Lea Salonga on Her Monday 10/12 Typhoon Benefit Concert in NYC

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 10/12/09 at 3:25am

Lea talks about her concert tomorrow night in NYC.
Lea discusses her upcoming concert

[ooliveros]

Posted: 10/12/09 at 4:06am

God bless you, Lea =)

[antonijan]

Posted: 10/12/09 at 5:54am

Only if I could be there to support in person. I will help thru other ways.

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 10/12/09 at 4:07pm

Who's going tonight?

[prof22]

Posted: 10/12/09 at 9:44pm

Tickets were sold out so I had no choice but to watch her Tarrytown concert. The commute to Tarrytown from Manhattan was easy but it was a long commute going back.

Nomdeplume, can you list her repertoire? Wanted to know if I missed much...

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 10/13/09 at 12:22am

Wish I could, but there were no programs passed out. It was a short presentation of songs; seemed less than an hour.

Most of the songs were unknowns, at least to me.

She began with a jazz standard kind of song, though not one I recognized. Then a song written by (a) Filipino composer(s) for her wedding, in English, entitled something like "One Word," and she sang a Tagalog song about being away from home. She ended with a Sondheim at the end, followed by one encore--I do not recall what song was last.

Clearly the best song and musical highlight of the night was her rendition of "On My Own" which has been in her repertoire for about twenty years. Beautiful interpretation, about the best I've heard and superb timing.

She also sang "I'd Give My Life for You" from Miss Saigon, and "Someone to Watch Over Me" with the complete intro.

For the Aladdin song "A Whole New World" she had just anyone get up from the audience to sing it, so three people did. I would have rather heard her sing it with a professional singer; there are plenty of them in New York.

Her accompanist/musical director is a fine pianist. Again, no program so no name to give you. It was a nice intimate setting and the sound system was very good.

The most moving moment of the evening was hearing the Consul General speak of the response to the disaster.

People asked Ms. Salonga to sing "Bayan Ko" at the end but she didn't. I wish she had; it's a pretty song, but all her music was modern.

She did not greet people after the show.

[darkfacegood]

Posted: 10/13/09 at 12:49am

nomdeplume, you have to admit that was pretty funny though.

It would have been cute if Alex Ko from BILLY ELLIOT got up and sang "A Whole New World" with her.

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 10/13/09 at 12:54am

It would have been much better if the young Billy Elliot boy had, I agree.

But then again, that would have meant she had a Broadway lead accompany her.

[jsg03jd]

Posted: 10/13/09 at 2:49am

Saw on Twitter that roughly $20,000 was raised, which is about P1 M. Glad the event was a success. Those funds are desperately needed.

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 10/13/09 at 4:16am

It was announced at the concert that more than Php 1,000,000 or more than US $21,514.62 was raised just from this NYC concert.

It was also stated that all involved with the concert donated their services, and that even the party food and beverage were donations, so that 100% of the funds received will go straight to the charitable foundation.

And not only this but due to public awareness through the media, the Ayala Foundation also received a noticeable increase or bump in donations for the typhoon disaster relief, which is wonderful.

Over six million people in the Philippines were affected by the typhoons.

[ooliveros]

Posted: 10/13/09 at 11:17am

It's "Two Words" music by Louie Ocampo, lyrics by Freddie Santos =)
Updated On: 10/13/09 at 11:17 AM

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 10/13/09 at 1:39pm

Salamat, ooliveros.
Lea Salonga pics from concert Updated On: 10/13/09 at 01:39 PM

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 10/13/09 at 11:43pm

Her Sondheim song was "Everybody Says Don't."

Just remembered.