On November 27 the Vanemuine will present the premier of Andrew Lloyd Webber's world-famous musical "Evita" in the brand new Solaris Centre in Tallinn. On January 23 the musical will be brought to the audience in the Grand Building of the Vanemuine.
Eva Peron (Evita) is played by singer Maarja-Liis Ilus, while other main roles are played by actors Marko Matvere and Aivar Tommingas and singers Vaiko Eplik and Anna Põldvee. "Evita" will be directed by Georg Malvius (Sweden), the musical director and conductor is Tarmo Leinatamm, the stage designer is Ellen Cairns (Scotland), the light designer is Palle Palme (Sweden) and the choreographer is Igor Barberic (Croatia). "Evita" is also supported by the Vanemuine Opera Choir, the Vanemuine Symphony Orchestra, a band and a ballet group.
According to Maarja-Liis Ilus, the role of Eva Peron is a very serious challenge for her. "It is certainly one of the most important and responsible musical roles in my life," she said. "I am happy that I have been given this opportunity. Knowing the team related to the play, I am convinced that it will be an impressive endeavour."
"Evita" is Georg Malvius’s 16th play directed in Estonia and also marks his 20th anniversary of his first directing in the country, the musical "Fiddler on the Roof" which premiered in the Estonia Theatre in 1989.
According to Malvius, it is always complicated to direct a musical whose main character is a person who has really existed. "There are people in older generations who still remember the actual Eva Peron," explained Malvius. "Evita enchanted the entire world just like Marilyn Monroe or other stars. Evita was not merely a political figure, but a pop icon of her era."
The story of "Evita" is about Eva Peron’s tempestuous life from the age of 16 until her dramatic death of cancer at the age of 33. "I am truly enchanted by the dramatic side of Evita’s life," said Malvius. "The most interesting is to see how a person changes from the moment they get to power."
"Andrew Lloyd Webber’s music is very beautiful – there is no doubt about it," the director added. The musical is about the life of Eva Peron, the wife of Argentine President Juan Peron, told by Che Guevara, another well-known historic character. Both Evita and Che symbolise certain naïve beliefs in pop culture: the belief in a better world; the life sacrificed for the poor and the humiliated.
"Evita" was initially released in 1976 as a music album. The success of the record led to performances in the West End in London in 1978 and in Broadway a year later. In 1996 a film was produced, starring Madonna as Evita and Antonio Banderas as Che Guevara.
"Evita" premiering in November is not the same performance that Vanemuine played seven years ago at the Tartu Town Hall Square, but Georg Malvius’s new version of this beautiful musical. This time Malvius relies on "Evita" staged by him last year in the Turku Swedish Theatre in Finland, which received a lot of positive reviews in the Finnish and Swedish press.
The premiere of "Evita" will take place on November 27 in Tallinn in the Nokia Concert Hall of the brand new Solaris Centre in Tallinn. The musical will be played interchangeably in the Solaris Centre and the Grand Building of the Vanemuine Theatre in Tartu as of January next year.
"I believe that "Evita" is a very good start for the Solaris Centre as a future highly valued musical hall," assured Paavo Nõgene, the General Manager of the Vanemuine Theatre.
Eva Peron (Evita) is played by singer Maarja-Liis Ilus, while other main roles are played by actors Marko Matvere and Aivar Tommingas and singers Vaiko Eplik and Anna Põldvee. "Evita" will be directed by Georg Malvius (Sweden), the musical director and conductor is Tarmo Leinatamm, the stage designer is Ellen Cairns (Scotland), the light designer is Palle Palme (Sweden) and the choreographer is Igor Barberic (Croatia). "Evita" is also supported by the Vanemuine Opera Choir, the Vanemuine Symphony Orchestra, a band and a ballet group.
According to Maarja-Liis Ilus, the role of Eva Peron is a very serious challenge for her. "It is certainly one of the most important and responsible musical roles in my life," she said. "I am happy that I have been given this opportunity. Knowing the team related to the play, I am convinced that it will be an impressive endeavour."
"Evita" is Georg Malvius’s 16th play directed in Estonia and also marks his 20th anniversary of his first directing in the country, the musical "Fiddler on the Roof" which premiered in the Estonia Theatre in 1989.
According to Malvius, it is always complicated to direct a musical whose main character is a person who has really existed. "There are people in older generations who still remember the actual Eva Peron," explained Malvius. "Evita enchanted the entire world just like Marilyn Monroe or other stars. Evita was not merely a political figure, but a pop icon of her era."
The story of "Evita" is about Eva Peron’s tempestuous life from the age of 16 until her dramatic death of cancer at the age of 33. "I am truly enchanted by the dramatic side of Evita’s life," said Malvius. "The most interesting is to see how a person changes from the moment they get to power."
"Andrew Lloyd Webber’s music is very beautiful – there is no doubt about it," the director added. The musical is about the life of Eva Peron, the wife of Argentine President Juan Peron, told by Che Guevara, another well-known historic character. Both Evita and Che symbolise certain naïve beliefs in pop culture: the belief in a better world; the life sacrificed for the poor and the humiliated.
"Evita" was initially released in 1976 as a music album. The success of the record led to performances in the West End in London in 1978 and in Broadway a year later. In 1996 a film was produced, starring Madonna as Evita and Antonio Banderas as Che Guevara.
"Evita" premiering in November is not the same performance that Vanemuine played seven years ago at the Tartu Town Hall Square, but Georg Malvius’s new version of this beautiful musical. This time Malvius relies on "Evita" staged by him last year in the Turku Swedish Theatre in Finland, which received a lot of positive reviews in the Finnish and Swedish press.
The premiere of "Evita" will take place on November 27 in Tallinn in the Nokia Concert Hall of the brand new Solaris Centre in Tallinn. The musical will be played interchangeably in the Solaris Centre and the Grand Building of the Vanemuine Theatre in Tartu as of January next year.
"I believe that "Evita" is a very good start for the Solaris Centre as a future highly valued musical hall," assured Paavo Nõgene, the General Manager of the Vanemuine Theatre.
Vanemuise 6, 51003 Tartu, Estonia | telephone +3727440100 | email teater[at]vanemuine.ee
