Evita - Highlights Original London Cast 1978

[VANITYBONET]

Lupone version arrangement of Evita is the best...This sound to much like the awful concept album same with madonna version

[lestatsluver666]

The original is the concept album with Julie Covington EP would not have got the role if Julie had been willing to do it on stage. I love the album

[fluidstatic]

Elaine Paige was chosen for the role of Evita and then it was slightly rewritten to suit her voice. The role was tweaked again for LuPone's interpretation on Broadway, but Elaine's interpretation was the original and (IMO) the best. ♥

[tamarexxe]

one thing is proven, theatre people can be the biggest dicks in the world. Elaine Paige is MAGICAL in this. This is coming from a LuPone fan. Why so much hate for the people who bring our dreams alive?

[JekkizeProductions]

OMG I love this energy elaine brings to the role of Evita, thank you so much for upload this ^_^

[MrJohnyGoatzyn]

Nothing can beat the musical dynamics and attitude of the Movie version with Madonna and Antonio Banderas! Honestly people. This is awesome! But this just is too softspoken. It doesn't show the strength and BA'ness of Evita

[HouseOnSunset]

@MrJohnyGoatzyn Are you high? WHAT "dynamics and attitude" in the movie version?

[MrJohnyGoatzyn]

@HouseOnSunset Evita is all about a powerful woman.. this sounds robotic and all show offy dragging notes out and stuff.. and instrumentally the movie version kicks this ones crotch.

[HouseOnSunset]

@MrJohnyGoatzyn No, seriously, what are you snorting? The movie version is KNOWN for its lousy orchestrations, subpar singing and bland acting! (Not that the OLC is much better, mind you, but at least Elaine Paige has much more energy and bigger pipes than Madge.)

[MrJohnyGoatzyn]

@HouseOnSunset I'm sorry, i'm wrong. Music cannot be rated or judged. It's all a matter of personal taste. From my musical backgroud, the Evita movie soundtrack is a dynamic, exciting musical. And if that's what you're used to, then you listen to this.. instrumentally it's just a giant let down. But if you're basing it on the vocal performance then i can see the hook of the original.

[MrJohnyGoatzyn]

@HouseOnSunset What i mean by the dynamics is, take for expample the drumbeat of Buenos Aires, in the original just a straight driving beat, but in the sound track its a four on the floor latin style off time beat. Much more exciting! And more powerful horns!

[HouseOnSunset]

@MrJohnyGoatzyn We must be living on different planets, because I think the movie version of "Buenos Aires" is the absolute worst one. (On par with the 2001 Finnish cast recording and the 2009 Austrian cast recording.)

[MrJohnyGoatzyn]

@HouseOnSunset Interesting.. what exactly makes you say that? The thing is.. the movie made the music fit with the actual background of the story, with latin south american style music instead of just showtunes. That's kinda something they had to do for the movie if they wanted it to fit the ethnicity of the characters.

[HouseOnSunset]

@MrJohnyGoatzyn As I said before, they didn't sound very Latin to me. The sounded like very dull rock songs. I could've tolerated the new orchestrations more if the keys and tempo hadn't been slowed down to the point of sucking all the spirit and energy out of the compositions.

[HouseOnSunset]

@MrJohnyGoatzyn It's funny, I never felt that the movie captured the spirit of Argentina and the music sounded to me like a half-baked rip-off of the concept album. I also felt that the movie was photographed in a very dull and ugly manner and the slow pacing killed the energy of Tim Rice's original libretto. To me, the only version to accurately (and elegantly) capture the Latin theme of the music is the 1980 Madrid production, I can upload the vast album for you if you want to see what I mean.

[MrJohnyGoatzyn]

@HouseOnSunset Ooh yeah! If you get a chance i would love to hear it! I've never heard that one

[Drewdavids824]

I don't agree that the London Cast crushes all the others. I actually think its one of the weaker cast recordings. I really dislike David Essex. The keys were not changed for Patti. They are exact matches. Nice try though!

[poursuivant1]

I like Patti's grittier Evita more than Elaine's portrayal. However, I much prefer her in Cats than Betty Buckley.

[artsyboi]

Elaine never complained because the keys for most of the songs were changed for her. Patti's portrayal of Evita was arranged specifically for her voice. A belt/mezzo soprano, not all girls have that.

[garrychelsea]

@artsyboi they would have to change it for pattie, the notes have to change to SHOUT mode as thats all patti does, strain and grimace, she is so overrated

[HouseOnSunset]

@artsyboi Do you Patti fanqueers all have brain damage or something? It's the same exact keys, for Christ's sake!

[theemaestro576]

I just don't hear Eva in her. Doesn't do it for me.

[undemicc]

I worked on this show (at the Prince Edward Theatre) and saw it over 1000 times. It was amazing they paid me for something that I loved to do so much!

[mistabobdobolina]

The London cast simply crushes every other version. Elaine Paige's soaring power and emotional insight as Evita, David Essex's near-perfect delivery of a slightly-rough and bitterly sardonic Che, Siobhan McCarthy leaving every other Mistress ever recorded in the dust, Joss Ackland as a slightly sleazy Juan Peron... even the parts of Migaldi and Eva's sisters are definitive. I find it impossible to listen to any other version and not compare it with this recording, with the "real" Evita.

[masterpiecelover]

OOOPs my bad...Rainbow High.....

[masterpiecelover]

OMG... Patti worked it so much better than all the other actresses in this role! Ms. Lupone can belt it out in High Flying Adored like nobodys business!!!

[bluefox4000]

I have to say this is my least favorite recording of Evita. David Essex is a weak Che. Elaine Paige.....I don't like her in anything I've heard her in....I have a bootleg of Chess...sorry She's horrid. For me nothing beats the original broadway cast of Evita. FAR better....just my opinion

[earlady66]

@bluefox4000 That's your opinion..I disagree completely. Elaine Paige is wonderful...that's my opinion.

[MissMarianParoo]

I like her WAAAAAYYYYY better than Patti!

[scarletastic]

Thank you quinsprins - excellent posting, really enjoyed. x

[fountainchain126]

Isn't it weird how Elaine Paige never complained as much as Patti Lupone did - how tough the role of Eva is/was? I find it interesting that Elena Roger, Elaine Paige and all other Evas seemed to slide over the role without any complaints in public anyway...... why Patti?

[AngelorPhantom1359]

@fountainchain126 That's because Patti wasn't trained as a singer. The other women who played Eva had some sort of musical training and that's why it was easier, for lack of a better word because there's nothing easy about this part, for them. Patti has made it clear that she had no technique so she couldn't sustain the role. It wasn't until she was cast and threw her voice out several times that she began to receive singing lessons from a chorus member.

[rubyangst]

Also in these clips you hear Siobhan McCarthy as the Mistress and Myra Sands and Jo Cameron Brown as Evita's sisters

[lalomedinac]

Could you send me A new Argentina please?

[dominicizgay]

is it possible you could send me Elianes version of Rainbow High? i had it for years and then lost it :(

[spaticus09]

I'm uploading it now for you. If you send me your email to my inbox on here i'll mail you the mp3 if you want.

[AngelorPhantom1359]

could you please please please send me goodnight and thank you???? I've been looking for months for elaine paige's version!!!!!! PLEASE!!!!!!

[spaticus09]

I can send you it if you want  :)

[AngelorPhantom1359]

yes please!!!! you just made my day!

[multisockmonkey]

Great! Thanks for posting.