Sing For Me Evita Trivia Quiz

Answer: Oh What a Circus

"Evita" is the fourth collaboration by composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyricist Tim Rice. The musical follows the life of Eva Peron, wife of Argentinian president Juan Peron, from her early life to her premature death at 36.

The musical's conception began with Rice's growing obsession with the First Lady. He had collected stamps as a child and been fascinated by her image on Argentina's.

In 1973 he caught the end of a radio show about her and began researching her life, even going to Buenos Ares to research official documents and talk to people who knew her.

One of these was a film director, Carlos Pasini Hansen, who had produced an English TV movie about her called "Queen of Hearts". Hansen gained permission for Rice to view the film, which he admits he watched "at least twenty times."

Rice's eldest daughter, Eva Jane Florence, is even named after this famous First Lady of Argentina.

Answer: On This Night of a Thousand Stars

Webber and Rice were basking in the glory of the success of "Jesus Christ Superstar" at this time and they had planned to work on a musical comedy based on P.G. Wodehouse's novels about Jeeves and Wooster.

Rice pulled out of this project and suggested the musical based on Evita, but Webber chose to go ahead with "Jeeves" with a different writer.

After the critical and box office failure of this project Webber and Rice joined together again in 1975 and finally began work on the music and libretto for "Evita".

Answer: Goodnight and Thank You

The decision was made to record "Evita" as a concept album prior to staging the show, as they had done previously for "Jesus Christ Superstar".

Julie Covington, who had played in the original London production of "Godspell", was chosen to sing Eva and Colm Wilkinson, fresh from playing Judas in "Superstar", sang the part of Che.

The double album was released in 1976 and sales exceeded those of "Superstar" across Britain, Europe, Australia, South Africa and South America, although it never reached the same level of success within the United States.

Covington's recording of "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" was released as a single in November 1976 and went to number one on the UK charts and went Gold in February 1977. Covington had lost interest in the song and refused to sing it live so it was a number 1 single that was never performed live on "The Top of the Pops" music show. A recorded version had to be played with photos of the real Evita being broadcast.

Answer: I'd Be Surprisingly Good for You

After the UK recording release Webber sent a copy to Harold Prince, an American director, and invited him to become involved in the project with a view to an eventual Broadway run.

Prince was interested in the project but had two years' worth of prior commitments before he could devote any time to it, so Webber and Rice spent some time refining the show until he was ready at the beginning of 1978.

The original character of Che is written as an 'everyman' voice. He is the social commentator who provides insight and criticism of Eva. He plays multiple roles depending on the scene - a bar tender, a waiter, photographer, agent and many more.

Hal Prince wanted him to be based on a character like Che Guevara instead, and insisted his actors use him as a role model, which is why descriptions of Che's character differ from country to country.

Answer: Another Suitcase in Another Hall

"Evita" finally opened on 21 June 1978 at the Prince Edward Theatre in the West End and its initial run closed nearly eight years later in February 1986.

The cast was completely different from the concept album. Covington turned down the role and after a long search the relatively unknown Elaine Paige was chosen to play played Eva. David Essex, a well-known British rock star, played Che. Essex had also played the lead role in "Godspell", and was actually the best known of the principle players and had top billing for the show.

Both of them received nominations for Best Performance in a Musical in the Laurence Olivier Awards and Paige won her category. Harold Prince was nominated for Best Director and the show itself won the Award for Best New Musical.

Answer: Don't Cry for Me Argentina

The US premieres were actually in Los Angeles and San Francisco before opening on Broadway in September 1979 and closing over four years later in June 1983.

The only criticism the London show received was that it had glamorised Eva, so Prince changed her character for the American audiences, but some people believe he went too far away and she became a much colder character which took the warmth and emotion from the show.

Many US critics did not like Prince's ice cold production, but it still did remarkably well, being nominated for 10 Tony awards and winning 7. It also won 6 Drama Desk Awards, the New York Drama Critics Circle Award and the cast recording won a Grammy Award.

Answer: High Flying, Adored

The musical itself is very eclectic, with many different styles throughout. Webber blends Latin music, rock, pop, jazz, classic, choral and musical theatre ballads to create a rich tapestry as a background for a deeply moving emotional story.

Some examples are the classical/opera passages in "Requiem for Evita", "Oh What a Circus", "Lament", "Montage", and "Santa Evita".

Latin rhythms are heard in pieces such as "Buenos Aires", "And the Money Kept Rolling in (And Out)" and "On This Night of a Thousand Stars".

Rock music includes "Oh What a Circus", A New Argentina", "Peron's Latest Flame" and "The Lady's Got Potential".

Then there are the ballads, with "High Flying, Adored", "Another Suitcase in Another Hall" and "I'd be Surprisingly Good for You".

Answer: Rainbow High

One of my favourites in musicals are leitmotifs, those recurrent melodies that are repeated in different songs. Some composers just use them to tie songs to each other, but Webber has used them throughout "Evita" to tie the same themes together.

One leitmotif runs throughout "Another Suitcase in Another Hall", "The Actress Hasn't Learned the Lines you'd Like To Hear", "She is Diamond" and "Dice are rolling/Evas Sonnet". All are about rejection, defeat and survival and all repeat the "So What Happens Now?" motif.

The first is by Peron's mistress, who is defeated when she sings it; the second is by Eva and she definitely isn't - she's triumphant. Peron sings the third, referring to Eva's imminent death, and finally Eva sings the last and is defeated as she finally accepts that she is dying and can't win.

Another is the trio "I'd Be Surprisingly Good for You", "A New Argentina" and "Dice are Rolling". All have the same melody and all three are songs where Eva is convincing Peron to do things her way.

The instrumental versions in the opening with "Requiem" are echoed in the last song "Eva's Lament" and both are to do with her death.

Answer: Santa Evita

The most obvious leitmotif is also my favourite in the show. "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina" doesn't just have the same music, it has exactly the same meter and syllables.

The first time it appears is at the end of Che's "Oh What A Circus" when he is standing watching the crowds passing her glass coffin and she sings:

"Don't cry for me, Argentina
For I am ordinary, unimportant
And undeserving
Of such attention
Unless we all are-
I think we all are."

Then we have the main song itself on the Balcony of the Casa Rosada after they win the election when the people are shouting for her. She is telling her people not to cry as in 'call out' for her:

"Don't cry for me Argentina
The truth is I never left you
All through my wild days
My mad existence
I kept my promise
Don't keep your distance."

Then finally at the end when she is dying and she goes out to the Balcony to addresses them again and to tell them she can't accept the honours they want her to take. This time she is referring to them actually crying in grief.

"Don't cry for me Argentina
For the truth is I shall not leave you
Though it may get harder
For you to see me
I'm Argentina
And always will be."

Answer: She Is a Diamond

A movie adaption of the musical was in the pipeline for over 15 years with different studios, directors and actors considered. The search for the actress to play Evita was long and arduous, but they finally decided on Madonna to play the part. Jonathon Pryce played Juan and Antonio Banderas was chosen for the role of Che.

Webber and Rice wrote a new song for the movie called "You Must Love Me" sang by Eva after Juan brings her home from the hospital. The song won the Academy award for Best Original Song. For some reason the song "Another Suitcase in Another Hall", which is sung by Peron's mistress in the musical, is given to Eva to sing in the movie. Apart from the change of singer they also moved it to just after Eva arrives in Buenos Ares when Magaldi leaves her and, as he is the first lover, the song personally doesn't make sense there to me.

The film's nationwide release was in January 1997 following some previews on Christmas Day 1996. The film had mixed critical reviews but was a financial success grossing over $141 million worldwide. It also won three Golden Globe Awards; Best Original Song, Best Actress and Best Picture Comedy or Musical.