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For
those of you who know me, EVITA is perhaps my biggest obsession … so it's only
natural that I should dedicate a website to my obsession! The story of Eva
Perón's rise to power is remarkable!
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Like everything in history, there are
differences in opinions among historians (“one shifts left to right”). Some will tell you that Magaldi never
toured the provinces, and therefore, never plucked Eva from her lack of “kicks
in the back of the sticks”. Some
anti-Evitists will say Eva was a prostitute who used her carnal charms to climb
the social ladder. Some avid descamisados call her the Argentine patron saint and have a
list of miracles to prove it.
Eva’s life is clouded in myth.
The following biography of her life leans more toward the Andrew Lloyd
Webber / Tim Rice approach, though this is not as far off-base as many make it
out to be.
Eva was born in a small Argentine
town in 1919. She was an illegitimate child; her natural father died when she
was seven years old. She and her other illegitimate siblings were not allowed
to attend their father’s funeral. This refusal lead to her eventual disgust of
the middle and upper classes (Eva's father's legitimate family was upper
class). At the age of fifteen, she left the poor provinical life and was in
Buenos Aires (regardless of whether Magaldi helped her get there or not!).
Over a period of several years, Eva
climbed (or as many suspect *slept*) her way to the top. She became a radio
personality, and a bit of a film star; she stayed with the men who would give
her a more important boost in life. Naturally, she went for the most powerful
man in the country. Colonel Juan
Domingo Perón held that title proudly. Perón was a dashing bachelor and one of
the youngest colonels in the armed forces. At a charity benefit for earthquake victims, the two met and
realized each had something the other wanted.
Juan was elected President of Argentina in 1946 (with Eva's
obvious help – the two charismatic forces conquered a nation). Eva threw
herself in a media frenzy that at the time was unheard of. Despite the
admiration from the lower classes (they considered her "one of them")
she was despised by the aristocracy and the army. She vowed to prove herself to
those two groups.
Eva
went on a "Rainbow Tour" of Europe. She was to be a “rainbow of love” between the Old and New
Worlds (sappy, huh?) She
was the toast of Madrid where she received unanimous praise (and why not?
Franco and Perón could have been political cousins!). However, Italy and
France weren’t very fond of Eva and the Queen of England asked Eva merely to
take tea with her. Eva’s dream of a night or two in Buckingham Palace was
shattered, as well as any hopes of impressing the British-based Argentine
aristocracy. Eva sadly (read: angrily) returned to Argentina.
However, she wasn't through yet ...
she created La Fundación Ayuda Social María Eva Duarte de Perón, the
Foundation to end all Foundations. She gave money to the poor with no thought
of reward (or bookkeeping). Eva once said:
“Keeping books on social aid
is capitalistic nonsense. I just use the money for the poor. I can't stop to
count it."
Although her efforts to help the poor
of Argentina were commendable, she and her husband's policies were sending a
rich nation into bankruptcy. Nevertheless, Eva's popularity among the descamisados
(the poor people, literally, "shirtless ones") was unfailing.
Eva
decided she wanted to be Perón’s Vice-President. Although the official
combination of two charismatic figures who obviously had loyalty to each other
seemed like a wonderful idea, it wasn’t meant to be. The army, who had yet to be impressed with Eva’s Chanel
perfumes or Dior gowns, were livid.
A female Vice-President?!
Perón was getting on up in years, and was (in the opinion of the army),
knocking on death’s door.
Therefore, Eva would become President, and Commander-in-Chief of the
Armed Forces. Hahaha. Yeah right. The mere idea was unacceptable.
Eva finally accepted defeat. However, it wasn’t the army she
kowtowed to. Eva realized she was
dying. In a sad message, Eva told
the people of her country that she was declining the nomination for
vice-presidency.
Eva's
sickness grew worse. On July 26, 1952 at 8:25 PM at the Palacio Unzué in Buenos
Aires, Evita died of uterine cancer at the age of 33. Many of her supporters
noted that this was the same age as Christ when He died. Her status as
"Santa Evita" was grounded among the Argentine people..
Also please read:
Musical Synopsis
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