EVITA Elaine Paige

The original Eva in "Evita," Elaine Paige, 1978, "Rainbow High" preceded by the beginning and ending of "High Flying Adored." Gary Bond is Che. This performance is from the 1978 SWET Awards (Society of West End Theaters; later became the Olivier Awards). It's included in the South Bank Show devoted to Elaine Paige, but it's not complete there.

[@gobbledygookik]

That “I WOOOON’T DISAPPOINT THEEEM!!!”

[@Fabilicious81]

She's a wonderful, marvelous performer, her acting is moving, the way she phrased my favourite part, "i'm their savior, that's what they call me" in one breath and that fierceness in her eyes, gosh!! How I wish I could've been there and see it live!!

[@amyclarke41]

she does a radio show on radio 2 and is really funny

[@OffdaWill]

Wow i'm astounded by her characterization.

[@jenbird123]

I wish I could have seen Elaine play Evita. So powerful and captivating!

[@anonymous2092]

I’m so blown away by this

[@auroraspiderwoman5886]

Glad to hear it---it's one of my favorites.

[@anonymous2092]

I can’t stop watching!

[@auroraspiderwoman5886]

I've been watching this since it first aired and it never gets old.

[@mildadreyer]

The "Rainbow high" was stunning. HUGE LIKE.

[@auroraspiderwoman5886]

The best.

[@carnegie6179]

I saw Elaine as Evita 4 times in London. Along with Judi Dench in A Little Night Music, 2 of the best performances I have been privileged to see.

[@giovannirastrelli9821]

Ah, the good old days before they sped up the tempo and added a samba beat to the “Buenos Aires” leitmotif.

[@alvarocastro1997]

This is pure gold THANKS

[@auroraspiderwoman5886]

Glad you liked it and I agree.

[@elizabeth5985]

I have NEVER seen her perform. I've only seen Patti Lupone and other amazing actresses but this...this....OMG Im speechless.

[@chrislavin9581]

What is shocking is that EP has won only one Olivier award. While people like Barbara Dickson have 2. Given her amazing body of work it is an absolutely travesty. A thoroughly underappreciated star

[@deerheart87]

But Barb has the better voice

[@Dianaemanuel]

Paige absolutely LIVES that role. You can totally see her inhabit the character.

[@jscho8674]

I love her growly scream! Wow!

[@mooniemuk]

The utterly wonder Elaine Paige. The greatest Evita. What an actress. RIP Gary Bond.

[@auroraspiderwoman5886]

I agree---greatest (and of course first) Evita.

[@mrjamiecrawford]

@@auroraspiderwoman5886I think I still prefer Patti Lupone. It is absolutely manic 😂

[@JoanBette]

ALW loved to write for the extreme female “belt”. It’s a wonder anyone can sing this stuff at all!

[@highbaritone]

Yes it’s true. Bloody hard sing.

[@conductenor]

True but she mixed like crazy. There was very little true belt in this. Patti belted. Lol

[@lepetitchat123]

Evita was conceptualized as a rock opera so belting is necessary 🤣

[@ladyjennyanytime5195]

@@conductenor And paid the price for it by constantly blowing her voice out.

[@vitorhugosantana7053]

@@conductenor well Elaine did 8 shows a week and hardly missed a show, unlike Patti.

[@operathephantom]

OH MY GOD. I have been looking for this in its entirety for absolutely years!! THANK YOU!!! Is there any chance you can get in touch so we can discuss a higher-resolution copy? :)

[@nornsnornsnorns]

wonderful happy memories

[@MBonEB]

Glorious!

[@frakte]

Wow, such fierceness!

[@thestrugglingvocalist4849]

Wow! She and Ruthie Henshall have the same voice quality

[@Rachipupu]

elaine paige is perfect. no one can play as evita better than her.

[@auroraspiderwoman5886]

I have always thought so.

[@DeepScreenAnalysis]

Look up Patti LuPone in the role and you'll change your opinion.

[@Rachipupu]

Messylin i already watched and listened to her as Evita. Patti Lupone is really great, but my personal opinion is Elaine portrayed Evita better than Patti. Nevertheless, both of them are great actress and singer!

[@jaws-ofoz3627]

you never saw Patti Lupone

[@jamessworldd]

Patti will blow elaine and loni and madonna out of the water nobody can hold a flame to her!!!

[@jacquelineedwards4140]

Any chance of the full version of High Flying Adored performed by Gary Bond and Elaine Paige being added?

[@djtomt]

Amazing!

[@chocolatesouljah]

I watched this clip on VHS tape with my late great Mother repeatedly. We saw Evita with Ms. Lupone during the San Francisco tryout. Then with tour lead, Derin Altay, who we preferred. She loved Evita.

[@raywil1000]

And to think that people say Patti is better in the role than this, Elaine actually brings some character to this.

[@auroraspiderwoman5886]

As one who saw Paige first, LuPone second, you will get no argument from me.

[@raywil1000]

@@auroraspiderwoman5886 indeed - whilst Patti has a powerful voice, I've always felt her version of Rainbow High is just voice and nothing else. The audio of her last Bway performance of it is just ridiculous

[@mooniemuk]

So true.

[@The-Musical-Lover]

Agree 100%. Plus I personally find Paige’s voice way more pleasant to the ear.

[@Chuck0856]

they approached the role differently -- hard to compare.

[@smurf902]

Wowzah! She actually was phenomenal. I've never heard Paige sing it in fear that i would hate it. but i dont

[@amyclarke41]

yes

[@jamiekeister1774]

I highly recommend that you listen to Seth Rudestky deconstruct Elaine Paige's version of "Rainbow High" (link below). After listening to Rudestky's commentary, I can't get what he calls the "Elaine Paige 'sassy growl,'" or the way she "scoops" and "riffs" various words and phrases, out of my mind. Also, he highlights some of her techniques (placements / modulations) - especially noticeable in how she approaches the words "Argentine Rose." If you take a few minutes to listen to Mr. Rudestky, you will never "hear" Elaine Paige's performance the same way again. You'll love it even more...! Deconstructing Elaine Paige in EVITA! by Seth Rudetsky kzbin.info/www/bejne/i5maeYqZqbB-h6c

[@auroraspiderwoman5886]

No one matches Elaine for elegant, incisive, thrilling singing. She has always been my favorite Eva, and it's a tragedy that her performance lives on (officially) in just a single disc, and one of LP length at that. And I am in complete agreement about Seth's analysis here: I didn't need anyone to help me thrill to Elaine's "Rainbow High," but Seth greatly enhances the experience and should not be missed.

[@jamiekeister1774]

​@@auroraspiderwoman5886 And, another thing I'd like to throw out there. The concept album. I do love it, too. The fact that the concept album with Julie Covington, which is highly enjoyable as it allows you to hear an earlier incarnation of the musical (written by a slightly younger Webber / Rice, and with a more "rock" sensibility similar to "Jesus Christ Superstar") makes the inclusion of Covington, already a pop star, a perfect choice for the concept album. Apparently, she tired of the project due to the length of time it was taking to gel and move forward, so she moved on to other interesting projects. Meanwhile, it so happened the score and libretto of "Evita" began to take on a less "rock" sensibility and a more modern operatic tone (foreshadowing to "The Phantom of the Opera" perhaps), so Julie Covington's departure was probably a good thing. But I do love her version. But is saddens me that the release of the album with Paige et al is only a "highlight" album, so if memory serves has less tracks than the concept album. As a result, along came Paige which was fortuitous ... (she was about to call it quits and move home after not landing enough roles to support herself) ... so they found her just in time. Without this ... Paige likely wouldn't have had the cachet to be asked to participate in the development in "Chess." That show ... well, I'm biased regarding "Chess," as it marked my first professional job in the business in the '80s (in Chicago) before I ever was in "Evita," so it occupies a special place in my heart. Though, the version in the US was a bit different (to say the least), yet it was no less incredible. Elaine Page helped yet another musical enter the public consciousness (in the UK) with another concept release (at the time a smart strategy and Rice was involved with "Chess" and he's a smart smart man), so once again, long live the incomparable Elaine Paige (and let's not forget Barbara Dickson for the release the "Chess" song with Paige "I Know Him so Well," which helped sell it to the UK public). BTW, that song from "Chess" still holds the record as the biggest selling UK chart single ever by a female duo. As many shows, what a story with "Evita" and "Chess." I could clearly go on forever. Cheers to you spiderwpman! Nice commenting with you lol.

[@kevinwilson3609]

@@jamiekeister1774 Elaine got asked to do Chess because Rice, who fell in love with her voice and performance style, was also sleeping with her. Of course, without Evita she would not have been known to him or generally and would not have been asked to do Chess or any other musical. And I disagree that that the Evita score, after the concept album, became more like Phantom. You can't find 2 scores written by the same composer more different than Evita and Phantom.

[@jkeister]

Oh yes- they were sleeping together… That I do remember I think it was for almost 15 years or something to that effect… I had totally forgotten about that until you mentioned it. You and I agree re: the two scores and the vast and impressive difference between the two. I wish I could remember the name of the book… Andrew Lloyd Webber was asked what was the turning point for him was - where he begin to lose interest and enthusiasm for creating “rock operas,” and (for the lack of a better word) became more interested in “sophisticated” material. He cited Evita. He said something to the effect that the starting point and the end point (being its premier eventually in the West End) was so dramatic and also stressful (Sorry I can’t remember the pressure of the issues he mentioned) that was that show that soured him on “rock operas.“ He said it was the difficulty in producing Rock opera specifically that made him just set them aside for many many years and concentrate on “the phantom of the opera” etc.

[@ladyjennyanytime5195]

@@kevinwilson3609 Not strictly true as she was in the London company of Jesus Christ Superstar, prior to that hair and then as Sandy in Grease with Paul Nicholas and then as one of Michael Crawfords Girlfriends in the musical Billy, so I would imagine she would have caught his eye or at least of been known to him prior to her auditioning for Evita. Her whole schtick in the press at the time of Evita about her being an unknown is totally untrue, in Theatre circles she definitely was known, its just she wasn't a household name. Evita changed all that of course. ;-)

[@alejandrodigrazia1810]

sin duda, ninguna como Elena Roger!!!

[@pbamse]

Callese, señora.

[@gordyCA]

You continue to amaze me, Aurora Spiderwoman (speaking of which, you wouldn't happen to have any Maria Conchita Alonso in Spiderwoman, would you?).

[@auroraspiderwoman5886]

Thank you! I did see MCA in "Spider Woman," but I don't believe I have even a second of footage of her performance.

[@gordyCA]

It's remarkable how little press they did for her engagement. It's as if they resigned themselves to closing upon Vanessa's departure.

[@JoshMich1985]

What about Linda Blair in Grease?

[@auroraspiderwoman5886]

Alas no, and wish I had seen her. Would you take Mackenzie Phillips instead? Probably not, I know.

[@amyclarke41]

I prefer the show i saw

[@nawiigonzalez]

Porque grita!?

[@amyclarke41]

this che seems out of tune yo my ears

[@horaciosacco2538]

E laine.P... E vita P eron...Similar!

[@Chuck0856]

She played it with the roughness of a poor girl trying to acting aristocrat. Interesting take on the role.

[@zimatar489]

Gary Bond seems a poor singer. Gosh, Antonio Banderas can beat him in High Flying Adored.

[@mandyb4140]

Never as good as the original concept 1976 album

[@biomanization]

Patti Lupone

[@user-dg2bs8xp9e]

Υστερια και φωνες ! Σαν νευριασμενη .... Η Madona ηταν η πιο ωραια εκδοση της Evita !

[@andreasnorlen2002]

Madonna was much better.

[@user-hb9hb7gi7j]

This is a snooze fest after Patti Lupone's performance. Sorry. Paige is a very nice performer but Lupone waa a force of nature.

[@rachelnelsen1002]

Couldn't agree more! I actually found this a little painful to listen to.