“Evita” is an opera based on the extraordinary real-life story of Eva Peron, second wife of the Argentine President, Juan Peron. Born in 1919, Eva was illegitimate, poor and without privilege. Through her personality and ambition she became the most powerful woman her country had ever seen – the First Lady of Argentina at the age of 27. She died in 1952 of cancer, aged just 33 years.”

Born Eva Duarte in a poor town in a country province of Argentina, the illegitimate child of a farmer and a local girl, eva Peron’s childhood was shaped by poverty and prejudice. At the age of 15, an opportunity for escape to the bright lights of Buenos aires presented itself when she met Agustin Magaldi, a visiting tango musician. They had an affair and eloped to the big city.

In Buenos Aires was able to fulfil her dream of becoming an actress, finding work in nightclubs and theatres, before making something of a name for herself in radio and films. After becoming involved with a number of high-ranking officials and Army officers, a momentous event in Eva’s life occurred in 1943 when she first met Colonel Juan Peron. At the time they met, Peron was 48 – twice Eva’s age. From a humble background himself, he had risen through the ranks of the Army to a position of considerable power – a member of the military “junta” that had overthrown the government. An admirer of the Italian dictator Mussolini, Peron’s lust for power found a ready soulmate in the ambitious Eva, and together they became a formidable campaigning team – achieving huge popularity among the working classes (the decamisados – the “shirtless ones”).

In 1945, they married in secret, and in February 1946 Peron was elected President of Argentina, and “Evita” – as Eva was now popularly known – became First Lady. The following year she embarked on an extravagant grand tour of European capitals, receiving a mixed reception …. Feted by the Spanish dictator Franco, but jeered by the public in Rome when meeting the Pope. While still hugely popular with the masses of argentina, Evita provoked animosity among the upper echelons of Buenos Aires society and Peron’s political rivals. Eventually her health failed and her death in 1952 prompted massive outpourings of grief from a distraught population