The original production starred Tony Award winners Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin as Eva Peron and Che, respectively. The production received Tony Awards for Best Actress in a Musical (LuPone), Best Book (Rice), Best Direction of a Musical (Harold Prince), Best Actor in a Musical (Patinkin), Best Lighting Design (David Hersey), Best Original Score (Lloyd Webber and Rice) and Best Musical.
For more on the production, visit Evita's page at the Playbill Vault.
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"Buenos Aires," featuring Patti LuPone:
"Don't Cry for Me Argentina" at Starfest.
"Don't Cry for Me Argentina" - Patti LuPone Live.
"A New Argentina."
Here are some of our favorite performances of "Don't Cry For Me Argentina": The men of Il Divo:
Florence Lacey, most recently on Broadway in the revival of Follies, was the final actress to play the title role in the original Broadway production and also has the distinction of portraying Eva more than any other actress in productions worldwide.
"Grease" star Olivia Newton-John has performed the song in concert throughout her career; here she is singing the tune on "Midnight Special" in 1980.
At the 1980 Grammy Awards, Tony winner Patti LuPone, who created the lead role in Evita on Broadway, received a standing ovation for her emotional performance.
Kathryn Evans, who was the last to star in the title role in the original London production of Evita, performs the ballad on the show's closing night.
Here is concert star (and former Mrs. Andrew Lloyd Webber) Sarah Brightman offering her version of the melodic ballad.
Elaine Paige, who created the role on the London stage, sings "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" and Cats' "Memory"
Paige delivers another powerful performance at Andrew Lloyd Webber: The Royal Albert Hall Celebration.
Wicked Tony winner Idina Menzel performed "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" at Andrew Lloyd Webber's 60th birthday celebration; here is an audio that was broadcast on BBC2 Radio.
Julie Covington was the first to record "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" on the musical's concept album in 1976. Here is her audio recording.
The late disco queen Donna Summer even covered the show tune (her rendition begins at the 1:10 mark).
And, who could forget Festival's disco version of "Argentina"?
Tony winner Lea Salonga lends her beautiful tones to the Lloyd Webber-Rice song in a live concert.
Grammy winner Madonna got to offer her rendition in the film version of Evita.
The late, great pop singer Karen Carpenter also recorded the musical's anthem.
Even folksinger Joan Baez covered the song in a 1983 concert in Paris.
An even unlikelier cover: Sinead O'Connor.
Argentine actress Elena Roger.
Here are various performances of "Buenos Aires": Elena Roger on "Good Morning America":
Roger on "Children in Need" in 2006:
Roger recording "Buenos Aires":
Madonna:
Isabela Moner, who played the Child in the 2012 revival:
Audio of Elaine Paige:
Audio of Paloma San Basilio:
Audio of Andrea McArdle:
