Although originally conceived as a record project, Evita
was destined from the beginning for the stage. Composer Andrew
Lloyd Webber and lyricist Tim Rice provide a rich score which
includes the internationally acclaimed hit "Don't Cry for
Me, Argentina" and lends itself to the highly theatrical
stylings of director Harold Prince. Because of the huge success
it had enjoyed in London (2,900 performances in its initial run),
the Broadway production of Evita was nearly sold out before
it even began.
The story of Evita, told entirely through song and
dance, follows the life of Argentina's infamous Eva Peron. It
begins in 1934 and follows the young girl from her small hometown
to Buenos Aires where she uses her feminine powers to climb the
ladder of success, first as a model, then an actress, and finally
as the wife of General Juan Peron. When Peron is elected president,
Eva becomes the most powerful woman in South America.
Evita opened its New York run at the Broadway Theatre
on September 25, 1979 with Patti LuPone in the lead and Mandy
Patinkin as the enigmatic Che Guevera. The production ran for
1,567 performances and spawned several touring companies. The
1996 screen version of Evita featured Madonna and Antonio
Banderas.
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