Corpus Evita
Carlos Franzetti
Libretto by José Luis Moscovich
based a concept by Lorenz Russo
Friday, Feb 16 - 7 p.m.
Sunday, Feb 18 - 2 p.m.
Saturday, Feb 24 - 2 p.m.
Sunday, Feb 25 - 2 p.m.
at the Lucie Stern Theatre
1305 Middlefield Rd., Palo Alto, CA 94301
Performances are 100 minutes long,
including one 20-minute intermission.
FREE Preview with Piano
Thursday, Feb 8, 2023 - 7:00 p.m.
Holt Building
221 Lambert Ave., Palo Alto, CA 94306
World Premiere: Yerba Buena Theater, San Francisco - September 1, 2000
WBO Premiere: Feb 16, 2023
Pictured: Juan and Eva Perón in a 1940's motorcade
Juan Perón and his second wife, Eva Duarte, were the most influential people in 20th Century Argentine politics. He came to power in 1946 pushing a populist agenda that made him very successful. Eva, a natural politician, surpassed him in charisma. When she died of cancer in her early 30's, her image became mythical. To this day, politicians across the spectrum try to wrap themselves in her flag in order to succeed. Argentina has lived with this myth for seven long decades. This story is about Perón's third wife and running mate in the 1973 elections, Isabel. She took over from him when he died in office in 1974, and tried to fashion herself after Evita, with the aid of a close confidant rumored to be a warlock. It didn't work out. In 1976 the military coup that ousted her opened the gates of hell, and through them thirty thousand souls were lost. Raw ambition, black magic in the presidential palace, and the ghosts of Perón and Evita intertwine in this tale, told by someone who witnessed those tumultuous times first hand, set to a ravishing, propulsive score by Argentinean composer Carlos Franzetti. The score, recorded by the San Francisco Camerata conducted by Maestro Moscovich, was nominated for a Grammy in 2005.
José Luis Moscovich - Conductor
José María Condemi - Staging Dramaturg
Peter Crompton - Set Designer
Callie Floor - Costume Designer
Danielle Ferguson - Lighting Designer
Shirley Benson - Props Designer
Jehan Rasmussen - Makeup and Wig Designer
Giselle Lee - Sound Designer
Pictured: set designs by Peter Crompton
Isabel Perón - Sara LeMesh
Evita - Jessica Sandidge
Perón - Casey Germain
Ministro - Patrick Bessenbacher
Corpus Evita - Laure de Marcellus
Doctor - Anders Froehlich
Bruce Olstad, Chorusmaster
Carol Barrett, Mark Baushke, Didier Benoit, Joanne Bogart, Richard Bogart, Anthony Castillon, JoAnn Close, Inna Gitman, Michael Good, Chris Hawks, Barry Hayes, Terry Hayes, Lynne Haynes-Tucker, Susan Hogben, Joyce Huang, Joanne Newman, Lindarae Polaha, Philip Schwarz, David Simon, Terra Terwilliger, Will Todd, Gwendolyne Wagner
Interrogation Scene Actors
Anthony Castillon, Joyce Huang, Barry hayes, Michael Pleban, David Simon, Didier Benoit
Supernumeraries
Michael Pleban - armed guard
* First appearance with West Bay Opera
Corpus Evita Orchestra
Kristina Anderson (concertmaster),
Violin I · Emily Chiet, Virginia Smedberg, Kymber Gillen
Violin II · Andrew Lan, Frida Pukhachevsky, Kate Wahl , Julian R. Brown
Viola · Thomas Elliott, Rebecca Gemmer, Donny Lobree
Cello · Janet Witharm, Dahan Rudin, Thomas Shoebotham
Bass · Marie Laskin
Harp · Gennaro Porcaro
Flute · Sarah Benton, Vivian Boudreaux
Oboe · Meave Cox
Clarinet · Arthur Austin, Mark Corner (Bs)
Bassoon · Amy Duxbury
Horn · Cathleen Torres, Diane Ryan
Trumpet · Richard Leder, Chris Wilhite
Tromobone · Tommy Holmes
Timpani · Neal Goggans
Percussion · Sohrab Bazargannia
~
Orchestra Librarian · Virginia Smedberg
Orchestra Manager · Christy Crews
* First appearance with West Bay Opera
Corpus Evita 2023 - Press and Reviews