Archive for Musicals.Net Musicals.Net |
| bambinoloco |
Anyone watched Lea Salonga's performance yet? I'm curious.Would love to get your impression of Lea Salonga's performance as Fantine. I'll be watching LM this summer in Broadway. Wish I live in NYC to watch her opening night. I am from Vancouver, BC (Canada!) Arrrgh!!! |
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| Eponine93 |
Has she started yet? I thought she was opening tomorrow, and then I saw something a few days ago on Broadway.com saying that she got an early start on March 2 (which was Friday, I think) Did she do the shows for the entire weekend or just Friday?
I'm seeing her Sunday, I'll be able to tell you how she is then. From the clip I saw off Broadway.com, she was FANTASTIC though. |
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| The Very Angry Woman |
Re: Anyone watched Lea Salonga's performance yet? I'm curio
I haven't seen her, but here's what I've found: http://mmebahorel.livejournal.com/388133.html http://tee-ayy.livejournal.com/515.html http://reelpersona.blogspot.com/2007/03/shes-back.html |
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| bambinoloco |
Awesome!!!I can't wait to go to NYC to see Lea perform. I'm stoke!!!More details guys. I want to know how the audience reacted after IDAD and her death scene. Thanks. Bambino Loco |
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| The Very Angry Woman |
Re: Awesome!!!
Why not comment on those blogs? It doesn't seem like anyone here has any first-hand experience yet. |
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| reelpersona |
Okay.. to whoever linked my blog up to this thread, thank you! Otherwise, I wouldn't have known this forum existed! I'm always on the lookout for the perfect outlet for my musical theatre geekiness.  BWW is a bit teenybopper for my liking. No offense meant.
I saw Lea Salonga perform last Friday - March 2nd. And OMG, she was amazing. She brought the house down after IDAD and all the Filipinos in the theatre actually screamed, "GO LEA!!!" =)) We were quite rowdy. I definitely liked her Fantine better than Daphne Rubin-Vega's. I'm not sure if it's because I associate DRV as Mimi in RENT, but Lea is able to evoke absolute vulnerability more than DRV. And Lea's voice is prettier and sweeter! So for her to be vulnerable behind all that pretty/sweet demeanor... well, my heart just went out to her performance. I was holding back tears from completely falling down my face.
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| EponinesRain |
You know that everyone is so envious that you got Lea to sign your playbill, right? Hahah...Thanks for sharing your review, reelpersona, and thanks to TVAW for posting it. Welcome to the forum, as well. If you're a musical geek, you'll fit right in. 
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| reelpersona |
Aw, thanks EponinesRain!  I'm definitely making myself at home here.
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| bambinoloco |
Awesome!Wicked! So glad to know how she performed IDAD. I can't wait to see her on stage. I didn't get to see her in Miss Saigon in Broadway considering I lived there for over five years. I was poor as a rat so I can't afford the ticket then. Still, I am kicking my head for missing Miss Saigon.What about her death scene? Details, please. What was the audience reactions? |
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| reelpersona |
Re: Awesome!
I thought Come to Me was as close as I could hear Lea sing On My Own again. Lea looked so tiny and frail while on the bed, before she died on Valjean's arms (played by u/s Victor Hawks). The audience couldn't really react after her death scene, unlike after IDAD, because Javert went onstage already for The Confrontation with Valjean. Then the set revolves to the inn scene with Young Cosette singing Castle On A Cloud. That's when Lea, still lying on the bed, is upstage with dimmed lights in that area.. Then a black cloth is draped on her before the bed is carried (with her on it) off the stage.
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| bambinoloco |
Awesome!Arrgh! But how was her song, Come to me??? Did she nail it good??? Did she reappear in Act II? Sorry for my questions I can't wait to see LM in Broadway.BTW, What was the curtain-call like? |
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| The Very Angry Woman |
Re: Awesome!
Why do you want to spoil yourself so badly? |
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| reelpersona |
Re: Awesome!
Yeah, ditto with what The Very Angry Woman said! You'll be seeing it soon. Don't spoil yourself so much. If you love Lea as I do, you'll love her either way onstage - whether she nailed a song/scene or not. Her interpretation of Fantine was just as how I pictured Fantine to be. Your opinion about it might be different. When she sang IDAD though, she has this distinct vibrato that Kristin Chenoweth's voice popped in my head and I agreed that Lea was definitely singing and breathing deep from within her hooha that night!
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| Fantine |
I wish I could just book a flight and fly from here to NY, see Les Mis, and fly back. | ||||||||
| Aimee |
Re: Anyone watched Lea Salonga's performance yet? I'm curio
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| kitty17794 |
^ Not that I've seen, lol. (Believe me, for Lea, I've LOOKED.)
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| reelpersona |
For those who haven't seen Lea's rehearsal video for Les Miz yet: http://www.broadway.com/gen/Buzz_Video.aspx?ci=544644 | ||||||||
| The Very Angry Woman |
http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=927777 | ||||||||
| Eponine93 |
I'm a little surprised Aaron missed Lea's first real performance. This probably pins the chances of him being at a matinee to nil...
This review wasn't surprising though. |
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| The Very Angry Woman |
He was on this past Saturday matinee, though. My friend called me to semi-apologize that she wouldn't "get to see Drew for you." |
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| MistressOfTheHouse |
Lea Salonga was great! I usually have to pick and choose between my recordings to get the right song combination but with her it was all good. I wasn't expecting to see her because I didn't know she was starting early (March 2nd, I saw it on the third). The most pleasent surprise! | ||||||||
| bambinoloco |
Any youtube video of Lea's Fantine?I've seen Daphne's video doing Fantine. Is there any out there of Lea doing Fantine? Just wondering...For those wishing to see more of Lea Salong doing Miss Saigon. Check on youtube. The making of Miss Saigon (a documentary) is wicked! |
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| The Very Angry Woman |
Re: Any youtube video of Lea's Fantine?
Or you could buy the DVD. |
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| Orestes Fasting |
Re: Any youtube video of Lea's Fantine?
No. I'm really shocked that there are no bootlegs of Lea yet, either audio or video. |
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| kitty17794 |
Re: Any youtube video of Lea's Fantine?
Ditto...its kinda sad. |
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| Orestes Fasting |
Re: Any youtube video of Lea's Fantine?
Chin up, she's only been performing for a week or so. Besides, I'm going to see the show later this week and if there isn't already an audio of her, there will be.
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| Eponine93 |
Trust me, there will be bootlegs.
Honestly, I don't think the whole Lea bubble has really grown yet. I mean, people know she's Lea Salonga and she's great, but I don't think people realize how wonderful she is. To answer the question, I have seen Lea's performance. And... words fail me. To say she was amazing is an understatement. She was born to play Fantine. |
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| Fantine |
Re: Any youtube video of Lea's Fantine?
I wuv you. |
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| kitty17794 |
Re: Any youtube video of Lea's Fantine?
Ditto. |
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| Eponine93 |
Re: Any youtube video of Lea's Fantine?
THANK YOU! I need that. I can't listen to "I Dreamed A Dream" (which is my favorite song of all-time) anymore, even Ruthie's version, because it just isn't as good as Lea's. |
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| Lazarus (Adam G) |
Re: Any youtube video of Lea's Fantine?
Give me things. |
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| Fantine |
Re: Any youtube video of Lea's Fantine?
And you'll get a cookie. |
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| reelpersona |
I have the 1st act from the 3/2 show in audio.
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| flying_pigs |
And suddenly you're everyone's best friend 
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| Orestes Fasting |
Saw Lea yesterday. Going to see her again tomorrow. She was great; I especially loved her delirious bits in Come to Me. | ||||||||
| eponine5 |
Re: Any youtube video of Lea's Fantine?
?  
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| Elin |
Lea to be in Spelling Bee on March 18:
http://www.playbill.com/news/article/106568.html |
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| Orestes Fasting |
Re: Any youtube video of Lea's Fantine?
Don't count your chickens before they're hatched. I got it, but mislaid my recorder somewhere--hopefully it's just at work, not at the greyhound station or something. |
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| Elin |
http://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=16698 | ||||||||
| dcrowley |
Lea as fantineI just got an entire bootleg of Lea's performance as Fantine; it is amazing... In the same audio, there is an understudy Eponine is is really good too. |
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| Orestes Fasting |
Re: Lea as fantine
Was it Megan or Marissa? |
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| dcrowley |
Marissa... I have one with Megan too, but DRV is Fantine in that one. | ||||||||
| Orestes Fasting |
Ah, okay. Interesting. I saw Megan the other day; she's cute but she'd probably be better off understudying Fantine or Cosette.
(Attempting to steer this thread towards the actual performances and away from anything illegal that might have been done at said performances, to keep GayBoy from having to come in with the smackdown.  PMs are a lovely thing.)
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| Eponine93 |
^Exactly what I think about Megan, OF.
I'm slightly surprised Marissa made a good Eponine, since she's the first understudy for Cosette. As for Lea's delirious bits in Come to Me, they were wonderful. My sister leans over to me halfway through and goes "Wow. I can actually see the children." Coming from my sister, I found that to be a huge compliment to Lea's abilities. |
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| Orestes Fasting |
It was interesting how much the love triangle changed when Eponine was just as cute, delicate, and soprano-y as Cosette. From what I've seen of the Cosette vs. Eponine wars, the reason many people prefer Eponine is that she can seem more "real" than Cosette the china doll/two-dimensional ing�nue. But Megan was playing Eponine as an ing�nue in tattered skirts, and frankly (I know I might get flamed for this) Ali's Cosette seemed much spunkier than Megan's Eponine. It levelled the playing field a bit. I'm not sure I like Eponine as the soprano who happened to not get the guy, but yeah, it was interesting.
I liked Lea's performance a lot in IDAD and Lovely Ladies, but I can't say I was genuinely impressed until Come to Me. That was some good stuff right there. |
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| The Very Angry Woman |
Strangely enough, Marissa started out on tour only as a cover for Eponine. She only covered Cosette once Leslie Henstock left and Ali Ewoldt was Cosette for the remaining month or so of the tour. Has Idara Victor gone on as Cosette yet? (Is Marissa only the first cover because M comes before V?) |
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| Orestes Fasting |
I'm not sure, but I haven't heard of Norm, Ali, or Adam being out yet. |
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| Eponine93 |
God, I agree 100% with you. I thought it was interesting how much it changed Marius's personality. Usually, I like Marius's character, because usually, Eponine gives him reasons for him not to like her besides the fact she's just not as pretty as Cosette. However, I think Megan was trying to stress the point that Marius liked Cosette for her looks, not for her personality by making it seem like two girls with very similar personalities liked the same guy. I mean, that point has always been there somewhat in the material, but from the way Megan portrayed Eponine, Marius seemed like total, looks-are-everything skum. Also, I think Megan affected Adam's performance. I've seen a great bootleg Youtube clip of Adam and Celia's ALFOR, and from that clip, you definitely get the vibe Marius is just comforting Eponine out of duty until the very end. In Megan's ALFOR, that vibe was practically non-existant until Eponine died. |
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| Orestes Fasting |
I didn't interpret the choice as being based on looks, but more on social class. Same general idea, but fitting more with the themes of the show.
I don't have a very clear memory of Thursday's performance--I was quite sick and in a lousy mood--but I do remember that normally Adam spends most of ALFOR looking over his shoulder looking for a way to escape and get help for Eponine and is basically talking to her to calm her down, and that at one particular performance he wasn't really doing that. I would not be surprised one bit if that was Thursday, which is when I saw Megan. |
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| Eponine93 |
^ Yeah, definitely. I was a little busy sobbing during ALFOR (part of the Eppie-bopper inside me always cries whenever I hear a song remotely sounding like ALFOR) but I distinctly recall thinking he could have done a teeny bit better job looking as if he was only talking to her to comfort her.
One thing about Lea's performance that I really liked, even though I'm sure you all know it- she, Ali and Adam make the cutest onstage family. My mother's boyfriend had never seen Les Mis before and his only complaint was he wondered how little blond Cosette grew up to be teenaged Asian Cosette and how little Asian Eponine grew up to be teenaged blond Eponine (I didn't bother trying to explain about child actor laws.) I can't imagine what he would have said if we had seen DRV. |
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| Orestes Fasting |
If he'd been there on the day I saw Nikki Ren�e Daniels as Fantine, Tess Adams as Young Cosette, and Ali Ewoldt as older Cosette, his head might've exploded. |
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| Eponine93 |
I told him about that. He was shocked. Anyway, about Lea's performance.... I was thinking about it and I realized Lea's version of IDAD is the only version of that song that can make me cry. I LOVE IDAD- it's my favorite song of all time. Of course, I've heard it so many times it doesn't really have an emotional effect on me anymore. My only problem with IDAD is that out of all the legally recorded Fantines who have played the role in English, I can't stand any of them (I like Ruthie's version more than any of the others, but I think she gets far too angry during the climax.) When I first saw Lea's performance of it, I was sobbing by the end of the first verse. I thought it was because I was seeing a performer who's work meant a lot to me live. And then I watched the rehearsal footage.... and I was still sobbing. I still can't believe there's no bootlegs on youtube. I think I must be missing something... there's no way there could be no bootlegs after she's been in the role for almost a month. |
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| Orestes Fasting |
There are, there just aren't any videos yet. Patience--it took almost a month for a video of the revival itself to be filmed, let alone leaked onto YouTube.
I liked Lea's IDAD, but I don't feel like it was the strongest part of her performance. She has a beautiful voice and I like a lot of her little touches--looking at the locket again in the last verse, ending the song in tears--but while I liked her at that point and thought she was better than the other four Fantines I remember seeing, I wasn't totally knocked flat until Come to Me. |
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| Trevor |
I don't have much time available to give a big review, but Lea Salonga was EXCELLENT. | ||||||||
| Eponine93 |
Promise us a big review eventually?? Does anyone know if Celia's back in the show? I noticed none of the reviews from the past few weeks have included her. I have about a 5% chance of seeing the show on the 11th of April (I don't get why my grandparents are going, though, they'll fall asleep by the end of the prologue) and the chance of seeing Celia will give me even more motivation to try to convince my grandma that she won't like the show, why not give her ticket to me instead. |
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| Orestes Fasting |
Celia's been in and out; she might be sick, but if she is she's doing her best to be there at important nights. Two weeks ago she was out on Thursday and in on Saturday matinee; this past weekend she was out on Saturday matinee but there for the evening. | ||||||||
| The Very Angry Woman |
http://www.broadway.com/gen/Buzz_Story.aspx?ci=545792&pn=3
I went in there whole-heartedly feeling like I would deliver a true Fantine for me. Some people who saw the show thought it was like, one of these things doesn't belong. But that was just me, being true to that role. Daphne, darlin', there are over 1,000 people sitting there who aren't you. If you do a show for you, that's what the living room is for. |
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| NurseCodeBlue |
how do i say this lightly?
that kid is not cute.
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