“Tasteful” is not a word that springs to mind when thinking about Eva Peron, and it shouldn’t when it comes to Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s musical Evita either. But that’s exactly the quality that best describes the new Broadway revival, the first since the work’s premiere. Understated and underwhelming, it sacrifices the original’s bombast and flash for a substance that isn’t really there. Hal Prince’s now legendary 1979 production certainly had its flaws, but being boring wasn’t one of them.

This version staged by Michael Grandage and first seen on the West End in 2006 begins with somber film footage of Eva’s coffin being paraded through the streets of Buenos Aires, and the funereal tone never wavers from there.  

Argentine actress Elena Rogers makes her Broadway debut in the title role, and it is not an unalloyed triumph. The Olivier-Award winning performer, who garnered raves for her London portrayal, lacks the charisma, or “star quality,” as the show puts it, to fully convince as the galvanizing Evita. She’s credible in dramatic terms, and more than credible when it comes to the dancing. But her singing becomes shrill and grating in her higher register, and she doesn’t have the pipes to do justice to a song like “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina.”

Pop star Ricky Martin is the clear box-office draw here. But unlike the original’s Mandy Patinkin, who infused his every number with a biting sarcasm, his charming but uncharismatic Che seems more irritated than outraged. Not surprisingly, the singer handles the vocals with ease and, much to the delight of his female fans, he engages in some vigorously sexy dancing. In this version, the character is an everyman rather than the Che Guevara of Prince’s staging, but while that interpolation didn’t make any particular sense, it did add a historical frisson that is lacking here.

Also disappointing is Michael Cerveris as Peron. The normally compelling actor makes surprisingly little impact, although he does bring a suave sexiness to the role.

Grandage’s pageant-like staging of the sung-through piece moves well enough, and Rob Ashford’s tango-influenced choreography provides plenty of eye candy. But the main appeal of this show is its score--featuring such classic numbers as “Oh What a Circus,” “A New Argentina,” “Buenos Aires” and others—and it doesn’t come across with much impact with this version’s tinny orchestrations and wan singing. And the addition of “You Must Love Me,” written for the unfortunate 1996 film version starring Madonna, doesn’t help much.

Marquis Theatre, 1535 Broadway. 800-745-3000. www.ticketmaster.com.