Eva Peron Had Every Disadvantage

Last June the new Broadway cast recording of EVITA became a reality.  After a massive letter writing campaign for a complete recording of the score, the powers that be said "yes" and a new recording came to be.  Along with Elaine Paige, Patti Lupone, Paloma San Basilo, Michelle Breeze, Claudia, and others a new Evita joins the list, Elena Roger, a native Argentinian.  She played the role in London back in 2006 and a highlights recording was released.  The orchestrations are a tad more Latin and an enhancement to the original orchestrations of the late 1970s.

Ricky Martin is "Che" the Argentine Everyman who narrates the proceedings.  No longer the "Che Guevara" of the original production.  Michael Cereveris is "Juan Peron."  Michael was the title role in The Who's Broadway version of TOMMY.  

The orchestra includes an accordion, and not the more tango sounding bandoneon that is wonderfully used in the Madrid recording.  But it does the trick.  The song "Buenos Aires" really got a makeover and gets you going.  The percussion is electrifying to say the least.  "Dangerous Jade" no longer has the drum riffs during the song, but it is saved for the last section.

The song "You Must Love Me" from the 1996 movie/Madonna version is included right after the "Waltz for Eva and Che."  The "Montage" is very dissonant and haunting, a major improvement from the original.

There have been criticisms about Elena's voice being shrill or not Broadway worthy.  I ask the listener to listen to the voice of the real Eva Peron...shrill and penetrating...a voice trying to make a point.  Elena even looks like her when she is in costume.  I think she is an amazing singer/actress.

So listen to the new recording and don't cry for Elena.  You will come to discover how surprisingly good it is!

Is This A Tsunami?

Tuesday the 28th of August was a normal day.  It was to be our first full day of school.  At 10:15 AM my 8th grade social studies class came in and were told to continue to work on their maps of California.  These maps are hand drawn, an art that is being lost, I think, in schools.  They complain but their maps turn out to be great works of art.  But, I digress.  Around 10:45 AM one of my students wanted to know if a pipe broke because water was coming in quickly in the patio.  Sure enough, it was gushing forth as a raging river would.  Mrs. Ellison walked in and said to make sure my sliding door was closed because the other classroom got lots of water.  One of my students asked, "Is this a tsunami?"  We made sure the door was closed, but some water did come in and ruined the corner where my desk is.

Well, the water kept gushing at an enormous pace that the 4 picnic tables were carried by the current.  The water level reached about a little over knee high and the pressure could probably break the class.  My principal told me to send the kids to the kindergarten room to be with their buddies.  Water did come into my room from the sliding door and from a window in the back where it was seeping slowly.

Told the kids to put boxes from the floor on top of desks.  I went to get my 6th graders and escorted them to get their backpacks.

Meanwhile, outside, apparently a pipe at the intersection exploded and caused the street to open up creating a giant sink hole.  This caused the gushing forth of water.  Words cannot explain nor describe the scene...it had to be seen to be believed.  We came to learn that the parish hall and the convent also got flooded...the convent big time, so the sisters that live there will be at other convents for at least three weeks.

A little after noon we were ordered to evacuate and under the guidance of the San Francisco Fire Department and Police Department, over 250 students, teachers and staff made a mass exodus to the nearby Visitacion Valley Park where parent would pick up their children.

It was there that Univision 14 was trying to find the Spanish speaking teacher for a first hand account.  Yours truly made his debut on TV.

As of today, school is still closed but we are reopening on Tuesday, the day after Labor Day.  Unexpected extra vacation, but I do miss my students!