About Corpus Evita

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