Today in Madonna History: July 29, 1997

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On July 29 1997, the Evita: Music From The Motion Picture CD (highlights from the Evita soundtrack) was released in North America.

Today in Madonna History: July 12, 1997

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For the week ending July 12 1997, the EVITA soundtrack enjoyed its final week on the Official UK Albums Chart.  After 36 weeks on the chart the hit film soundtrack sold 640,000 copies in the UK.

Today in Madonna History: June 13, 1996

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On June 13 1996, A New Madonna: The Making Of Evita special (hosted by Kurt Loder) premiered on MTV.

Today In Madonna History: March 10, 1996

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On March 10 1996, Madonna lip-synched Don’t Cry For Me Argentina for a scene in Evita before a crowd of 2,000 extras on the balcony of the Casa Rosada, the same location where the late Eva Peron addressed her people 50 years earlier.

Today in Madonna History: February 1, 1997

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On February 1 1997, Evita – The Complete Motion Picture Soundtrack peaked at #2 on the Billboard 200 album chart in the U.S. Meanwhile across the pond, the soundtrack simultaneously shot to the #1 position on the UK album chart. It had initially peaked at #6 in the U.S. and at #7 in the U.K. upon release in November, 1996.

The surge in sales was largely attributed to the film’s wide release in January and the heavy promotional push that accompanied it, along with the interest generated by the soundtrack’s second single, Don’t Cry For Me Argentina.

Today in Madonna History: December 25, 1996

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On December 25 1996, EVITA was given a limited released in New York and Los Angeles.

Wide release for the film followed on January 10, 1997.

Critic Zach Conner commented:

“It’s a relief to say that EVITA is pretty damn fine, well-cast, and handsomely visualized. Madonna once again confounds our expectations. She plays Evita with a poignant weariness and has more than just a bit of star quality. Love or hate Madonna-Eva, she is a magnet for all eyes.”

Newsweek ’​s David Ansen wrote:

“It’s gorgeous. It’s epic. It’s spectacular. But two hours later, it also proves to be emotionally impenetrable.”

 

Today in Madonna History: October 27, 1996

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On October 27 1996, Madonna’s You Must Love Me (the lead single from Evita) was released.

Kathleen Guerdo’s review for Billboard:

“Madonna delivers what is by far one of the strongest vocal performances of her career, comfortably scaling to the song’s demanding soprano heights while infusing it with delicate, heart-rending emotion. This bodes well for the creative potency of the rest of the soundtrack, which is due Nov. 14. Prepare for wall-to-wall airplay of this flawless ballad on pop and AC radio.”