Elaine Paige

Adriaan Fuchs

“The best word to describe Paige’s performance is volcanic. When that golden voice opens, it pours out like rich lava, and the sound that envelops the entire concert hall is simply thrilling. She is also a spell-binding actress, who delves deeply into each and every song.”

– Andrew Gans, Playbill Magazine

Great Interpreters Goes Broadway! – Program 7: Elaine Paige
Broadcast on Fine Music Radio on 17 July 2015.

In this penultimate episode of Great Interpreters Goes Broadway!, the spotlight falls on the “First Lady of British Musical Theater”, Elaine Paige. A 4 ft 11in powerhouse performer, Paige’s extraordinary show business career spans 50 years. She was the first actress to play the iconic roles of Eva Peron in Evita, Grizabella in Cats and Florence in Chess, and has arguably appeared in more West End and Broadway musicals than any other performer of her generation. Her list of roles is impressive: aside from the aforementioned Evita, Cats and Chess, it includes appearances in Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar, Billy, Anything Goes, Piaf, Sunset Boulevard, The King & I, Sweeney Todd, The Drowsy Chaperone and Follies.

What’s more, Paige has appeared in television and film, has thrilled audiences in concert worldwide, appearing in such venues as the White House, the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow and the Sydney Opera House, has recorded 21 solo albums and earned eight consecutive gold and four multi-platinum discs and has achieved chart topping hits including “Memory”, “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina” and “I Know Him So Well” which have become her signatures. She also has a highly successful, long-running show on BBC Radio 2, has been nominated for five Olivier Awards (winning in 1978 for her portrayal of Eva Peron in Evita), received an OBE and even been named “Rear of the Year.”

Podcast Track List

1) “Don’t Cry For Me, Argentina” from Evita
Music by Andrew Lloyd-Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice.

2) “Rainbow High” from Evita
Music by Andrew Lloyd-Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice.

3) “Memory” from Cats
Music by Andrew Lloyd-Webber and lyrics by Trevor Nunn.

4) “I Know Him So Well” from Chess
Music by Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, and lyrics by Tim Rice.

5) “Anything Goes” from Anything Goes
Music and lyrics by Cole Porter.

6) “Hymn to Love”
Music by Marguerite Monnot, original French lyrics by Piaf and English translation by Eddie Constantine.

7) “As If We Never Said Goodbye” from Sunset Boulevard
Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton.

8) “Getting To Know You” from The King and I
Music by Richard Rodger and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II.

9) “I’m Still Here” from Follies
Music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.

10) “L’Accordéoniste” (“The Accordionist”)
Music by Michel Emer and English lyrics by Adrian Mitchell and Pam Gems.

Videos

“As If We Never Said Goodbye” from Sunset Boulevard
Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton.

“Don’t Cry For Me, Argentina” from Evita
Music by Andrew Lloyd-Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice.

“Memory” from Cats
Music by Andrew Lloyd-Webber and lyrics by Trevor Nunn.

“I Know Him So Well” from Chess
Music by Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, and lyrics by Tim Rice.
Performed by Elaine Paige and Barbara Dickson.