On the 21st of June 2018, it will be 40 YEARS since Tim Rice & Andrew Lloyd Webber’s iconic musical ‘Evita’ premiered in London’s West End. Elaine Paige was selected from many hopefuls to originate the role of Eva with David Essex as Che, Joss Ackland as Perón, and Siobhán McCarthy as the Mistress.
The 1978 West End production of the iconic musical was not only a critical and commercial success it also generated a Top 20 album with the original London cast which attained double platinum certification from the BPI (for sales of 600,000 units in the UK). A digitally re-mastered edition of this musical masterpiece is available now on CD, iTunes and Spotify.
“THE ROLE of Eva Peron has all the ingredients of tragic opera. Like Tosca and Violetta in ‘La Traviata’, Eva rose to fame and died a tragic, premature death. Politics, passion and glamour – no wonder the story inspired one of the most popular musicals of all time.
The extraordinary “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina” is much more than a hit song. It is a key part of the plot. It provides one of the most dramatic scenes in the show; on the balcony of the Pink Palace in Buenos Aires, During rehearsals the great American impresario and director, Hal Prince, urged me to think of the song not only as a great tune, but also as a major political speech. ‘Be forceful. Strong. Look the audience in the eye and make your point.’ I follow his advice to this very day every time I sing it.
Getting the title role in a new Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice musical would change my life forever! Thank heavens Eva Peron was only 5’2′! ” – ELAINE PAIGE OBE
EVITA
(Original London Cast Recording)
- Requiem For Evita
- Oh! What A Circus/Requiem (David Essex & Elaine Paige)
- On This Night Of A Thousand Stars (Mark Ryan)
- Buenos Aires (Elaine Paige)
- Goodnight And Thank You (David Essex & Elaine Paige)
- I’d Be Surprisingly Good For You (Joss Ackland & Elaine Paige)
- Another Suitcase In Another Hall (David Essex & Siobhan McCarthy)
- New Argentina (Joss Ackland, David Essex & Elaine Paige)
- Don’t Cry For Me Argentina (Elaine Paige)
- High, Flying Adored (David Essex & Elaine Paige)
- Rainbow High (Elaine Paige)
- And The Money Kept Rolling In (And Out) (David Essex)
- Waltz For Eva And Che (David Essex & Elaine Paige)
- She Is A Diamond (Joss Ackland)
- Lament (David Essex & Elaine Paige)
