Lea Salonga was already a star in her native Philippines when she was cast as Kim, the Vietnamese heroine in the original London West End production of “Miss Saigon” in 1989. Two years later she opened as Kim on Broadway, earned a Tony Award and made her star status international.
Salonga became the first Asian actor to play the French heroines Eponine and Fantine in “Les Miserables,” provided the singing voices of the Disney princesses Jasmine and Fa Mulan in the animated features “Aladdin” and “Mulan,” respectively, and appeared opposite George Takei in the 2015 Broadway production of “Allegiance.”
She also has a long list of credits as a television and film actor, recording artist, musical theater star and concert headliner.
Salonga, 51, drew enthusiastic crowds when she played the Blaisdell Concert Hall in 2004 and 2008. She opens a two-night engagement in the Blaisdell Concert Hall on Friday.
Welcome back — finally — it has been a long time.
Yes it has. We were supposed to start the tour in Hawaii in 2020 at the start of April, but we all know what happened. So we’re ending in Hawaii and we’re going to figure out something fun to do afterwards. I’m staying dry for this entire tour, so when we finish up in Honolulu I’m going to have a drink.
How do you make a set list when you have more than 40 years of music to choose from? Can Hawaii expect something similar to your recent “live” albums — “The Story of My Life” from 2019 and “Live in Concert with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra” from 2020?
There are physical limitations, of course. It’s about a two-hour program including a 20-minute intermission. We allow ourselves the luxury of being able to pick some things that might be new for the audience. We do musical theater. We do contemporary stuff. We do older stuff. And we do some things that fit in as part of the show but not in a way that people expect.
In 2017 you recorded “Bahaghari: Lea Salonga Sings Traditional Songs of the Philippines,” and sang in five regional Philippine languages as well as in Tagalog. Is there a revival of interest in recording in regional languages?
I am not the right person to ask about the revival of interest, but I know that more of that songwriting is being encouraged. It’s great that all of these languages are being highlighted in current songwriting. There are some similarities, if you know what to listen for, but they are just so different from one another that some of them were difficult for me to sing , but I’m hoping for much more stuff (in other Philippine languages). A lot of musicians are coming together to keep it going.
Please tell me about the experience of being one of the 10 “World-Renowned Filipinos” celebrated in a set of Philippine postage stamps last November.
It was so exciting. I remember living in the U.S. and seeing Elvis Presley be immortalized on a stamp, so when I was told by the postmaster general that they were going to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the first postage in the Philippines with 10 stamps showing illustrious Filipino sportsmen or designers or artists — and they wanted me to do it! — I’m like, “Oh, my God, this is a pretty big deal!” My friends were all just so excited.
I’ve read that you have sung for every president of the Philippines from Ferdinand Marcos to Noynoy Aquino. Has President Duterte made the list?
Yes, he has. I think it was for a state visit. I was invited (to sing), so the list now is President Aquino, both the son and the mom (Corazon Aquino); President Marcos; President Ramos; President Estrada; President Arroyo; and President Duterte.
Is there anything entertainment-wise still on your to-do list?
I have never sung a theme song for a video game. I love playing video games. I don’t know how many of the Final Fantasy series I’ve actually played, and I’ve never sung the game song for a video game. I think that that would be a lot of fun.
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Reach John Berger at jberger@staradvertiser.com.
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LEA SALONGA
>> Where: Blaisdell Concert Hall, 777 Ward Ave.
>> When: 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday
>> Cost: $35-$85
>> Info: ticketmaster.com
