For Mother’s Day this Sunday, we’re looking at one of my favourite Broadway singers: Lea Salonga. She’s a mother herself and played a few mother characters in Broadway musicals. She is the original voice of 2 Disney princesses and an award-winning Filipino singer who’s famous internationally. I had the honour of listening to her sing live at the PNE in August 2011!
Music:
– Reflection, from Disney movie Mulan (watch this behind-the-scenes sneak peak!)
– A Whole New World, from Disney movie Aladdin (she always invites a male fan on stage to sing this with her at live concerts, like this concert in New York)
– On My Own, Éponine from Les Misérables (my favourite musical! She was the first Asian actress to play Éponine)
– I Dreamed a Dream, Fantine from Les Misérables (a single mother, abandoned by her lover, works hard to provide for her daughter)
– Fantine’s Death, from Les Misérables (Fantine hallucinates about her daughter, Cosette, as she entrusts Cosette to her former boss, Jean Valjean), live video (but worse audio) here
– I’d Give My Life For You, from Miss Saigon (MATURE musical about a Vietnamese giving up her life so her half American son can have a better future)
– I Enjoy Being a Girl, from Flower Drum Song
– I Have Dreamed, from The King and I (start at 3:30 for her singing)
– Tomorrow, from Annie (when she was very young!)
– Wind Beneath My Wings (tribute to her mother Ligaya)
– Pure Imagination, from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (with her daughter, Nicole Chien)
– Shy, from Once Upon A Mattress (with Nicole Chien too)
– The Prayer, duet with Josh Groban (my favourite male singer!)
Lea Salonga speaks on being Asian in musical theatre and race representation on stage in this interview.
After Covid, take the opportunity to watch a live musical at Theatre Under the Stars, Arts Club Theatre Company, or a production by Align Entertainment or Royal City Musical Theatre (both of which I’ve performed with before!). Many high schools also put own their own musical productions.