Lea Salonga believes there should be no let-up in the fundraising efforts for the survivors of typhoon Yolanda.
“There are lots of people there who were affected by the disaster so I think fundraising will be an ongoing thing for a very long time. Even when we have the permission to smile, it will keep going,” she told InterAksyon and other entertainment media during the press conference for her well-received “Playlist” concerts in December.
After starting the year with a repeat of “Playlist”, Lea is now headlining the Manila staging of the acclaimed symphonic concert “Do You Hear the People Sing?”, which features the music of Alain Boublil and Claude Michel Schonberg, creators of “Miss Saigon” and “Les Miserables”.
The benefit concert will take place at the Newport Performing Arts Theater of Resorts World Manila on January 29 and 30. Lea will lead an all-star line-up of singers and seasoned theater performers, including guest soloists Rachelle-Ann Go, Jon Joven, Carla Guevara Laforteza, Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, Jed Madela, Cocoy Laurel, Michael Williams and Leo Valdez.
Except for Jed Madela, all of the above performers have appeared at one time or another in several stagings of either “Les Miz” or “Miss Saigon” or both. Rachelle Ann Go is London-bound for the coming West End revival of “Miss Saigon” where she will star as Gigi.
The show, which was a hit with both critics and audiences when it debuted in Indianapolis, was also successfully staged in Ottawa, Canada and Shanghai, China. Each of the show had Lea as a featured performer along with four other soloists.
“This will be the first time we will stage this in Manila. For this particular show, we have additional soloists and additional material. It will feature more Kim stuff, more Eponine stuff. I get to sing a little more than some people,” Lea said during the recent press conference for the concert.
Lea said she’s particularly proud of the fact that composers Boublil and Schonberg initiated the staging of “Do You Hear the Voices Sing?” in Manila not just as a fundraising in support of the Yolanda rebuilding program through Habitat for Humanity Philippines.
“It’s also their way of saying thank you to the Philippines for everything this country has given to them as far as their shows are concerned. They found so many performers from this country to perform in their shows not only in London but also in other countries. There’s always a Filipino in every ‘Miss Saigon’ and more Kims of Filipino descent than any other Asian group,” she exclaimed with her usual wide-eyed enthusiasm.
Lea revealed that after Boublil and Schonberg initiated the project, it was just a matter of making phone calls to get everyone on board. “We contacted people one by one. And everybody wanted to be a part of it. ‘Okay, what do I need to do, what do you want me to do. Kahit anong anything, we just want to be part of it’,” she recalled most of the performers as saying.
Aside from the guest soloists, other veteran performers like Pinky Amador and Jake Macapagal did not at all mind being part of the ‘Miss Saigon’ Ensemble, along with Analin Bantug, Edward Bungalon, Tricia Canilao-Buser, Robbie Guevara, Natalie Everett, Lora Nicolas, Jun Ofrasio, Ivy Padilla, Aileen Payumo, Amparo Sietreales, Christine Sambeli Marquez, Arnold M Trinidad, Jojo Urquico, Gina Respall, Meliza Reyes and Christian Rey Marbella.
Accompanied by the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of maestro Gerard Salonga (who will also serves as musical director/conductor of the Asia-Pacific tour of the show, the star performers will be joined by an 80-member adult choir consisting of members from the Ateneo Chamber Singers, Mass Appeal, Aleron and the former members of the San Miguel Master Chorale. Twenty children from the International School Manila Middle School Honor Choir will also perform. Choirmaster for this event is Jonathon Velasco.
“This is going to be a huge show in terms of the number of people participating. It’s going to be fun,” Lea beamed.
With Bouberg Productions, Enda Markey and the performers waiving their talent fees, the event hopes to raise funds with the goal of building 200 homes in areas ravaged by Typhoon Yolanda through Habitat for Humanity Philippines.
Directed by Andrew Pole, “Do You Hear the People Sing?” is the latest effort of RWM in a series of fundraisers to help in the relief and rebuilding phase following the destruction brought about by the typhoon—the first being the “1tayo” relief operation in partnership with other players in the industry and the second being the “Kami Naman Ang Taya” benefit concert held at the NPAT last December 3.
Tickets are available at Ticketworld and Resorts World Box Office.
source: interaksyon.com
