[.ca] Evita

Re-mastered CD of the orignal concept album:
Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice had success by releasing their JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR on records first, and then fine-tuning the piece for the stage: A try-out in the recording studio. They followed the same path with EVITA which was launched on an unsuspecting public in 1976 with little fanfare. They sent the album to Hal Prince who agreed to stage it in London and ..well you know the rest! MCA's re-mastered edition of this first EVITA album has outstanding sound quality. The recoding stars Julie Covington and Colm Wilkinson (it also known as "The White Evita" due to its all-white cover) and has the best orchestra: The London Philharmonic..far larger than any theatre orchestra ... but the show had not reached its final form, and you will hear lyrics and songs that did not appear in the stage production. So if you want the full show as it plays on stage, the American cast with Patti LuPone is the one to get. Given my less enthusiastic reviews of some of Lord Lloyd Webber's later shows (CATS, PHANTOM, SUNSET BLVD) I feel the need to explain where I am coming from. Maybe it will reduce the hate e-mails I get! It's a shame that Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice ended their partnership after EVITA as it is their finest theatrical score. JOSEPH & SUPERSTAR have their moments but neither is fully satisfying on stage. I am a professional theatre reviewer, and I attended EVITA early in its Broadway run. At the time it appeared both well written and brilliantly staged and has stood up well to many repeated viewings. Some years later I interviewed Hal Prince and he told me that EVITA was one of the easiest shows he ever staged. "It was like thread coming off a spool," he explained noting that everything fell into place in the first few rehearsals. At the time, everyone looked forward to new and perhaps even bolder shows from the team but apparently Andrew Lloyd Webber wanted all his shows to be just that: ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER shows and that was his downfall. As a composer, he is capable of creating wonderful melodies, but he does not understand how to use music effectively or even where to use it in a show. CATS was an interesting idea, beautifully staged but lacking a point of view. We spend two and a half hours to learn that "a cat is not a dog." Still the spectacle and the strong performances kept the show running for years and sold a lot of records and Cds. STARLIGHT EXPRESS was a mess staged on dazzling sets. It is the most unlistenable score ever encountered on Broadway, and folded as one of Broadway's most expensive failures. SONG AND DANCE yielded half a good show: The song cycle was an interesting story with some good songs. The Dance segment (set to Lloyd Webbers Variations on a Paganini's A-minor caprice) was dull and pointless. The show ran a year on Broadway but was never a popular hit. PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, however, is a popular hit. The score is lush with beautiful melodies but terrible lyrics muddled the storytelling. Did the authors even bother to read the novel? Audiences have responded well to the romance and the chandelier...but does anyone unfamiliar with the novel understand all that is going on? ASPECTS OF LOVE contains some of Lord Lloyd Webber's most beautiful songs, but also some needless recitative: Why sing lines that could be more effectively spoken? The slim novel offered paper-thin characters but with an intelligent book and lyrics the show could have been so much more interesting. Here the book and lyrics were just plain dull. The show lasted barely a season losing millions of dollars. Seeing a trend, I approached SUNSET BLVD with trepidation. The Billy Wilder film is a personal favorite, and when the orchestra struck up the prelude, that wonderful setting of Norma's theme, hopes were rising that this would be a great stage musical. Alas, it was not. None of the songs seemed to settle on tone. The film's dialogue became more of that same awful recitative that spoiled ASPECTS OF LOVE with the plot stopping now and then to punch in a 3-minute aria that only recapitulated what had just been covered. As it turned out Webber was unable to write a fresh score this time out (too busy counting his millions?) and recycled a number of trunk songs. Over-produced and hopelessly over budget, SUNSET BOULVARD would close all productions (London, New York, Toronto and the tour) as huge financial failures. Were audiences finally catching on to the fact that Webber needs better co-authors? Specifically he must work with a book writer and a lyricist who can develop interesting characters and stories. Which brings us back to EVITA. Here was character that was indeed fascinating and controversial. Webber found the right musical voice for Eva, Che, Peron and the rest, and with Tim Rice and Hal Prince - he found collaborators who could bring out the best in each other!

The only really good version of "Evita":
In its concept form, Andrew Llyod Webber and Tim Rice's "Evita" still had some genuine rock n' roll grit to it. This disappeared when the musical went to the West End and Broadway - its edges were softened, the instrumentation was changed, and it became completely a "pop opera". Nothing wrong with that - I just think that rock music is a more appropriate medium than pop to tell a story as serious as that of Eva Peron. People spend so much time gushing over Webber's tunes that they fail to notice what Tim Rice achieved when he wrote the book for "Evita" - he created a mainstream musical with a complex, well-developed, and above all compelling main character. It is a shame, then, that the actresses who play Eva so rarely do her justice. Patti LuPone and Elaine Paige, of the Broadway and London casts respectively, are both phenomenal singers. However, either through lack of interest or lack of acting prowess, they failed to bring out the nuances of Eva's character. (This goes for Madonna too.) As played by them, Eva came off as a strong-willed, assertive woman. However, the character Tim Rice wrote is more interesting than that: She is a brilliant manipulator of the people around her, and a ruthless pragmatist. Julie Covington brings out these layers. Her voice is not sweet, but it's pleasant enough to listen too. Her Spanish pronounciation is admittedly a nightmare. But she ACTS the part like no one else, and for me, that is most significant. "Evita" is after all a piece of theater. Aside from Covington, the rest of the cast on this album is more than solid. Colm Wilkinson, of "Les Miserables" fame, brings a scathing sense of humor to the part of Che. Barbara Dickson sings the definitve version of "Another Suitcase in Another Hall". And the soloist in "And the Money Kept Rolling..." displays an amazing range. Ultimately, though, the reason I recommend this album above the other recordings of "Evita" is not because of the orchestration or the cast. It is because of the material on this disc which one cannot find anywhere else. This material includes some of Che's caustic asides to the audience about Eva. In each subsequent version of "Evita", more and more of Che's criticism of Eva was cut - so that by the time the film was made in '96, "Evita" had gone from a critical study of its title character to a mindless celebration of her. The other two pieces of music found exclusively on this album are "Eva's Sonnet" and "Eva's Lament". The former is a decent song where Eva launches her campaign to be the vice president of Argentina. The latter (which appears in a horribly truncated form on later recordings) is Eva's last reflection on her life before she dies. It contains some of the most beautiful lyrics Tim Rice ever wrote, set to a lovely recapitulation of the "Requiem for Evita" theme by Andrew Llyod Webber. In her "Lament" Eva finally reveals what has motivated her throughout her life - like all celebrities, she desires love. Only on her deathbed does she realize that having crowds' love was irrelevant - had she chosen to live her life in obscurity, with the love of family and friends, she might have been happier. "Remember, I was very young then, Thought I needed the numbers on my side. Thought the more that loved me the more loved I'd be But such things cannot be multiplied. Oh my daughter! Oh my son! Understand what I have done." This compelling take on Eva's character was lost in the stage and film versions of "Evita", where she remains without a real motivation for the entire musical. One more thing: I should point out that the reviewer "from the Pacific Northwest" is in error: It is no myth that the Perons were fascists. The Peronist government was a dictatorship based on Juan and Eva Peron's cult of personality. In addition, the Perons gave shelter to many German fascists who were fleeing Europe after the Allied victory in World War II. It is true that Che Guevera and Eva Peron never met, but the musical never suggests that they did. Whether the character Che is actually Che Guevera or not is left ambiguous. And the scene where he "meets" Eva takes place outside of the plot of the musical - their duet is a surreal piece of theater meant to illustrate their clashing ideologies. Webber and Rice's portrayal of their characters in "Evita" is thus quite correct.

Take it for what it is:
I purchased this CD after familiarizing myself with both the Original Broadway Cast Recording and the movie in order to prepare myself for the role of Ché Guevara in April. For what I wanted it for -- Colm Wilkinson, alternate songs/lyrics, a "stripped" version of the score -- this CD is wonderful. That said, I firmly believe now more than ever that the Original Broadway Cast Recording of Evita is the definitive one. The trio of Patti LuPone, Mandy Patinkin, and Bob Gunton is one that transcends the written notes and truly elevates Evita to another place. But I knew that before buying this concept recording, and if you do also, you will not be disappointed. Julie Covington is... functional as Eva Duarte de Peron, reminiscent of Madonna but posessing infinitely more range and power. LuPone detractors have hailed Covington as the most accurate representation of the actress, heaping praise on her subtlety, her lack of the "brass" that sets Patti apart. The problem with this position is that, quite simply, the real Eva Peron lacked subtlety. She WAS brassy. She WAS like a hurricane, a force to be reckoned with. Julie, while performing admirably, does not possess this larger-than-life facet that seems to keep Eva from ever being forgotten. In addition, I found her "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" to be mediocre, at best. However, other reviewers have lodged complaints about Covington's accent and mispronunciations. I found her accent to be negligible, and her butcherings of the words off-putting at worst. Certainly, they did not detract from my enjoyment of the album as some reviewers would lead you to believe. The character of Ché Guevara in this concept recording differs totally from the character that later appeared on the stage. Thus, it is difficult to compare Colm Wilkinson with later incarnations. Fans of Wilkinson's performance in "Les Misérables" will find his voice here to be substantially younger and less gruff (read: less distinguishable from any other tenor); however, due to the "insecticide" subplot, Ché on this CD is not merely a narrator/social commentator but rather is a legitimate character. This comes off well in Colm's portrayal. His performance, while not what I expected, is nonetheless stellar. Interestingly enough, "And The Money Kept Rolling In," which I found to be one of the most unique and truly dynamic performances on the CD, is not sung by Ché but by the director of the Fundacion Eva Peron. While these two principle roles are performed with great skill, I find nothing that sets Paul Jones' (Peron) performance apart from an amateur. He seems to be merely singing the notes; no real character surfaces from the speakers. This, a tragedy in and of itself, is compounded by the woe that Jones' voice lacks any distinguishing or unique traits. Juan Peron was an individual with many facets to his character, but these facets require an actor with talent apparently beyond Mr. Jones. Big disappointment here. The score itself is quite interesting. The insecticide subplot adds depth to Guevara's character, shows that his hatred for capitalism stems from his own failure as an entrepreneur. Similar depth is given to Eva herself; at the end of the show she is given motivation beyond anything that actually made it into the show. Harold Prince felt the show too long and cluttered, and forced Mr. Rice to do away with such plot intricacies for the stage productions of Evita. For purists, the original vision of the lyricist is preserved here. As to the songs themselves, they certainly have a grittier, "rock"-ier feel to them. The production is far less grandiose, particularly on the first disc. Unfortunately, big chorus numbers suffer under these conditions; consequently, "A New Argentina," reduced to an annoying bass line set to anagonizingly slow tempo, is nothing short of unbearable. As I mentioned earlier, I also found "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" to be subpar. Wilkinson, while admittedly tied to a sadistic, ruthless character, might nevertheless find some softness for the ballad "High Flying, Adored." Alas, no such luck. Good thing his vocal rigamarole in "Oh What a Circus" makes up for it. The songs themselves appear in all their untruncated glory, and are that much better for it. Three songs not present at all in later editions, "The Lady's Got Potential," "Eva's Sonnet," and "Lament," while not possessing any monumental character insight, are all beautiful nonetheless. In conclusion, this recording is not for those unfamiliar with Evita as a musical production. Still, for those looking for the unadulterated vision of its creators, it does not disappoint.

Extraordinarily Boring...:
As an actor myself, I find this score one of the most remarkably boring ever created by Andrew Lloyd Webber - making it one of the most boring theatre scores I've ever heard. I suppose it did little for me after listening to the studio cast recording of "A Little Night Music" (Sondheim), but it nonetheless inspired little excitement. The monotonous repetion of "ideas" and melodic lines do nothing to build upon a thematic concept, which rests entirely in the hands of one woman. Though she obviously struggles with subtlety in dialogue and music, Patti LuPone remains one of the gutsiest, gruntiest Eva's out there (buy the original Broadway recording). LuPone appeared in the professional production in Melbourne, Australia at Her Majesty's Theatre as part of the original tour. Dated, boring and weak - nearly as musically challenging as "Phantom of the Opera".

Best Evita from what I've heard:
In grade 10 Spanish class, I was first introduced to the musical Evita through the film version with Madonna. Basically, my friend and I did not very much like it, though some of the tunes would stay in my head. Then, over a year later, I found this version at a secondhand store and, basically just out of the memory of the fun tune "Buenos Aires", I bought both CDs. Listening to this version through, I immediately fell in love with Julie Covington's Evita; she is excellent at contrasting between the gentle, persuasive voice and the powerful voice filled with ambition which, to me, characterise the personage that is Evita. In the recordings, there are no signs of her backing off on the high notes; indeed, where Madonna's voice becomes less powerful in the high "-bow"'s of "Rainbow High", Covington turns up the power, which sounds remarkable and works wonderfully with the character. It's that strength in the song "Rainbow High" that makes me like it as I do, and listening to the Madonna version just doesn't do the song justice. Now, I have only listened to clips of the LuPone, but what I've gained from them is that LuPone is more of a classical singer whereas Covington delivers a more modern popular style, which I find works better with the character of Evita; Eva was not bound to the ways of older times, but tried to break the mold, and this is perfectly shown in the scenes in which the 'upper-class' are represented as a group of classical singers singing to classical music of how Evita is too low in class to be respected while Eva gains approval with her new voice, with a new message, being the one the public adores. The one problem, however, with the musical is that the lyrics are often very awkward, with accents coming on wrong syllables in a bad attempt to get a message through. The whole Ché-insecticide subplot is confusing, to say the least, and I had to search on the web to find out what it was about. Overall, however, the music and voices are incredible, so don't pass this one by!

• Cinema in Buenos Aires, 26 July 1952
• Requiem for Evita/Oh What a Circus
• On This Night of a Thousand Stars/Eva and Magaldi/Eva Beware of the C
• Buenos Aires
• Goodnight and Thank You
• Lady's Got Potential
• Charity Concert/I'd Be Surprisingly Good for You
• Another Suitcase in Another Hall
• Dangerous Jade
• New Argentina
• On the Balcony of the Casa Rosada/Don't Cry for Me Argentina
• High Flying, Adored
• Rainbow High
• Rainbow Tour
• Actress Hasn't Learned the Lines (You'd Like to Hear)
• And the Money Kept Rolling (In and Out)
• Santa Evita
• Waltz for Eva and Che
• She Is a Diamond
• Dice Are Rolling/Eva's Sonnet
• Eva's Final Broadcast
• Montage
• Lament