations as a reminder and she barely remembered. She looked at me with a blank stare. Now I’m someone they Elaine Stritch remembererd 2 years after meeting her so the Lupone snub was unforgivable! Lol
I enjoyed the movie, but having seen it with Lupone on Broadway, I came to the conclusion that Madonna’s voice couldn’t really handle the part. Certainly not “8 shows a week, 2 matinee”. I found the more technical information and her character intention informative and interesting, but that leads me to the idea that Madonna WANTED the part and offered up the interpretation as a fig leaf to her actually knowing her voice couldn’t handle it
This entirely missed a little nuance about Evita’s album launch in 1976 and the London opening in June 1978 – the fact that this was also the time of the FIFA Football World Cup (soccer) being held in Argentina. When the album/single were released in Nov 1976 the qualification competitions were already under way. Thus there was a real interest about Argentina being built up within the British public. The show’s opening in June 1978 was in the middle of the World Cup down in Argentina, which ran from 1st – 15th June. I don’t know if this juxtaposition was deliberate or pure serendipity, being a total cynic I am inclined to lean toward the former – though I am entirely without anything other than a reliance upon my own gut call here.
I don’t trust LuPone regarding Hal Prince at all. While I am aware that Hal’s directorial manner in rehearsal could be theatrically bipolar, her vitriol toward him is an outlier in any account of his relationships with actors and the various creative staff members worked with. His enthusiasms and irritations could get the best of him, but LuPone’s issues strike me as self indulgent victimhood, which is her knee jerk behavior.
Just found your website. I remember seeing Evita on its first run through Chicago. I was barely 20 at the time, and, like most theater goers, barely knew who Eva Peron was. On the way home from the theater, my father, a World War II veteran, connected the dots of fascism for me. It was an exhilarating evening of theater, followed by the sobering realization of just how awful the Peron regime was. It was a cautionary tale back then, when movie star Reagan was in the White House. And, even more-so, it is a cautionary tale now. “Star Quality” is a very dangerous thing.
An aside to this fascinating story – yes, Jewison’s version of ‘Superstar’ in 1973 (which remains for me the best interpretation – due in no small part to Jewison’s collaboration with screenwriter Melvyn Bragg) was controversial (but only moderately so to an older generation in the English speaking world)…but fifty years later its almost hard to see why: I can’t think of a document that revitalizes to relevance the image of Christ more…
Perón, you like him or not, was not a fascist dictator. A dictator is someone who reaches power through force or in other words was not elected by popular vote. He was, in 1946, 1951 and in 1973, by more of 60 per cent of the votes. There was also always a Congress in session, even though most of their members were fanatic loyal of Perón. USA in 2016 like, with Trump. He would have been technically a tyrant with yes, fashionable in those days with marked fascist tendencies, with no racial intentions.😊 I as an Argentinian, I am tired of this misinformation.
Evita is maybe one of my favorite musicals, probably for all of the reasons you highlighted in the last chapter of your article. There’s something about the woman that compels us even as the woman herself eludes understanding – which can be read as a glorification as much as it can be a reflection of our own selves. Also, I feel that the exciting, engaging music of the book that can sweep an audience right past the action reflects a very 20th century sense of fascism/dictatorships as an emotional state of being – shades of “Triumph of the Will”.
I got to see the 2023 production in DC a few months ago and was ultimately disappointed. the cast was stellar! However, it’s clear to me that Rice and Webber aren’t really equipped to tell a story about a Latin American woman. I left the theatre frustrated at how little I’d learned about Peron. I think the show could use a rewrite, perhaps by an Argentinan woman!
4:22 She was not the wife of a “fascist dictator”. I’ve had enough of that stupid misconception. First, he was not a dictator but a democratically elected president. Not only once, but twice (1946 and 1952). Second, even if there were some similarities, his government policies had nothing in common with the Italian Fascist regime. Check your facts better next time.
MMmm 2nd thing: the film by Esther Goris is sooo accurate with the actual Evita. The musical not, the Madonna film is more accurate with the real Evita. In USA and England there are som cliches about latin world that are tremendous! E.G. in the original Evita the song of Magaldi is a bolero a kind of song from Cuba and his costume is caribean, nothing to do with Argentina, only after the Spain EVITA that song was performed as an argentine milonga. In the musical Candide performed by Patti Lupone, the cast has to flee from East Europe to Spain and they sing “I am easily assimilated” it is suppossed they pretend being spaniards but the director of the performance dresses them in mexican costumes. So for Anglo-saxon people it seems that Cuba Argentina Mexico and Spain are the same thing, and no. NO no no, we talk so different and our traditional costumes and music are soooooo different. I met once Lony Ackerman in CATS in New York and she told me that for preparing her role of Evita for New York she received a lot of EVITA worldwide discs in many languages and she chose the spanish one for giving shape to her role.
I think having three Eva’s would be a kind of interesting directorial choice, especially when you think about songs like The Waltz for Eva and Che, with Eva interacting for the only time with the narrator. Perhaps there could’ve been a number where the three interact like that. Or they could appear to her in Lament, or pop up in crowds as the ghosts of her past or future. Edit: oh they kind of do that, but it’d be super cool to expand on it.
Interesting summation. I do hate this latter day equivocation about shows like Evita; i.e. the attitute that I’m enlightened enough to understand Eva Peron was a complex and arguably evil person, but the ignorant plebs in the audience may be taken in by treatment. It’s so condescending. I’m really sick of this kind of superciliousness. And really, TDS?
The narrator is incorrect in his biased history. Peron did not kill thousands per the historical evidence. Peron himself referred to himself as a Vegetarian Lion. Joseph Page who wrote one of the most comprehensive books ever written about the man and Robert E Crassweller who also wrote the excellent “Peron and the Enigmas of Argentina” also contradict this claim that he was a murderous dictator as does the Eva Peron scholar Maryssa Navarro (to name just a few). Especially during the first Peronist period when Eva was at his side. I would love to see his non existent sources as to where he got that data from – that he killed THOUSANDS. Even John Barnes, who wrote a pretty vitriolic biography of Eva Peron in 1978 stated Peron “did not kill his enemies”. This dude must have his dictators mixed up. If he wants to look at someone in the musical who ACTUALLY killed people per the historical evidence, look no further than Che Guevara. The one character the musical portrays sympathically. But of course he looked great plastered on T-shirts so let’s turn a blind eye to his participation in the execution of hundreds of men and let’s turn the glamourous blonde who’s good deeds are still on display in Argentina into the monster. Misogyny is a hell of a drug. It is amazing to me that despite numerous, I would say countless books written about the Perons and especially Eva Peron since the 1970’s, people are still repeating this incorrect nonsense and rumours as facts.
I love Madonna, but I prefer my Eva more like Patti. She’s like a snake unhinging her jaws the way she ATTACKS that music. Like all of Lloyd Webber’s work, I feel it always works better for me when camp is allowed in and Patti snarling and barking through the role (not to mention Mandy yowling like a feral tom cat for 2 hours) serves the material more than the visually gorgeous but flat film did. I think I’ve watched Patti’s Mike Douglas Rainbow High and the New Argentina Tonys performance more than I can count and I scream in gay every time.
“Evita” is a ridiculous, false musical that does not understand the character of Eva Perón, a great woman who fought all the time against the military, the church and the horrible Argentine aristocracy. That’s why I think Madonna understood her character perfectly and not the previous overacting and even comical actresses who pantomimed the character just to ridicule Eva.