I've just been listening to the CD from the new London production of Evita. Regular readers will recall that I had the pleasure of seeing this show on my recent trip to London. Since I enjoyed it very much, I was eagerly anticipating the CD release.
The CD is actually a mixed bag, but then it would be hard for any recording to live up to the original. I grew up listening to the Broadway cast album of Evita, so I pretty much know the show by heart. In fact, years ago, when I did the show, the music director once stopped a rehearsal and said, "OK, it would be great if someone besides Chris knew the damned music."
My biggest complaint about this new CD is that it's just that: one CD. They've cut down the score considerably for the new recording, though perhaps that's understandable. There are numerous complete recordings of Evita available, and anyone looking for a document of the entire show certainly has other options. But the musical numbers for this recording begin and end in weird places, although that may be my preconceptions talking.
Quibbles aside, the strengths of this recording lie in the performances and orchestrations. Elena Rogers was a powerhouse as Evita on stage, and she's no less impressive in aural form. She has sufficient fire and pathos to carry the entire recording on her own. Her costars Matt Rawle and Philip Quast come off a bit less well. Rawle seems to have only one emotion: anger. There's very little humor in his interpretation of Che, just intermittent, forced sarcasm. Quast was remarkable on stage as Peron, but somehow his impressive stature fails to translate to the recording.
What I really noticed on the CD that I didn't in the theater is the dynamic new orchestrations. Although the charts seem thinner than those from the original US production, the music has a far more sinister and authentically Argentinian sound to it. Of particular note is the solo violin and accordian accompaniment during the numerous tango sequences. This becomes especially effective during the creepy and dissonant "Art of the Possible."
One final note, it's great to have another recording of the song "You Must Love Me," Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's Oscar-winning song from the movie version. The song really works well in the new show, giving Evita a chance to show Peron that she really does need him. (Or is it just more manipulation? You be the judge.) In any case, it's great to have someone other than...[shudder]...Madonna singing this song. Remember when she sang it on the Oscars, stiff as a board, and stretching to hit the notes? Painful.
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