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". 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. 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.