Paige to bring 40 years of spectacular songs to Beijing

Following Elaine Paige's musical journey over the past 40 years, she admits, is like watching a drama.

From an unknown, unpromising singer standing 1.5 meters tall, she skyrocketed to fame in 1978 by performing the leading role of Eva Peron in Evita. From international successful roles in Cats and a Broadway debut with Sunset Boulevard to suffering breast cancer, the only certainty with the 64-year-old is that what's next is always a surprise.

One night in 1981, a big black cat followed her home from a dinner party, and she adopted it. The very next day, Andrew Lloyd Webber called her and said that she had won the role of Grizabella in the original production of Cats, which was a second peak of Paige's musical career. So she named the cat "Grizabella".