Lea Salonga recalls long love affair with ‘Les Miserables’
Lea Salonga is back on the Philippine stage as Madame Thénardier in “Les Misérables: World Tour Spectacular.”
The GMG production now running at The Theatre at Solaire marks the Filipino theater icon’s third role in “Les Misérables,” following her turns as Eponine and Fantine in the span of over 30 years.
Playing Monsieur Thénardier is fellow Filipino thespian Red Concepcion. Rachelle Ann Go is also part of the international cast as Fantine.
To state that Lea has a long personal history with the material is an understatement. As a teenager, she famously auditioned for “Miss Saigon” using On My Own from “Les Misérables.”
She first did “Les Miz” the musical at 22. Now, at 54, she gets to revisit the story in a concert format as part of the production’s 40th anniversary celebrations.
And this time, Lea pointed out one very important difference in her new role.
“What’s so nice is I don’t die and I get to be the kind of not the one…na maaawa kayo sa kanya. It’s not this. It’s nice (to not die this time). We like living, thank you!” she laughingly said during the Q&A after the media preview yesterday.
As mentioned, her relationship with “Les Misérables” stretches back decades.
She recalled why she chose to audition with On My Own for what would be her breakthrough role that jumpstarted her now illustrious West End and Broadway career.
“I was introduced to ‘Les Mis’ actually by (director) Jaime del Mundo, he was the one responsible for starting me on that train,” Lea shared.
“And he lent me a copy of the original Broadway recording so I became obsessed with Frances Ruffelle (British actress who originated Eponine)... I became obsessed with that cast recording. It was unlike anything I had heard before that. On My Own became kind of like — that’s the one role I knew I wanted to play eventually.”
She continued, “Then I got to see London during the final auditions for ‘Miss Saigon.’ (Producer) Cameron Mackintosh treated us to see it, and I saw the lady who played Madame Thénardier in Shanghai and in various stops of the tour — so she was the role made flesh for me.
“The obsession became three-dimensional and has continued throughout my career and throughout my life. I still sing a lot of ‘Les Mis’ music in concert. But it’s so wonderful now to explore this character, to focus on it, to try a different sound, dialect, posture. It’s been so much fun exploring this other woman (in the story).”
Lea also reflected on how her relationship with the material and her approach to it has evolved over time.
“When I first did this show, I was 21 or 22 and now I’m turning 55, so 33 years — that’s a long time,” she said.
“I think the older that I’ve gotten in this relationship with this show, I’ve taken each role less and less seriously than the previous one. Eponine was like, ‘I’m gonna do this, I’m gonna do this well, it’s going to be perfect because I’m the first Asian doing this.’
“And then when I went to Fantine, my biggest concern was the poker game in betweens. I mean like Fantine is dead and I get off the bed and I am still in tears. And then one of the ensemble dies and runs into me, are you in… and then (I) continue with the rest of the show.”
With Madame Thénardier, she said the experience feels very different.
“With this one, it’s just oh my god pure joy,” she stressed. “So, my own personal journey with this show, I take the show very seriously as I have always done but I take myself and everything less seriously. And I’m doing this at home for the first time and in front of friends and family.”
On why the musical’s message stays current and urgent, still speaking to audiences today, Lea offered that it’s because of the relatability of the characters.
“As a younger person, you tend to see yourself in any of the younger characters, you have these idealists, the academics, who want to see a brighter and better world for everyone. And then here is, as you get older, you see this woman who would do anything for her child, which is very ‘Miss Saigon’ and also very ‘Les Miz.’
“And then you have these two characters (referring to her and Red’s roles), they are comic but there’s also something dark about these two because of the things that they are also willing to do to survive. And we understand that there are people who will do literally some of the most… you know they will debase themselves.
“These characters will go through the sewers just to pick the bodies of the dead. There’s something about that we understand. And then there’s a guy who steals a loaf of bread and is sentenced to 19 years… I think it’s lasted this long because there’s someone or something about the character that you latched on to.”
As mentioned, the production is presented in concert format. Lea explained why the material still works without full staging.
“It really is spectacular. It’s the vocals — we have to start there and everything is incredible,” she said.
“It absolutely works as a concert. The score by itself without a revolve, set pieces and actual staging, it works,” she further said.
“I think part of the reason that it does work is how ingrained the score is in the audiences. There’s stuff the audience already knows, that they know what’s coming, it’s not like that we have to spell it all out with staging and a lot of recitatives. And these songs are so timeless and in the bones of so many people.”
On that note, producer GMG Productions has reminded audiences watching the shows through March: no singing, please — let the performers tell the story.
In a separate Facebook post, Lea added a playful reminder, referencing “Heated Rivalry,” the HBO hit that’s getting viewers obsessed, including the thespian:
“If ever a sing-along version is planned, we’ll let you know!
“All joking aside, the performers in this world tour are truly spectacular, and deserve to be heard and listened to.
“Mouthing the words is totally fine though! I mean, I totally speak along with Shane’s ‘Willyoucometomycottagethissummer” line at every rewatch, so I get it.”
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