By Lea Salonga
May 30, 2012
Philippine Daily Inquirer

This last week has been a peaceful one, work-wise, save for one brief appearance in “Forbidden Broadway” (more on that later), and watching “The Sound of Music” (congratulations, everyone, for a successful run). With the goings-on in the entertainment scene (Lady Gaga’s Manila concert, for example), it has given me time to think.

One adage I like using is this one, attributed to Voltaire: “I disagree with what you have to say, but I will defend your right to say it.” In a secular society, that should hold true, whether or not we wholeheartedly agree, or vehemently oppose whatever has been placed before us. I like applying this adage to the arts.

The funny thing about art is that it’s in the “eye of the beholder,” if I’m to quote from another adage. How something strikes us artistically differs in so many ways. Whether it’s a painting, live performance or sound recording, one person could regard it as high-brow while another could dismiss it as a failed attempt at art. You just never know. Art is subjective.

Which brings me to the more controversial art forms that have found their way into the public consciousness. Yes, you could say that I’m speaking of Lady Gaga, but I’m also speaking of anyone whose artistic output has caused outrage (I recall a particular art show at the CCP where the protest against one piece caused the closing of the entire exhibition … I never got to see the exhibit, so I can’t comment on the piece’s merits or demerits).

Interpretation is a funny thing when it comes to art. As we’ve seen in the recent protests against Lady Gaga, there was music she wrote with an accompanying music video that sent enough people into a large enough frenzy to protest her concerts. Her song “Judas” was called anti-Christian and demonic, and the artist herself was labeled a Satanist with ties to the Illuminati.

I wasn’t going to jump on any bandwagon before doing a little research, and so I looked up the song and searched online for the video (I wouldn’t have, if the media attention hadn’t reached such fever pitch).

After watching the video, reading the lyrics, and finding interviews of Lady Gaga talking about “Judas,” I came to interpret the song as a metaphor for people who seem to always find themselves attracted to what is clearly not good for them.

I’ve found myself in that position before, so I can relate to what she was singing about. And finding myself in something another person created, the art then became very—intensely—personal.

What any of you think of her is truly your own business. You can love her or hate her. You can enjoy the music, but not go for the meat dress or the futuristic shoes. And yes, you can even choose to protest her work if you don’t agree with it, so long as it doesn’t stop anyone else from enjoying her art.

Let’s not stifle artists and their creativity, and their inalienable right to express themselves. We are a proud country of artists, and I’d like to think that, in being so, we welcome others from around the world to share in our joy and our enjoyment of all things beautiful, however each of us defines the word.

Thank you, Mother Monster, for visiting the country, and for doing what you do, especially your efforts for the LGBT community, antibullying and AIDS awareness. For all that, you are a gift from God, a true Christian in every sense of the word.

And now, Philpop

Does anyone remember the Metro Manila Popular Music Festival (Metropop)? Launched in 1978, it was the songwriting competition that ushered in a golden age of original Pilipino music, or what we call OPM. It was this competition that launched the careers of many composers and lyricists, or at least cemented their foothold in the industry.

Ryan Cayabyab began his career with the Metropop, penning the seminal “I love OPM” anthem—“Kay Ganda ng Ating Musika.” Jose Mari Chan and Dero (formerly Nonong) Pedero achieved success at this competition, with Chan’s “Hahanapin Ko” and Pedero’s “Isang Mundo, Isang Awit” and “Narito Ako.”

Freddie Aguilar’s “Anak” landed in the finals and, though it failed to win, went on to become the biggest-selling song in Philippine music history. It is also the only Pinoy song, so far, to become a global hit, recorded in dozens of languages worldwide.

Now, this same opportunity is being offered by the Philippine Pop Music Festival (Philpop).

Over 3,000 entries were submitted from around the Philippines as well as from Pinoys in the UK, France, Canada, Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong. From these entries, 14 finalists have been chosen. On July 14, these brand-new songs will be heard, and their composers revealed. Congratulations!

It is a very exciting time for OPM.

The top winner in Philpop will receive P1 million in cash, and two runners-up will receive P500,000 and P250,000. A people’s choice award will be given to the most popular entry as decided by text votes.

Philpop is jointly mounted by Maynilad, Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. and Smart. Major sponsors are Meralco, Resorts World Manila and TV5. Other sponsors are Metro Pacific Investments Corp., Sun Cellular, First Pacific Leadership Academy, Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. and Philex Mining Corp. For updates on the results, visit Philpop.com.ph. 

“And though I’d move my world to be with him, still the gap between us is too wide.”

I Know Him So Well - Lea Salonga 

Pretty long shot, but we’ll try our best to get to her! Thanks for the suggestion!

fysierraboggess:

Photographing the cover of Scott Alan’s new album

mysweetcupoftea:

20 badass Broadway ladies I adore» #1 Lea Salonga

By Lea Salonga
May 23, 2012
Philippine Daily Inquirer

 Ah, yes, my daughter has turned 6 years old. Instead of having a party, Rob and I decided to take Nicole to the happiest place on earth: Disneyland, on Lantau Island in Hong Kong.

I’ve written about Disneyland quite a few times before, but each time we visit, it grows even more magical for us. Perhaps seeing it all through our daughter’s eyes is what makes it extra special.

She loved the Winnie the Pooh ride that took her through the Hundred Acre Wood, as well as Philharmagic that gave her a 3D view of some of Disney’s more famous music.

She also enjoyed The Golden Mickeys, an awards show-type presentation featuring some of Disney’s heroes and romantic figures, and The Festival of the Lion King, which is about the legend of King Simba, complete with fire jugglers and ballet dancing flying birds.

Nicole wasn’t too hot on the Mad Hatter’s Tea Cups ride, and Rob avoided it altogether. However, I—along with Disneyland musical director Rony Fortich and our friend Natalie Lewis (a horn player for the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra)—gave the cups a spin.

We weren’t able to ride any of the outdoor rides; there were thunderstorm warnings, so everything we did was either roofed or indoors. But the weather cleared up enough in the evening, which was when a glorious outdoor show would begin.

Our little group assembled on Main Street, far enough away from Sleeping Beauty’s Castle to get a good view of what was to come: Fireworks!

For about 15 minutes, fireworks blazed and danced above the castle, illuminating the night sky. It was the perfect way to end a fun-filled day.

Happy birthday, little princess!

Food capital

Since Hong Kong is one of the world’s foremost food capitals (for us anyway), we couldn’t leave without sampling some its cuisine. One restaurant is a place we frequently visit, while the other is a new one that, after some Rob-initiated Internet research, we decided to try.

Tasting menu

ye Shanghai (yes, the ye is lowercase) has been one of our favorites since 2008. Although great for dimsum, it also boasts more upscale fare.

If you’re undecided with what to try, check out one of their tasting menus. You get a sampling of some popular items, just enough to satisfy your palate. This is what we ended up doing and were so happy for it. For Nicole though, we ordered crispy noodles with minced pork.

Best ramen

Ippudo HK is one of the two Hong Kong branches of a Japanese ramen restaurant, which has spread from Fukuoka to the rest of the world (with branches in New York City, Seoul and Singapore).

Thankfully this branch was only a five-minute walk from our hotel. We picked something slightly spicy and wholly flavorful, with medium-firm noodles, flavorful tonkotsu pork broth, slices of pork loin and sliced mushrooms.

Without question, this was the best bowl of ramen I’ve ever had. I can look forward to visits to Singapore later this year, and New York City early next year, so for sure I’ll go to Ippudo then!

Shameless plug

Woo hoo, I’ll be in “Forbidden Broadway”! I won’t say which spoof I’ll be doing, but I’m very excited. Guest performers for this show’s final weekend are yours truly, Aiza Seguerra, Nyoy Volante and Rachel Alejandro. Congratulations to Upstart for a great run.

Atlantis Productions will start its run of one of the most awesome shows to even come to Broadway, “Rock of Ages.” It will also soon be released as a feature film starring Tom Cruise, Julianne Hough, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Alec Baldwin, Russell Brand, Malin Akerman and Diego Bonita as Drew.

The Manila production of the stage musical will star Nyoy Volante, Vina Morales, MiG Ayesa, Aiza Seguerra, Jamie Wilson, Jett Pangan, Biboy Reyes and Jinky Llamanzares. Chari Arespacochaga directs.

It opens June 15 at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium of RCBC Plaza, Makati.

sherierenescott:

20 flawless Broadway ladies | 6. Lea Salonga

“ I think that if an audience is truly appreciative of a performance, they will show it. Sometimes though, there are little differences, and there are audiences that are very reserved even though they are enjoying the show.”

Hey there! There are no exact dates announced yet, but I will definitely keep you guys posted :)

Thanks so much! Glad you’re enjoying it.

lauraosnesfansite:

The cover for Scott Alan’s upcoming live album; photo by Nathan Johnson.

kwentuhangfishball:

Feb. 26, 2012 

100 wonderful women of musical theatre » 2 » lea salonga

By Lea Salonga
Philippine Daily Inquirer
May 16, 2012

This is being written aboard a PAL flight from Tokyo to Manila by an exhausted, sleep-deprived but very grateful passenger. Despite the slight snafus of the day, it has all turned out great.

I am on my way home after doing concerts at The Town Hall and Troy Music Hall in New York and the National Arts Centre in Canada. It’s been nearly two months since I last tread Philippine soil.

As eventful as my stay overseas was—cuddling with good friends, having dinners with new couples, witnessing heartbreaks, creating new spaces, clearing out junk, spending time with family (they’re everywhere), and singing aplenty—the next thing I’m looking forward to is lie in bed for a few days with my husband and daughter, who turned 6 on Wednesday.

My travel day began quietly enough. I hopped into a cab and headed for the Ottawa Airport. Checking in for the flight went without incident, with a very hospitable young lady from the Delta Airlines counter helping me. Security clearance was quick and painless. Even the wait was peaceful, as was the short flight to and disembarkation in Detroit, and the lovely walk to the gate to get on the flight to Narita.

But after boarding and settling into my seat, the head flight attendant and the captain started making announcements about the state of the plane. At first, we were that told the air-conditioning cart needed to be replaced. Later, we heard that a leaky fuel line and the auxiliary power unit had to be fixed before we could take off. The delay lasted more than one hour. This became a cause for concern.

Nearly everyone had a connecting flight to catch, whether it was to Shanghai, Hong Kong, Beijing, Taipei, Bangkok or Manila. Although the pilot said he would try to make up for the lost time, it was not to be.

The plane touched down at 7 p.m. Tokyo time, after many of the connecting flights had already departed. Just before landing, the captain instructed us to speak to the gate agent for details on our new connecting flights, what would happen with our baggage, and in which hotel we’d be staying.

For a while, it looked like chaos would rule. One lady lamented that she wouldn’t be able to see her daughter off to Berlin from Bangkok; another stressed that her family that had rented a van and driven from Bataan to meet her, and now they have to find a place to spend the night, as well as scrounge up van rental money for another day. Everyone was tired.

Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed. The very patient ground staff was able to attend to all passengers. We were all bused to our hotels without incident. A couple of young women actually made friends in all the hubbub, and went on to find an authentic ramen restaurant.

I got very little sleep; I was paranoid that my alarm clock wouldn’t go off or that I’d miss the bus, so I caught up with my family via FaceTime, took a long, hot shower, ordered some amazing tonkatsu from room service, and watched TV.

At 7 a.m. we all boarded the bus back to the airport and checked into this PAL flight. Peace and quiet at last, and here we are, headed for home.

The point of my seemingly insignificant story is that the universe will, at various points of your life, throw you a lemon or two—maybe even a crateful. You can choose to either whine and moan or make the best of the situation. Two people found an opportunity for adventure; a few others bonded with total strangers. There were more smiles shared than scowls. It’s a day like today that renews my faith in mankind.

Shameless plug

To Upstart Productions’ “Forbidden Broadway,” a hearty congratulations on a well-received opening weekend, especially to director Joel Trinidad and cast members Liesl Batucan, Caisa Borromeo, OJ Mariano and Lorenz Martinez. This long-running hit spoofs many beloved Broadway musicals such as “Les Misérables,” “Phantom of the Opera” and “Wicked.”

There will be guest appearances in the coming two weekends by Menchu Lauchengco-Yulo, Aiza Seguerra, Nyoy Volante, Cherie Gil and yours truly, among others. Catch it at the RCBC Theater until May 27.

By Lea Salonga
Philippine Daily Inquirer
May 9, 2012

Thursday last week I headed to the Marquis Theatre on Broadway to see the Tony-nominated revival production of “Evita.” I was with one of the producers, Adam Blanshay, who I previously met when he was working on the Broadway production of “Billy Elliot.” He had so graciously asked me to come see his newest show, and I said yes.

I was excited for three good reasons. First, it was one of the first musicals I ever saw in London’s West End. I was only 10; it was life-changing. I wanted to be that girl on center stage swathed in gossamer fabric and dripping in diamonds. I kind of got my wish, except that I wore a Vietnamese native dress and was housed in a different theater.

Second, I would be seeing Ricky Martin as Che onstage. It had been so long since I last watched him sing—in a Manila concert that was part of a promotional trip.

Third, I had another friend in the show, Max von Essen. We were both in the cast of “Les Miserables” (I played Fantine, he portrayed Enjolras), and invested together in another Broadway show, “Rock of Ages.” We had gone in for the same reason: We knew it would be fun.

2006 hit

This “Evita” was the same production that took the West End by storm in 2006, directed by Michael Grandage and choreographed by Rob Ashford. It won an Olivier Award for its star, Elena Roger, who reprises the role of Eva Peron here, making her Broadway debut.

The sets were really beautiful, very different from the West End set that I saw. The choreography, much of which presented different takes on the Argentine tango, was wonderful. (I particularly loved “The Art of the Possible” and “Dangerous Game” numbers.)

As for the performances, I purposely ignored all the reviews in the papers so I could enjoy the show.

Ricky was charming! He essayed Che with a wry grin and a twinkle in his eye—a very different portrayal from the original production (where Che seemed to have been based on the real-life Guevara).

Abundant charm

Ricky’s Che is an everyman, making observations and commentary on the goings-on dramatized by the show. He weaves in and out of the action, and carries himself with abundant charm and stage presence.

I first saw Elena Roger in London two years ago as Fosca at the Donmar Warehouse production of Stephen Sondheim’s “Passion.” I fell in love with her portrayal, so I waited with much anticipation for her to play Evita.

She did not disappoint. Although her singing voice is very different from Elaine Paige’s and Patti Lupone’s (the original West End and Broadway Evitas, respectively), Elena infused her Eva with authentic fire (Elena is Argentine herself). Her acting, particularly in the final scenes, was heartbreaking to watch. It was most certainly an auspicious Broadway debut.

Michael Cerveris as Juan Peron has been nominated at the 2012 Tony Awards for his performance, and it’s easy to see why. Although he portrays Peron as a tough political and military figure, it’s him watching his wife suffer and eventually die from ovarian cancer that’s most moving.

His reprise of “You Must Love Me,” although brief, has a slight desperation of a man knowing how lost he will now become, without his wife.

After the show we headed backstage to meet and greet the cast. I first met Elena, and I gushed over her performance. I then headed to Ricky’s room (my purpose was to retrieve my purse which I thought was in there; he stopped me from behaving like a headless chicken, asked to say hello, and gave me a huge hug).

Once there, I found Michael and geeked out over his “Tommy,” the first show of his that I saw; Max, whose normally applause-less solo was greeted by my single yelp; and Ricky’s longtime assistant Jose Vega, who was the Menudo’s choreographer and wardrobe stylist back in the day.

The thing that struck me most on this night was the moment when Ricky and I looked at one another. We are both now in our 40s, we have children of our own, and we found ourselves flashing back to early adolescence when he was a member of the boy band Menudo, and I was its opening act.

I saw a man now fulfilled and happy with his life, a man who glowed now that the walls that obscured his light had finally come down. I saw a man who is positively happy. I don’t think anyone could’ve wished for anything better for this man who is deserving of all the good this universe has to offer.

It was a magical “night of a thousand stars”… and this one shone brighter than all the others.