Starring Eden Espinosa as Eva Peron

This September, Studio Tenn and Tennessee Performing Arts Center present Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's legendary music biopic of Argentina's iconic first lady, Eva Peron. Starring Broadway leading lady Eden Espinosa in the title role, Evita chronicles the life of Peron from her impoverished roots, through her meteroric rise to fame and fortune, and her tragic untimely death. Evita features some of Broadway's biggest hits including "Don't Cry for Me Argentina", "Another Suitcase in Another Hall" and "High Flying Adored", making it a remarkably powerful production.

What is it about?

Originally conceived as a rock opera by both Rice and Lloyd Webber in 1976, the musical premiered on Broadway in 1979 with Patti Lupone as Peron, and sweeping the board at the 1980 Tony Awards, including gongs for Best Musical and Best Original Score.

The story follows the early life and rise to power of the charasmatic Eva Peron, wife to Argentine president Juan Peron. As a precocious 15-year old, Eva coerces her older lover to take her with him to bustling Buenos Aires, where she wants to become a movie actress. After promptly abandoning him, Eva sleeps her way up the social ladder, becoming a radio star, model, and finally actress.

Her fame and beauty do not go unnoticed however, as presidential hopeful Juan Peron soon catches her eye, and she embarks in a tempestuous marriage, where she forsakes love for her political ambitions, only to realize that Peron truly loved her for her, and not her political connections.

From stage to screen

The 1998 movie Evita saw Madonna star as Eva with Antonio Banderas as Che and Jonathan Pryce as Peron, recieving five Academy Award nominations, winning one for Best Original Song for "You Must Love Me".