The Origins of Evita

Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s evocative take on the life of Eva Perón has captivated audiences around the world since 1976, not least for featuring one of the most unforgettable songs in musical theatre history, Don't Cry For Me Argentina.

But why exactly did the story of Eva Duarte, an impoverished child from Argentina, and her meteoric rise to becoming the most powerful woman in Latin America, resonate with Andrew Lloyd Webber, a musical theatre composer in 1970s London?

To tell the origin story of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita, we need to go back to where it all began, with Eva Perón herself. Born in Los Toldos, Argentina on 7 May 1919, Eva Perón (then Duarte) dreamt of escaping her life of squalor to become a famous actor. Aged 15, she moved to Buenos Aires to pursue her dream and, after performing on stage and for radio, she moved into in film.

Years later, Eva Perón was introduced to Colonel Juan Perón for the first time, at his fundraising gala for the victims of the San Juan earthquake of January 1944. What ensued was a whirlwind romance and a political alliance which led to Perón becoming First Lady of Argentina and an unofficial leader adored and lauded by the working class as ‘Evita’. Her untimely death from cancer at age 33 elicited several days of national mourning and Evita herself achieved a saintlike status in Argentina and South America.

Where does Andrew Loyd Webber feature in this origin story? It was through his creative collaborator Tim Rice, who was fascinated by Eva Perón and had seen her image on Argentine stamps which he had collected as a child. On his way to dinner in 1973, the lyricist overheard a radio show outlining the life of Eva Perón and was compelled to learn more about her story, with his research eventually leading him to Buenos Aires.

Tim suggested to Andrew that they create a musical based on Eva Perón’s life, and so, in 1975, the pair wrote Evita. It is believed that, though neither realised it at the time, their choice to write a musical based on a tale of political turbulence may have subconsciously stemmed from the period of societal unrest many people in Britain were experiencing at the time.

Another Rice-Lloyd Webber project which began as a concept album, Evita was released on 19^th November 1976 on vinyl, with Julie Covington on vocals. The album, which included the iconic and moving Don’t Cry For Me Argentina, reached 300,000 sales and went Platinum.

Andrew sent a copy of the recording to American director Harold Prince, inviting him to become involved in making the musical. Prince agreed, remarking that “...Any opera that begins with a funeral can’t be all bad!” Andrew and Tim then set to work on changing parts of the show before Prince ultimately came on board in early 1978.

The world premiere of Evita opened at the Prince Edward Theatre in the West End on 21^st  June 1978, with Elaine Paige in the iconic title role. The original London production received four Olivier nominations and won ‘Musical of the Year,’ with Paige also winning for her suitably formidable performance as Perón. The Broadway production opened in 1979 and won seven Tony Awards, six Drama Desk Awards and a Grammy for the cast album.

Feeling a Rainbow High from the Broadway production, Andrew and Tim focused their attentions on turning their musical into a feature film. Evita, directed by Alan Parker and starring Antonio Banderas and Madonna in the leading roles, was nominated for five Academy Awards. Thanks to countless productions worldwide, and with Jamie Lloyd’s upcoming revival to hit the West-End in summer 2025 at the London Palladium, Evita continues to be High Flying, and Adored by all.