Evita - Wowing Audiences in Sydney

Tina Arena

Evita has just opened in Sydney to rave reviews. I attended the opening night performance and was wowed with its passion and music

It is interesting that Evita was first presented as a double album in 1976, then stage production in 1978, and then a movie in 1996 starring Madonna. This production of Evita is the 40th anniversary of the 1978 West End production.

I must confess this was the first time I have seen Evita. I missed out on seeing all those years ago when it first came to Australia. All I could remember is the song "Don't Cry for me Argentina" sung by Julie Covington when it hit the top of the charts in Australia. At interval, the people sitting near me asked my impressions of Evita. I replied saying that it reminded me of "Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" and "Jesus Christ Superstar". It was when reading the program on the train going home that I read Evita was the third collaboration of the Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice duo.

Evita tells the life story of Argentina's former First Lady Eva Peron up to her death from cancer at the age of 33. Eva came from humble beginnings to become a woman of great wealth, power and status as the wife of the President of Argentina. Eva's motivations are a mix of wanting to propel the poor, women, and herself.

Kurt Kansley and ensemble

The musical Evita came about after Andrew Lloyd Webber heard a small part of a radio documentary about her life and thought she would be a good basis for a musical. Andrew Lloyd Webber says that for a musical to be a success it must be glamorous and over the top. Eva Peron was both these, glamorous and over the top.

Evita is not like the other classical operas put on at the Sydney Opera House that are usually sung in Italian. Evita can be best described as an all-singing musical/rock opera, with very few spoken words. Even the narrator sings all his lines as he appears on stage to link the various scenes.

Just like the famous duos first two musicals, various music styles are featured from ballad, waltz, rock to marches. The most well known song in Evita is "Don't Cry for me Argentina". It is sung at the opening of the musical as the spirit of the dead Eva exhorts the people of Argentina not to mourn her death, and near the end of the musical during Eva's speech from the balcony of the Casa Rosada.

Tina Arena and ensemble

The orchestra was brilliant in its non-stop playing, with full volume gusto in entire cast songs to the softer solo numbers. The stringed sections picked up the style of South American numbers to perfection. From where I was sitting in the Circle section of seating, I was fortunate to look down on the orchestra pit and see the talented musicians play.

Eva Peron is played by Tina Arena. You may remember her as "Tiny Tina" from the popular "Young Talent Time" TV show. Since then she has recorded many best selling hit albums. On opening night she mesmerised the audience with he singing, acting and dancing. (Sometimes during the production run the talented Jemma Rix will take on the role of Eva Peron to give Tina a break.)

Juan Peron is played by Paulo Szot. His strong baritone voice carries his songs with the force that being the Colonel, Minister of War, then President of Argentina requires. Previously to taking on this role he has been in many operas and musical theatre productions in Australia and around the world.

Kurt Kansley

Che, the narrator, is played by the seasoned international performer Kurt Kansley. He is a London based Australian born in South Africa who has previously starred in numerous shows. Kurt does a wonderful job with his singing and onstage acting, being serious, funny and satirical at the appropriate moments. Che is based on Che Guevara the Argentine Marxist revolutionary.

The other lead roles of Magaldi and the Mistress are played by Michael Falzon and Alexis Van Maanen. Both Michal and Alexis are great performers in their Evita roles. Michael brings to the stage his experience from being in many musical theatre productions, TV shows and concerts. This is Alexis's professional principal debut, though you would not know it as she sings so well.

Evita

The large ensemble and childrens cast fill out the stade with song and movement.

The costumes and wigs were the usual high standard of shows performed in the Sydney Opera House. The costumes from the poor to the wealthy classes of people were well contrasted. Eva's costumes were glamorous.

I was interested in seeing the sets of Evita, as I heard they involved innovative staging. I had mixed reactions to what I saw. I was underwhelmed with its minimalist approach. It was a blackened stage with some scaffolding and a huge video screen at the rear that showed historic photos and video clips of Argentina and Eva Opera. It was like the musical was being performed in a rehearsal studio rather than on a grand stage at the Opera House. The upside of this is the singing and dancing of the actors are emphasised. Several props of chairs, beds, microphone stands and doorframes appeared on stage at appropriate times. The strangest part of the staging was rolls of aluminium tinfoil hanging down both sides of the stage to just above head height. I am not sure what their purpose was, but I found the lights reflecting off them to be distracting.

Evita has only a short season in Sydney before it moves on to other capital cities. It is a worthwile show to see if you live in Sydney, and worth the journey if you live elsewhere. Many of the shows are sold out aleady, so people need to be quick to book a seat to see this captivating show or thay will miss out.

Evita

EVITA
JOAN SUTHERLAND THEATRE, SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE
SEPTEMBER 22 – NOVEMBER 3, 2018
TUE 7:30PM; WED 1PM & 7:30PM; THURS 7:30PM; FRI 7:30PM; SAT 1PM & 7:30PM; SUN 3PM
Running time: approximately 2 hours & 18 minutes, including one interval


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