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It's an original soundtrack recording from the 1996 motion picture, which was based loosely on the life of Maria Eva Duarte de Perón, commonly known as Evita. It's loosely based because the movie and this CD, if you listen to it as a story, will lead you to think sympathetically of Evita, ... Read review
Evita was finally filmed in 1996, 20 years after its initial incarnation as a ... more
studio-bound rock opera. In between, of course, it was one of the most successful and long-running musicals on either side of the Atlantic. Given such a long history, the...
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Disc 1 A Cinema In Buenos Aires 26 July 1952 Requiem For Evita Oh What A Circus On This ... more
Night Of A Thousand Stars Eva And Magaldi/Eva Beware Of The City Buenos Aires Another Suitcase In Another Hall Goodnight And Thank You The Lady's Got Potential Charity Concert/The Art Of The Possible I'd Be Surprisingly Good For You Hello And Goodbye Person's Latest Flame A New Argentina Disc 2 On The Balcony Of The Casa Rosada 1 Don't Cry For Me Argentina On The Balcony Of The Casa Rosada 2 High Flying Adored Rainbow High Rainbow Tour The Actress Hasn't Learned The Lines And The Money Kept Rolling In Partido Feminista She Is A Diamond Santa Evita Waltz For Eva And Che Your Little Body's Slowly Breaking Down You Must Love Me Eva's Final Broadcast Latin Chant Lament - Madonna Antonio Banderas
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Advantages: Some very good tracks Disadvantages: Some pretty poor ones too.
I can't understand it, you know. I don't like musicals. I don't like Madonna. The tracks swing between the dreadful and the good but this CD is one I play regularly. It's a guilty secret and even I don't know why I do it.
It's an original soundtrack recording from the 1996 motion picture, which was based loosely on the life of Maria Eva Duarte de Perón, commonly known as Evita. It's loosely based because the movie and this CD, if you ... ...think sympathetically of Evita, whereas the truth is that she was one of the most hated and powerful women of the age despite having died at the relatively young age of 33.
In its turn the movie grew from the nineteen-seventies stage musical of the same name, with lyrics by Tim Rice and orchestration by Andrew Lloyd Webber. As you might expect it's an altogether grander production than the original musical, with additional orchestration ... more
I can't understand it, you know. I don't like musicals. I don't like Madonna. The tracks swing between the dreadful and the good but this CD is one I play regularly. It's a guilty secret and even I don't know why I do it.
It's an original soundtrack recording from the 1996 motion picture, which was based loosely on the life of Maria Eva Duarte de Perón, commonly known as Evita. It's loosely based because the movie and this CD, if you listen to it as a story, will lead you to think sympathetically of Evita, whereas the truth is that she was one of the most hated and powerful women of the age despite having died at the relatively young age of 33.
In its turn the movie grew from the nineteen-seventies stage musical of the same name, with lyrics by Tim Rice and orchestration by Andrew Lloyd Webber. As you might expect it's an altogether grander production than the original musical, with additional orchestration by David Cullen and even a couple of extra songs.
It may sound obvious to say that the trouble with sound tracks is that you can't see what's going on, but the CD opens with "Requiem for Evita" and it's more than four minutes of deadly dirge. If you're watching you see the extravaganza that was Evita's funeral, but the music on its own saps me of the will to live every time I hear it and it's a track I regularly skip. It slides neatly into "Oh what a circus" and we meet Antonio Banderas as Che, the narrator of the story. I was impressed by Banderas' singing voice when I saw the movie, but it lacks something when you can't see facial expression or gestures. He's an actor who can sing, rather than a singer who can act.
The best balance between acting and singing ability rests with Jimmy Nail, who plays Magaldi, the singer who is Eva's ticket from rural poverty to the big city. When I saw the movie I felt that Nail had been miscast. The part really needed someone older, seedier. I was more impressed when I listened to the CD. In "On this night of a thousand stars" and "Eva, beware of the city" the quality of his voice is apparent and he manages to convey emotion, something which wasn't always achieved by other members of the cast.
My niggling doubts about Madonna surfaced in "Eva, beware of the city", but in fairness it's not the type of song where her strength would normally lie. She is far better on the slower songs and in this one, with its regular changes of pace, I felt that she was keeping up with Nail rather than matching him. It also demonstrates that she's a singer with acting ability rather than the other way round. She has the telling lines "My father's other family were middle class and we were kept out of sight, hidden from view, at his funeral" but manages to deliver them with a complete lack of bitterness, despite having just said "Screw the middle classes. I will never accept them."
"Another suitcase in another hall" is a triumph for her. She brings out the vulnerability of the young girl, alone in the city, passed from man to man and unsure of where she's going. The orchestra is quieter, softer, and it sets off her voice to perfection. The song she really had to get right though was the dreadfully saccharine "Don't cry for me Argentina" which she delivers perfectly. She couldn't have afforded to have done otherwise. I've always thought it a great pity that this happened to be playing on the local radio when Argentina invaded the Falklands all those years ago. Had it not been it would probably have died the death it deserves.
Jonathan Pryce, as Perón, doesn't have a lot a lot to sing in the movie, which is a pity as he's well up to conveying the emotion, particularly in "She is a diamond" and the hesitancy in his first meeting with Eva in "I'd be surprisingly good for you". His voice lacks technical brilliance but he more than makes up for it with his acting ability.
I've a personal favourite on this CD: "Perón's latest flame" sung by Antonio Banderas and Madonna. With its lively, foot-trapping backing the upper classes detail their dislike of Evita. They wouldn't mind seeing her in Harrods (they used to have a branch in Buenos Aires) but "behind the jewellery counter, not in front." The lyrics are clever and witty: they leave me with a smile on my face.
Listen to the CD as a story rather than as music, but be aware that it isn't the complete truth. It fails to bring out the evil that she perpetuated in Argentina. You will get slight hints of the way money was diverted for her personal use in "And the money kept rolling in" and of the way she flaunted her glamour and money in front of her "shirtless ones" in "Rainbow High". Don't cry at her funeral though.
The CD is cautiously recommended, but if I had the choice again I'd probably buy the DVD and have the option of watching the movie. It's also available on Amazon for £6.97 - less than the price of the CD.
Quick facts:
Audio CD (October 28, 1996)
Number of Discs: 1 Label: Warner ASIN: B000026HEJ Catalogue Number: 9362464322
Price: £10.99 (Amazon)
Track listings:
1. Requiem For Evita 2. Oh What A Circus 3. On This Night Of A Thousand Stars 4. Eva And Magaldi/Eva Beware Of The City 5. Buenos Aires 6. Another Suitcase In Another Hall 7. Goodnight And Thank you 8. I'd Be Surprisingly Good For You 9. Peron's Latest Flame 10. A New Argentina 11. Don't Cry For Me Argentina 12. High Flying, Adored 13. Rainbow High 14. And The Money Kept Rolling In (And Out) 15. She Is A Diamond 16. Waltz For Eve And Che 17. You Must Love Me 18. Eva's Final Broadcast 19. Lament
Advantages: Lots of emotions and antonios Banderas voice Disadvantages: Mostly slow songs, some depressing
This soundtrack and film shows a surprising amount of vocal talent for crowned quuen of pop. I have always been a fan but this is the other end of the spectrum formher usuall `holiday` and `whose that girl` days.
Maddona shows that she can act a powerful role and hold a powerful and emotional tune which does Andrew Lloyd Webber proud.
Every song is full of emotion, songs such as `you must love me`, another suitcase another hall and the classic ... ...get wrapped up inthe emotion and feel the triumph but sadness of the charecters.
There is the slightly depressing `requiem for evita' but completely fitting for the film.
We also have a sample of the lovely Antonia Banderas voice in ` oh what a circus, which he carries of with his lovely ancent, and makes a change from the other slow down beat songs.
The albulm is full of well written songs which forms a well fiting soundtrack for the film. ...
rabbitfighter 30.08.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Evita - Madonna
Advantages: Madonna's stonger voice Disadvantages: Not Madonna's usual mix of music
The soundtrack to the screen musical, Madonna certainly shows why she was born to play the part! After having singing lessons, Madonna shows us that her voice is bigger and better than ever. Official not a Madonna album (chart officials class it as an original soundtrack album) she still brings in her own unique style to the album. Outstanding tracks include Buenos Aires, Waltz for Eva & Che and Don't Cry for me Argentina. Although she takes no credit ...
Musica 01.09.2002
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of Evita - Madonna
Originality
Lyrics
Quality and consistency...
Value for Money
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Advantages: Couple of good tracks Disadvantages: Too much of a change. Not easy to listen to.
Madonna Ciccone has been nicknamed the 'Queen of Pop', and is wll known for groundbreaking music releasing themes of music and religion onto the stage with controversy attached. Following the release of her 1994 album 'Bedtime Stories', Madonna took a break from recording music and concentrated on the film production of the musical 'Evita', in which she takes the lead.
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Advantages: Another great collection Disadvantages: Erotica is a poor track
think if it had been released as the first single off the album then it would not have had to work so hard to get people to listen it, but fans and critics had applauded a change of style with a brilliant track 'Secret' which was the debut release from 'Bedtime Stories'.
'Evita' was the film that Madonna had longed to make for as long as she had been in music, so it was no surprise that she not only got the part, but also released 'Don't Cry For Me Argentina'. This track shows a new warmth and dimension to Madonna's vocals which are sometimes brought into question when she performs live. It is a rousing version of a well known song, but she still manages to leave her mark on it. It is a strange but welcome inclusion on this album, especially as it is just so different from anything else on here.
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Advantages: excellent song, rythm Disadvantages: no
The last album of Madonna, Music, largely relayed in the various
medias, marks the return so much awaited of the american star on the
front of the international scene! The most popular singer in the
world seemed to be a little quiet in her extravagances and
her provocations, but there is no doubt that its music and its talent
knew to remain identical: sensual, distracting, aphrodisiac, magic!
And its various melodies, more required than the preceding ones, show
a will to prove with its many fans that it wishes to take again its
deposed title.
For a few years, Madonna had slightly disappeared from the sceneShe was wonderful and sublim in its interpretation of Evita, and
since, plus nothing. And especially in the world of the song, where
some unhappy albums had come to reinforce this impression of decline.
Competed ...
Principal cast includes: Madonna, Antonio Banderas, Jonathan Price, Jimmy Nail. Producers: Nigel Wright, Alan Parker, Andrew Lloyd Webber, David Caddick. Engineers: Dick Lewzey, David Reitzas, Robin Sellars, Mark "Spike" Stent. Recorded at CTS Studios, Whitfield Street Studios, Metropolis Studios, EMI Abbey Road Studios, Olympic Recording Studios, London, England.
Titles on disc 1
1.
Requiem For Evita
2.
Oh What a Circus
3.
On This Night of a Thousand Stars
4.
Eva And Magaldi/Eva Beware Of The City
5.
Buenos Aires
6.
Another Suitcase in Another Hall
7.
Goodnight and Thank You
8.
I'd Be Surprisingly Good For You
9.
Peron's Latest Flame
10.
New Argentina
11.
Don't Cry For Me Argentina
12.
High Flying Adored
13.
Rainbow High
14.
And the Money Kept Rolling in (And Out)
15.
She Is a Diamond
16.
Waltz For Eva and Che
17.
You Must Love Me
18.
Eva's Final Broadcast
19.
Lament
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01/09/2002
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