# Evita (musical)

Evita is a musical with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice that premiered in 1978. It is based on events surrounding the rise to power of Eva Perón, the Spiritual Leader of the Nation, First Lady, and labor chief of Argentina. It documents her husband Juan Perón's rise to the presidency, possible only because of the revolution organized by Eva, and takes the viewer through her political partnership with Juan, their foreign and domestic policies, her feminist and charity work, her role as the national leader of labor, and her nomination for Vice President and ascent to Spiritual Leader. Mary Main's biography of Eva, The Woman with the Whip, was used as a base.

### A Cinema In Buenos Aires, 26 July 1952

    Theater Manager: It is my sad duty to inform you that Eva Peron, spiritual leader of the nation, entered immortality at 20:25 today.

### Oh, What a Circus

    Che: Oh, what a circus. Oh, what a show. Argentina has gone to town over the death of an actress called Eva Peron. We've all gone crazy, mourning all day and mourning all night, falling over ourselves to get all of the misery right! Oh, what an exit. That's how to go. When they're ringing your curtain down, demand to be buried like Eva Peron. it's quite a sunset, and good for the country in a round-about way. We've made the front page of all the world's papers today! But who is this Santa Evita? Why all this howling hysterical sorrow? What kind of goddess has lived among us? How will we ever get by without her? She had her moments. She had some style. The best show in town was the crowd outside the Casa Rosada crying "Eva Peron!" But that's all gone now. As soon as the smoke from the funeral clears, we're all gonna sing and howl,"She did nothing for years!" You let down your people, Evita. You were supposed to have been immortal. That's all they wanted. Not much to ask for. But in the end, you could not deliver. Sing you fools but you've got it wrong, enjoy your prayers cause you haven't got long, your queen is dead, your king is through, she's not coming back to you. Show business kept us all alive since 17 October 1945. But the star has gone, the glamour's worn thin, that's a pretty bad state for a state to be in. Instead of government, we had a stage. Instead of ideas, a prima donna's rage. Instead of help, we were given a crowd. She didn't say much, but she said it loud. Sing you fools, but you've got it wrong. Enjoy your prayers because you haven't got long. Your queen is dead, your king is through. She's not coming back to you!
    Evita: 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. So, share my glory. So, share my coffin. So, share my glory. So, share my coffin.
    Che: It's our funeral, too.

### On This Night Of A Thousand Stars

    Che: Now, Eva Peron had every disadvantage you need if you're gonna succeed. No money, no cash, no father, no bright light. There was nowhere she'd been at the age of fifteen, as this tango singer found out. A tango singer --Augustin Magaldi, who has the distinction of being the first man to be of use to Eva Duarte.
    Magaldi: On this night of a thousand stars, let me take you to heaven's door, where the music of love's guitar plays forever more.

### Eva And Magaldi/Eva Beware Of The City

    Evita: To think that a man as famous as you are could love a poor little nothing like me. I want to be a part of B.A. Buenos Aires, Big Apple!
    Che: Just listen to that, they're on to you, Magaldi. I'd get out while you can.
    Eva: It's happened at last, I'm starting to get started. I'm moving out with my man.
    Eva: Monotony past, sububia departed. Who could ever be fond of the back of beyond?
    Eva's Brother: Do all your one-night stands give you this trouble?
    Magaldi: Eva, beware of the city. It's hungry and cold, can't be controlled, it is mad. Those who are fools are swallowed up whole and those who are not become what they should not become: changed. In short, they go bad.
    Eva: Bad is good for me. I'm bored, so clean and so ignored I've only been predictable, respectable! Birds fly out of here so why oh why oh why the hell can't I? I only want variety of society!
    Magaldi: Eva beware your ambition. It's hungry and cold, can't be controlled, will run wild. This in a man is danger enough, but you are a woman. Not even a woman, not very much more than a child and whatever you say, I'll not steal you away.

### Buenos Aires

    Eva: What's new, Buenos Aires? I'm new! I want to say I'm just a little stuck on you! You'll be on me, too! I get out here, Buenos Aires! Stand back, you outta know what you're gonna get in me, Just a little touch of star quality.
    Eva: And if ever I go too far, it's because of the things you are. Beautiful town, I love you.
    Eva: You're a tramp, you're a treat, you will shine to the death, you are shoddy. But you're flesh, you are meat, you shall have every breath in my body.

### I'd Be Surprisingly Good For You

EVA : Colonel Peron?
PERON : Eva Duarte?
EVA and PERON : I've heard so much about you! I'm amazed for I'm only an actress (a soldier) Nothing to shout about (One of the thousands) Only a girl on the air (Defending the country he loves).
EVA : But when you act, the things you do affect us all.
PERON : But when you act, you take us away from the squalor of The real world--Are you here on your own?
EVA : Yes, Oh yes.
PERON : So am I--what a fortunate coincidence. Maybe you're my Reward for my efforts here tonight.
EVA : It seems crazy but you must believe There's nothing calculated, nothing planned Please forgive me if I seem naive I would never want to force your hand But please understand I'd be good for you.
I don't always rush in like this Twenty seconds after saying hello Telling strangers I'm too good to miss If I'm wrong I hope you'll tell me so But you really should know I'd be good for you I'd be surprisingly good for you. I won't go on if I'm boring you But do you understand my point of view Do you like what you hear, what you see, and would you be Good for me too?
I'm not talking of a hurried night A frantic tumble then a shy goodbye Creeping home before it gets too light That's not the reason that I caught your eye Which has to imply I'd be good for you I'd be surprisingly good for you
PERON : Please go on--you enthrall me! I can understand you perfectly And I like what I hear, what I see, and knowing me I would be good for you too
EVA : I'm not talking of a hurried night A frantic tumble then a shy goodbye Creeping home before it gets too light That's not the reason that I caught your eye Which has to imply I'd be good for you I'd be surprisingly good for you.

### Don't Cry For Me, Argentina

    Eva: 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.
    Eva: I am only a simple woman who lives to serve Peron in his noble crusade to rescue his people! I was once as you are now, and I promise you this: we will take these riches from the Oligarchs--only for you--for all of you! One day you too will inherit these treasures! Descamisados! When they fire those cannons, when the crowds sing of glory, it is not just for Peron, but for all of us! For all of us!

### Peron's Latest Flame

    Che: This has really been your year, Miss Duarte. Tell us where you go from here, Miss Duarte. What are the roles that you yearn to play? Who did you sleep--dine with yesterday?
    Eva: Acting is limiting. The line's not mine and that's no help to the Argentine.
    Soldiers: Peron is a fool, breaking every taboo, installing the girl in the army H.Q. And she's an actress! The last straw! Her only good parts are between her thighs.

### Rainbow High

    Evita: I don't really think I need the reasons why I won't succeed. I have done. Let's get this show on the road. Let's make it obvious Peron is off and rolling.

### Rainbow Tour

    Eva: Did you hear that? They called me a whore! They actually called me a whore!
    Italian Admiral: But, Señora Perón, it's an easy mistake. I'm still called an admiral, though I gave up the sea long ago.

### Waltz for Eva and Che

CHE : Tell me before I waltz out of your life Before turning my back on the past Forgive my impertinent behavior But how long do you think this pantomime can last? Tell me before I ride off in the sunset There's one thing I never got clear How can you claim you're our savior When those who oppose you Are stepped on, or cut up, or simply disappear?
EVA : Tell me before you get onto your bus Before joining the forgotten brigade How can one person like me, say, Alter the time-honored way the game is played? Tell me before you get onto your high horse Just what you expect me to do I don't care what the bourgeoisie say I'm not in business for them but to give all my descamisados A magical moment or two
CHE and EVA : There is evil, ever around, fundamental System of government quite incidental
EVA : So what are my chances Of honest advances? I'd say low Better to win By admitting my sin Than to lose with a halo
CHE : Tell me before I seek worthier pastures And thereby restore self-esteem How can you be so short-sighted To look never further than this week or next week To have no impossible dream?
EVA : Allow me to help you slink off to the sidelines I'll mark your ado with three cheers But first tell me who'd be delighted
If I said I'd take on the The world's greatest problems From war to pollution? No hope of solution Even if I lived for one hundred years
CHE and EVA : There is evil, ever around, fundamental System of government quite incidental
EVA : So go, if you're able To somewhere unstable And stay there Whip up your hate In some tottering state But not here, dear Is that clear, dear?
Oh what I'd give for a hundred years! But the physical interferes Every day more--O my Creator! What is the good of the strongest heart In a body that's falling apart? A serious flaw--I hope You know that

### You Must Love Me

EVA : Where do we go from here? This isn't where we intended to be. We had it all
You believed in me I believed in you Certainties disappear What do we do for our dream to survive How do we keep all our passions alive As we used to do?
Deep in my heart I'm concealing Things that I'm longing to say Scared to confess what I'm feeling Frightened you'll slip away You must love me You must love me Why are you at my side? How can I be any use to now? Give me a chance and I'll let you see how Nothing has changed.
Deep in my heart I'm concealing Things that I'm longing to say Scared to confess what I'm feeling Frightened you'll slip away
You must love me

## External links

* Film libretto