Evita vocal range

[laura is broadway]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 4:47pm

Does anyone know what the range is for the part of Evita? I was reading earlier about how many songs had to be altered for Madonna, and I'm curious.

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 8:20pm

Rangy as hell. I know it's at least an E3-G5 as written, possibly larger.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 8/18/08 at 8:58pm

and there are parts that are just constant Fs and Gs, like in "A New Argentina." and it's not just rangy as hell; the actress playing Eva is onstage singing for almost the entire show.

[FlyingMonkey1223]

Posted: 8/19/08 at 5:25am

The show has very little spoken dialogue in it, so it's all being sung. However, the show is shorter then most shows at only about 100 minutes.

[goober1632]

Posted: 8/19/08 at 8:04pm

I actually don't think there's a "G" anywhere in Evita. I think there might be one "F". It's mostly "E" and down. It's just riding Ds and Es that make it hard, especially wanted the chesty, full on belt sound.

[maggiwun2]

Posted: 8/19/08 at 8:42pm

Did anyone hear the note Eric Kunze throws in at the end of "When the Money Comes Rolling In (And Out)"? I heard him do it four nights in a row and it brought the house down. Has anyone else ever done that in that show? Wonder how high that note is and HOW does he do that?!

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 8/19/08 at 9:39pm

Nope. I checked. "New Argentina" is written to go up to a G that last time.

[FlyingMonkey1223]

Posted: 8/19/08 at 11:32pm

That note that Eric hit was wonderful. I was impressed and it was one of my favorite parts of the show!

[BradMajors]

Posted: 8/19/08 at 11:35pm

Evita is an incredibly rangy score. Bless the performer who has to go on night after night and sing it as written!

[ahmelie]

Posted: 8/20/08 at 12:09am

Both Buenos Aires and Rainbow High span two octaves each, as well asthe G that was mentioned before on the thread.

Plus, its a terriblly difficult role acting-wise. It takes some incredible emotional, vocal, and physical stamina to keep up with that show.

[PRFRMR20]

Posted: 8/20/08 at 12:35am

For anyone that knows Music/Music Theory... What did Eric Kunze do at the end of "Rollin"?

Mandy goes up the octave in falsetto.

Did he do the following: Here is Tony Vincent singing the song, he goes up the fifth on the 2nd chorus?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tw-4BT7L5e4

I am very interested in knowing what Eric did with the song.
Updated On: 8/20/08 at 12:35 AM

[maggiwun2]

Posted: 8/20/08 at 12:56am

He took that last note and slid it up and up and up at least an octave (or two). He landed pitch perfect at the top. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong. I'm not a singer, I'm a pianist.

[COOOOLkid]

Posted: 8/20/08 at 1:20am

He sings that last note and then slides it up slowly, and goes up an octave.

It's quite impressive.

[laura is broadway]

Posted: 8/20/08 at 5:22pm

So was Madonna unable to hit some of the higher notes?

[Gothampc]

Posted: 8/20/08 at 5:39pm

"So was Madonna unable to hit some of the higher notes?"

Madonna was unable to hit some of the middle notes.

[jsg03jd]

Posted: 8/20/08 at 5:54pm

All of the keys for Eva's songs were brought down for Madonna.

Eva sings an E below middle C in BUENOS AIRES and RAINBOW HIGH. She then goes up to a G flat/F sharp in A NEW ARGENTINA. So, it's definitely a full two octave role for a woman to sing.

Not to mention all the D's, E's, E flats and F's that Eva has to belt throughout the course of the show.

[girlsings]

Posted: 8/20/08 at 7:39pm

Too wide a range for Julia Murney.

[g4rat]

Posted: 8/20/08 at 9:04pm

She sounded like she could handle it fine on the recording I heard. Lot's of vibrato though, guess that's Julia :}

[theatregeek2]

Posted: 8/21/08 at 10:47am

I saw the show in Sacramento....Julia Murney handled the score really well

[maggiwun2]

Posted: 8/30/08 at 10:57pm

"He sings that last note and then slides it up slowly, and goes up an octave.

It's quite impressive."

On the last note of Money, Eric slides his last note up one octave to a high G. I checked it on the piano. It seems to be a technique he has perfected, as I recall him doing that in Whistle and also JCS. It gives me chills when he does that.

[Patti_LuPone_Fan]

Posted: 12/26/09 at 10:56pm

I know I shouldn't be bumping this, BUT! I haev never heard A New Argentina with a G. Even Patti has always done it with an E. Always.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 12/26/09 at 11:02pm

So, if Im not mistaken, by the notes discussed the role of Eva Peron should be sung by a mezzo soprano, correct?

[Patti_LuPone_Fan]

Posted: 12/26/09 at 11:18pm

due to the low E's ( that mostly optional) yah, but mezzo or alto's could work it. Think voice type's as Idina and Sutton, they fit in between the two.

[beltingbaritone]

Posted: 12/27/09 at 12:48am

Get your pitch pipe out, the last line of high belted notes in "A New Argentina" goes up to a G on the cast recording.

And this role definitely needs a mezzo, not an alto. A true alto wouldn't be able to belt those notes. Furthermore, it takes a freakish mezzo at that. Most mezzos straight belt (from their chest) ends at the Bb to C# range. Then they go into a head/chest belt type thing for the Ds and Es that most musical theatre roles require today.

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 12/27/09 at 1:05am

Thanks, that's what I thought. Both Patti and Madonna are mezzo sopranos I think (of course that Patti's agility is a lot better), but then Elaine Paige sounds more like an alto to me. Then again, she barely hits the notes for the role.
I think a mezzo is required too, some altos have tackled the role, but they always have mediocre results.
Felicia Finley and Julia Murney also have sung the score and they are mezzos and sounded pretty well I've been told.
Some sopranos like Sarah Brightman sang some of the songs, and as much as I love her, I didn't think it worked out well.