Nov 16, 2006, 17:52 GMT
London - A 23-year-old British singer spotted on a television talent show to play the lead role of Maria in a new stage version of The Sound of Music in London has been hailed as the new Evita by co-producer Andrew Lloyd Webber.
The British musical composer told the Daily Telegraph Thursday that Connie Fisher could have a big career ahead of her after a breath-taking first night performance in London Wednesday evening.
'What can one say? Maybe the only thing I can compare it with is the first night of Evita with Elaine Page,' said Lloyd Webber.
His version of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, set in World War II in Austria and brought to fame in the 1965 movie with Julie Andrews, is set to become London's latest musical hit, reviewers said.
Fisher, who fell in love with musicals and singing from the age of eight, said recently that repeated rejections at auditions had made her question whether musical theatre was the right career.
She was chosen from a number of contenders from a BBC talent show entitled: 'How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?'
Fisher, clearly concerned about the scathing criticism that accompanied the manner of her choice, received a rousing ovation Wednesday.
Before the show, she had said: 'I'm sure some critis have made up their minds already that they want this reality TV girl to fail.'
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