Don’t Cry for “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina”??
I’m interrupting my LOST streaming to get this off my chest. Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin were an absolute dream in this at the Palace on Tuesday night . . . BUT SHE DID NOT SING “DON’T CRY FOR ME ARGENTINA”!!!!
It was on the program. The program DID say “subject to change.” And she DID add “Everything’s Coming Up Roses.” But Metallica doesn’t perform “Enter Sandman” INSTEAD of “Master of Puppets.”
Mandy and Patti were last on stage together 30 years ago in a little Broadway musical called EVITA that launched their careers. I saw it as a little girl barely old enough to remember — but I do have a few vivid memories, and I did have the original cast recording memorized before I could read.
Now, I begrudgingly acknowledge that “A Waltz for Eva and Che” — Evita’s only proper duet between Mandy and Patti — may be too obscure in the cannon to merit inclusion in this Sondheim-saturated [not that there's anything wrong with that!] reunion tour. BUT FOR THE LOVE OF GOD how could they eliminate any reference to Evita whatsoever?
For the fans, people! We waited and waited — surely during the encores? They MUST do something from it. No.
I could go on about how great the show was, how exciting to see such legends on stage, how impeccable their form, how Mandy nailed “Buddy’s Blues” and how Patti aced “Not Getting Married” . . . but I’m a little stubborn for all that right now.
Walking down Randolph to the Red Line, I did the only thing I could do: Embarrass my friend by singing on the street.
It won’t be easy
You will think it strange
When I try to explain that this song
Is printed in your program
But will never be sung.
You won’t believe me
All you will see is a girl you once knew
Who got famous singing this song.
[At this point I was belting out as the El passed overhead]
But won’t ever sing it for you!
Don’t cry, there’s no Argentina
[By now we were looking for breath strips in the 711]
The truth is we stone cold dissed you…
And then I stopped because we were at the counter paying.
I suppose in the end I should feel ignorant on some level for craving the big pop hit in a sea of more widely acknowledged classics. But you know what? Screw that. I’m being a diva about this!! I’m mad about “Argentina.” And always will be.