was a true real-life story. People empathised, hated and loved Eva Peron after Evita. Otherwise, she would have remained unknown to millions of people. The only people opposed to the musical (the film version) were the Argentineans themselves. They objected with the idea of Madonna, a woman - they thought - of little virtue, playing their national heroine. Strangely though, their lives are not dissimilar. Both were born into an underprivileged household. Both had a huge drive and ambition and they both fought their way to the top. Many different musical styles were embraced in Evita. Plain chant, aria, rock and much more. This contrapuntal mix of styles added depth and interest. The political lyrics for Peron are still appropriate for today's political parties. One has no rules, is not precise One rarely acts the same way twice One spurns no device Practising the art of the possible One always picks the easy fight One praises fools, one smothers light One shifts left to right Its part of the art of the possible.# The power of Tim Rices and Andrew Lloyd Webbers musicals is their universality. Rice and Lloyd Webber, proved that it is possible to take any subject matter, even as obscure as the story of Evita (to the mass population), and make it a box office success. Their perseverance and trust in their own talent ensured a musical of great standard and ground breaking new storyline. They were, together, a huge theatrical force. The most successful musical ever, Les Misrables, (Appendix 1 - F) was not universally well received on its premiere. But the benevolence of the producer ensured another huge success for British musical theatre. Cameron Mackintosh is the biggest producer of musical theatre. He has unique conviction, knowing that the success of the show does not only depend upon its marketing but on the quality of its pre and post production methods. The universal aspect of Les Misrables has less to do with political upheaval or rev...
