Hal Prince to Recreate Original Production of EVITA for 2018 Australian Debut

Opera Australia Artistic Director Lyndon Terracini, Australian theatre producer John Frost and leading UK theatre producer David Ian today announced that one of the most celebrated classical musicals, EVITA, will return to Australia, playing at the Joan Sutherland Theatre at the Sydney Opera House in September 2018.

This is the first time a Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber musical will play at the Sydney Opera House.

After sell-out productions including South Pacific, The King and I and most recently the 60th anniversary production of My Fair Lady, John Frost and Opera Australia will again re-create one of the greatest works of music theatre, the original West End and Broadway production of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's EVITA, directed by Hal Prince. Legendary Broadway director Hal Prince has won 21 Tony Awards, more than any person in history. Hal Prince will be joined by fellow original West End creative team members including choreographer Larry Fuller and designer Timothy O'Brien.

"We are thrilled to have the opportunity to recreate the renowned original production of EVITA 40 years after it opened in the West End, following the wonderful success of My Fair Lady," said Lyndon Terracini and John Frost. "To have the original creative team of Hal Prince, Larry Fuller and Timothy O'Brien overseeing the production is a dream come true."

David Ian said, "I am absolutely thrilled to be presenting the original West End and Broadway version of this truly iconic musical in Australia with Opera Australia and John Frost.‎ Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice and Hal Prince are legends of musical theatre; it gets no better than this".

The Australian premiere has been secured exclusively for Sydney by the Government's tourism and major events agency Destination NSW and will be a major drawcard for visitors to NSW. "We are committed to securing premiere musical productions like Evita which will attract visitors to NSW. More than 17,000 overnight visitors are expected to travel to Sydney to see Evita, generating an estimated $14 million in overnight visitor expenditure," Mr Marshall said.

Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's EVITA is iconic, with more than 20 major awards to its credit including the Olivier and Tony Awards for Best Musical, a Golden Globe and an Oscar for the film version starring Madonna and Antonio Banderas. Featuring some of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's best loved songs including 'Don't Cry For Me Argentina', 'On This Night of a Thousand Stars', 'You Must Love Me' and 'Another Suitcase in Another Hall', EVITA charts the story of Eva Peron, wife of former Argentine dictator Juan Peron, from her humble beginnings through to the extraordinary wealth, power and status which ultimately led her to be heralded as the 'spiritual leader of the nation'.

This musical captured the attention of the public when it was first staged in 1978 and in its 40th year and Andrew Lloyd Webber's 70th year, Opera Australia and John Frost are thrilled to bring this "modern masterpiece" (New York Post) to Australia in all its original glory.

Produced by special arrangement with The Really Useful Group.