Editing Tina Arena (section)

====Casting====
On 21 August 2017, Opera Australia announced that Arena would be taking on the lead role of Eva Perón in the 2018 Australian touring production of ''[[Evita (musical)|Evita]]''. The tour opened at [[Sydney Opera House]], in the Joan Sutherland Theatre, on 13 September 2018, with the season running to 3 November 2018. It subsequently moved to the [[Arts Centre Melbourne]] from 5 to 30 December 2018.<ref name="opera.org.au">{{Cite web|url=https://opera.org.au/whatson/events/evita-sydney?noloc=true|title=Evita &#124; Opera Australia|website=Opera.org.au|access-date=12 August 2019|archive-date=14 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180814135217/https://opera.org.au/whatson/events/evita-sydney?noloc=true|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="aussietheatre.com.au">{{Cite web|url=https://aussietheatre.com.au/news/tina-arena-confirmed-eva-peron-evita|title=Tina Arena confirmed as Eva Peron in Evita |date=21 August 2017|website=AussieTheatre.com}}</ref> Arena said that she was "terrified", but described the role as "a precious gift for myself and for any female performer". She said that she felt "blessed to work with someone who has had the kind of career that Hal Prince has had". Arena also says she felt the time was right to tackle the role: "I have been approached to do this role on a couple of occasions. I never felt emotionally ready for it. I felt I had a lot of living and learning before I could get up and take on the enormity of the story and the human spirit she possessed." Arena expressed of knowing about Eva Perón since she was a little girl, and feeling privileged to be able to recount the story and embrace the complex role.<ref name="geelongadvertiser.com.au">{{Cite web|url=https://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/news/national/tina-arena-talks-evita/video/a725a6acf535364878332d1ce21f8daa|title=Tina Arena talks Evita|date=15 August 2018}}</ref><ref name="ReferenceG">{{Cite web |url=https://www.limelightmagazine.com.au/news/tina-arena-is-australias-new-evita/ |title=Tina Arena is Australia's new Evita - Limelight |access-date=1 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181001182048/https://www.limelightmagazine.com.au/news/tina-arena-is-australias-new-evita/ |archive-date=1 October 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

On 7 May 2018, Opera Australia's artistic director, Lyndon Terracini, along with producers John Frost and David Ian, announced the full cast for the upcoming Australian production of ''Evita''. With Arena announced in the lead role as Eva Perón, the remainder of the cast was announced as: [[Paulo Szot]], Brazilian operatic baritone, and winner of a [[Tony Award]] for best actor on Broadway 2008, in the role of [[Juan Perón]]; Kurt Kansley (The Lion King, Rent, Godspell, Show Boat) will take on the role of the revolutionary [[Che Guevara]]. [[Michael Falzon (actor)|Michael Falzon]] (We Will Rock You, Jesus Christ Superstar, Chess) will portray [[tango music|tango]] singer [[Agustín Magaldi]], while the role of Perón's Mistress will be played by Alexis van Maanen. [[Jemma Rix]] (WICKED, The Wizard of Oz) has been cast as the alternate [[Eva Perón]] and is currently scheduled to be appearing in the role at least once a week throughout the Sydney season, according to the Evita-Australia website.<ref name="ReferenceG"/><ref name="ReferenceH">{{Cite web|url=https://aussietheatre.com.au/news/evita-full-cast-announced|title=Evita full cast announced |date=7 May 2018|website=AussieTheatre.com}}</ref><ref name="evitathemusical.com.au">{{Cite web|url=https://evitathemusical.com.au/|title=Evita The Musical|website=Evita The Musical}}</ref>

On 21 July 2018, Terracini, along with producers John Frost and David Ian, announced the 18 young performers who have been cast in the upcoming production of ''Evita'', in season at the Sydney Opera House from September 2018. Three sets of six children will alternate in ensemble roles.<ref name="ReferenceH"/><ref name="evitathemusical.com.au"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/sydney/article/Childrens-Cast-Announced-For-EVITA-in-Sydney-20180721|title=Children's Cast Announced For EVITA in Sydney|website=BroadwayWorld.com}}</ref>