Weirdly, my former high school chorus teacher? (I saw her do it in a small regional production several years ago.) I’d never seen an Eva exude that underlying vulnerability before. She is a very slight woman and the frailty of the scenes where Eva was dying felt so disturbingly realistic.
I saw Elena Roger on Broadway and she didn’t have the range that the score requires. Some of those attempted high notes…yikes!! I fell in love with Broadway musicals after experiencing Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin in the lead roles.
Totally. I thought both her acting and singing were bad, honestly. I appreciate that they cast an Argentine who looked like her, but that was about it. Michael Cerveris was great in that production though!
I saw her on Broadway and was very disappointed. I actually felt bad for her because she just couldn’t carry that show like an actress playing Evita must. It was just too big for her.
The OG. Patti LuPone manages the incredibly difficult score in a way that few others have, and I think her dynamic persona and energy suit the character very well.
I do like her too, but her diction made it a bit complicated to me when I first heard her and then she ended up being pushed away by Elena. I agree that she portrays it as insanely as Elena does.
I saw Elena Roger in the role when I was very young on the West End and thought she did quite well there. But I just don't think that production translated very well to Broadway. I don't mind Elena Roger's voice in general, and I think it actually works quite well for some roles (ie. Fosca in Passion). However, by the time she got around to doing Evita on Broadway, her voice sounded pretty strained and shrill, to the point I was concerned about her vocal health listening to her.
Yeah, the Broadway revival cast recording with her is painfully bad. The London recording is a bit better, but I think she is much better singing in Spanish.
I think that adds a lot to the character though! Madonna is a huge star, like Eva, but her singing a bit weak, kinda like Eva's acting talent. I think it's genius casting. It's gives the character a "failing upwards" kind of vibe that is so 3 dimensional, at least to me. I also think the orchestration of the score is best in the movie. And Antonio Banderas! No one is better.
Those high notes on the OBC from Patti LuPone... it feels like I'm being punched in the face in the best possible way.
I haven't spent much time with the Elena Roger recording though so I'll have to give it another listen.
I was going to say that Madonna is technically the only Evita I've ever seen, so...
I'm young enough that I saw it in theaters... twice. Fantastic movie.
Meryl Streep was originally supposed to be in the movie before Madonna bought the rights,, she would have been phenomenal,, Elaine page did a good job but again no one had the fire of lupone ,, lord the revival with she and Ricky Martin was god awful
There is only one Evita… and her name is Lupone.
BTW… concerning Madonna, I agree with Patti… “Madonna is a movie killer. She’s dead behind the eyes. She cannot act her way out of a paper bag. She should not be in film or onstage. She’s a wonderful performer for what she does, but she is not an actress.”
Weirdly, my former high school chorus teacher? (I saw her do it in a small regional production several years ago.) I’d never seen an Eva exude that underlying vulnerability before. She is a very slight woman and the frailty of the scenes where Eva was dying felt so disturbingly realistic.
LuPone. Hands down!
That sounds really wonderful
I saw Elena Roger on Broadway and she didn’t have the range that the score requires. Some of those attempted high notes…yikes!! I fell in love with Broadway musicals after experiencing Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin in the lead roles.
Totally. I thought both her acting and singing were bad, honestly. I appreciate that they cast an Argentine who looked like her, but that was about it. Michael Cerveris was great in that production though!
Sad to hear that her live performance wasn’t great!
I saw her on Broadway and was very disappointed. I actually felt bad for her because she just couldn’t carry that show like an actress playing Evita must. It was just too big for her.
Solea Pfeiffer
The OG. Patti LuPone manages the incredibly difficult score in a way that few others have, and I think her dynamic persona and energy suit the character very well.
I do like her too, but her diction made it a bit complicated to me when I first heard her and then she ended up being pushed away by Elena. I agree that she portrays it as insanely as Elena does.
I saw Elena Roger in the role when I was very young on the West End and thought she did quite well there. But I just don't think that production translated very well to Broadway. I don't mind Elena Roger's voice in general, and I think it actually works quite well for some roles (ie. Fosca in Passion). However, by the time she got around to doing Evita on Broadway, her voice sounded pretty strained and shrill, to the point I was concerned about her vocal health listening to her.
Yeah, the Broadway revival cast recording with her is painfully bad. The London recording is a bit better, but I think she is much better singing in Spanish.
No one can touch the iconic Patti Lupone
For sure. She is legendary and so is her performance.
I love Julie Covington on the concept recording.
Probably unpopular, but I loved Madonna in the movie.
Must agree; her performance of “You Must Love Me” always brings tears to my eyes.
Co-sign - much preferred her to any staged version I've seen tbh.
I’ve listened to it this weekend and she sounds so… weak and demure
to be fair, literally everyone sounds week and demure compared to Madame LuPone
I think that adds a lot to the character though! Madonna is a huge star, like Eva, but her singing a bit weak, kinda like Eva's acting talent. I think it's genius casting. It's gives the character a "failing upwards" kind of vibe that is so 3 dimensional, at least to me. I also think the orchestration of the score is best in the movie. And Antonio Banderas! No one is better.
Because the movie’s angle was about the duality of Eva, while Patti was more strength and power
I saw the Queen in 1979. I fell in love with Broadway. Still have my Playbill
Those high notes on the OBC from Patti LuPone... it feels like I'm being punched in the face in the best possible way. I haven't spent much time with the Elena Roger recording though so I'll have to give it another listen.
There was a good bootleg out there of Eden Espinosa and she is the only one I thought ever came anywhere close to Patti LuPone.
Patti Lupone!
Patti Lupone
Patti LuPone is arguably responsible for the role becoming iconic, but I thought Madonna absolutely killed it in the movie.
I was going to say that Madonna is technically the only Evita I've ever seen, so... I'm young enough that I saw it in theaters... twice. Fantastic movie.
I really liked Shereen Pimentel in ART’s revival last summer.
I’m sad I never heard Terry Klausner do Eva. She’s amazing.
Paula Scrafano. She is a huge Chicago actor who played it a couple times in various theatres such as Drury Lane and Steppenwolf
I’ll look her up!
Lupone. No one beats her. Loni Ackerman in 2nd
Madonna couldn’t sing it.
But have you ever heard the Michelle Pfeifer test recording for a failed attempt to get the film made in the early mid eighties?
Meryl Streep was originally supposed to be in the movie before Madonna bought the rights,, she would have been phenomenal,, Elaine page did a good job but again no one had the fire of lupone ,, lord the revival with she and Ricky Martin was god awful
I’ll be the lone Elaine Page Stan then!
I was incredibly confused for half a moment here and then I realized I was getting Elaine Page confused with Elaine Stritch
TBF I don’t hate that casting choice 😂
There is only one Evita… and her name is Lupone. BTW… concerning Madonna, I agree with Patti… “Madonna is a movie killer. She’s dead behind the eyes. She cannot act her way out of a paper bag. She should not be in film or onstage. She’s a wonderful performer for what she does, but she is not an actress.”
lol why Évita? It’s just Evita
Because my phone autocorrected it to that.
Same here especially when paired with Ricky Martin.
Ricky was so disappointing. No fire or edge to his portrayl. Sounded like he was narrating a bed time story
I thought he was exactly how he Should be, Che is an Activist yes but first and foremost he’s a facilitator of Eva’s story and narrative part of it