Waleska & Efra react to Lea Salonga's Audition for Miss Saigon | REACTION 

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Philippines was their last destination, they weren't expecting to find anyone. They've come back to cast every international production since. I was lucky enough to be part of the Dutch and Swedish versions.

It was Michel Schönberg, the same guy responsible for Les Misarables playing the piano. The composer himself. He also fought for Lea to be Eponine and Fantine in Les Miserable even if she was Asian. Schömberg still says that she was the best singer for both roles.

That audition was in Manila. They were auditioning girls from different parts of the world and they noticed that quite a few were from the Philippines so they decided to go to the source itself. They didn’t only find their lead star there, they hired a whole bunch of Filipino talents for the show. After Lea, several more Filipinas played Kim in Miss Saigon.

"Lea Salonga" played Orphan Annie when shes just 8'yrs.Old'...

She has already a career before Miss Saigon.She is an actress and a singer at a very young age in the Philippines.

Regine Velasquez has complimented Lea as having the perfect pitch while considered herself to be just of relative pitch. “Perfect pitch means you can pluck an existing note out of the air and sing it in tune very accurately, while relative pitch means that a singer could hear an existing note and then use it as a reference point for every other note they sing.”

No one’s voice is more “crystal clear” than Lea Salonga !

She played Eponine on the 10th anniversary of Les Mis and Fantine on its 25th anniversary, the first actress of Asian descent to play the roles of Éponine and Fantine. She was also named a Disney Legend in 2011 for her work with The Walt Disney Company. She was only 18 when she won the Olivier and Theatre World Awards and the first Asian woman to win a Tony Award. Lea is legendary!

lea is so talented as a teenager, imagine nailing the song in just a few minutes with the composer....and those producers watching by the piano were like: 'she's definetely the one were looking for'

If you notice, Lea is very observant. She can read musical notes that's why she easily gets along. She's 16 at that time for the audition

what freaks me out is that, lea's voice is still the same even now that she's in her 40's!crystal clear as ever

And let it be known they searched all over the world and Lea walked in and changed everything for them :)

Actually the 3 guys leaning on the piano watching her were the producer, director ,and the lyricist . And Lea was 17 on that video .

Schonberg is a marvelous singer himself. It's so cold amd warm at the same time

I'm glad that Lea Salonga got that part, or else she'll be stuck here making movies. If Lea wanted to be a diva, by rights, she really deserves to be one. She had a 40th Anniversary concert last year. She and Simon Bowman reunited and sang their song. I missed the day where Simon and Lea signing posters. I attended the concert on the first day (I got her signed my poster), and the 2nd day it was with Simon. huhuhu

Now u gotta react to Lea salonga and Rachelle Ann Go "the movie in my mind" performance and lea's performance "you will mot touch him/thuy's death"

Lea Salonga voice is one of a kind for me she had the Most Beautiful voice in Broadway Stages crystal clear beautiful tone 👑😍🇵🇭 as well as the Best Voice of Disney Princess 😍❤️ thanks

Before Miss Saigon, Lea Salonga is already a thing in the Philippines.

You cant spell cLEAr without LEA. ♡

She's been in theatre in the Philippines, released records, on TV, etc since she was a small kid which probably helped her composure. But this is still a whole higher level since it is a new West End musical being created with these amazing creators. Definitely catapulted her career internationally. There is a video of Lea recording Aladdin's A Whole New World with Brad Kane back in the 90s and also when they sang it again 23 yrs later in one video..very interesting how time changes (or doesn't) how they sang it.. Would like to suggest checking out Lea singing "Still Hurting" the rehearsal footage for the concert. The song is from a musical turned movie. Liked the rehearsal video bec it is closer up, more raw and intimate. A more subtle performance. Efra might enjoy theatre more now that he's a bit older. ..maybe...lol

My first Broadway musical which I watched in New York in the 90’s with the original casts. Can’t forget this experience. I still have the 2 CDs of Miss Saigon which I used to listen to everyday. She paved the way for so many Filipino singers. We became known worldwide because of her. I watched the complete video not only of her audition but also from other cities like NY, LA, Hawaii.etc.

I love a Waleska who truly knows her historical references. ♥️

Lea was only 17 when she was cast in Miss Saigon. I watched an interview of her beginning in theatre and how she was cast in Miss Saigon, etc. The interviewer asked her if she was nervous the first time she went up the stage to audition and she said not at all! Lea is a rarity for someone who is incredibly talented and confident in her own skin and her own talent. She can read notes and has photographic memory - she can memorise not only her lines but also the lines of other cast members! Being on stage is like breathing for her - she devours it!

I remember this video, she had an interview before and said this was the first time she heard and sang that song. She was basically just reading the musical note and singing at the same time. She and her brother grew up reading musical notes and that helped her big time to get the MS role.

There's video of Lea singing Disney first time and 23 years later.

Lea is really great, and Ms. Saigon was not her first musical. She's been performing on stage at a young age in the Philippines prior to her Ms. Saigon audition. She was also doing films in the Philippines. She's just a very gifted performer and a great voice that can take one in an emotional journey.

She has a lot of tv interviews and documentaries where she talked about her audition in miss Saigon and the beginning of her successful career.

There's so much innocence in her voice.

Thank you for reacting to Lea Salonga’s early audition. She’s been doing theater work in the Philippines since seven. She was a member of the Philippine Repertory. Her brother is also in the music business, he’s an orchestra conductor. Her understudy in Miss Saigon, Monique Wilson is also a Filipina.

thank you for this video.. LEA IS OUR NATIONS TREASURE.. after her the global entertainment industry took a chance for so many Filipinos.. Goodluck to you.. God bless

There is actually a clip of Leah recalling her auditions with Disney on being Jasmine and Mulan. Check it out, please.

Just love watching you both doing reactions that are real, authentic and encouraging - keep safe - salud ! Que Dios este contigo siempre !

She was 16/17 and about to start college when they discovered her but waited for her to turn 18 to open Miss Saigon at West End.

i just love how genuinely appreciative you two are to good music and very talented artists. keep doing you! warm regards :)

Sun and moon is an absolute masterpiece that makes me cry every time

Yeeesss!!!!been waiting for this.. i cried so much for this show....it takes for days before i moved on..it really break my heart..😭😭😭😭

Fun fact leah’s cousin is shay Mitchell from pretty little liars .. star or superstar is on they genes !!!!

Love love your reactions, very informative and knowledgeable! God bless you both! PS. Lea knows how to read na notes that's why she already know the song even for the first time not to mention her voice, wow so mesmerizing! I played that video many many times!

She was seventeen years old that time. The age requirement for the lead star is seventeen and she’s just perfect.

me & my friends were lucky to have seen lea salonga at the manila staging of miss saigon way back in 2000. a sort of homecoming for her & for the many filipino cast members of miss saigon. it was highly emotional filled with conflicts & contrasts, that highlighted people's capacity to love inspite of the uncertaintly that the future holds.

You guys should watch the video of her singing "A Whole New World" in the studio!

Miss Saigon is one of my favourite musicals, and Lea was just the most perfect casting. Her talent is off the charts ❤️

I just love that you chose this particular video of Lea!!! It’s still my dream to watch Miss Saigon live 🥺

She has like a documentary entitled "Lea Salonga my Life .. In concert" you can search for it here in youtube

I love when you guys break things down. All reaction videos should be exactly like this - artistic opinion and all emotions that is going on.

Playing the piano is Claude Michel Schoenberg who composed the play’s libretto with Alain Boublil. The latter is one of the three watching the audition with Cameron Macintosh and the stage director.

Lea starts singing as young as 5 years old on theatre and opera and established her singing career at that very age

During first run of Miss Saigon, there were a lot of Filipino singers casted. And in the rerun of Miss Saigon, the lead was again a Filipino from New York called Eva Noblezada. Again, a lot of Filipino singers were casted 😊

This video always gives me chills. HER VOICE WAS/ IS SO CLEAR!!! And Her tone?! OMG NUTS!!! The first time I saw this I just melted. I think she went through about 2 or 3 rounds of auditions for this. I don’t remember exactly but I think she was on the brink of quitting if she didn’t get that role.

Finally, you reacted to this. I've been asking for months!

Please react to Lea's wedding vow - "Two Words, I do" composed by Lea and Gerard Salonga.

Lea won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for Miss Saigon.

Lea was 17 years old when she auditioned for this. There's a documentary for this on RU-vid. They held auditions in many places and their last destination was the Philippines not knowing they'll find their lead there.

i love your clothes! Ive been bingeing on your videos and i cant help but notice how so colorful and interesting the clothes that you were wearing!

It's amazing how she kept that crystal clear voice up to now..😍

There is NO ONE like Lea Salonga and never will be...She is a super technical vocalist and a Master of song... You watch her real close she not only speaks the words she chews them and spits them out perfectly..... so many have talked about her ability to mouth the words....(special name for it I do not know) ....but She is truly amazing....Great reaction Ps....she has been on Philippines Kids voice for a number of years...and Help many Children one girl called Esa you watch her sing you see Lea S....and Esa is like a mini Lea S ...and Lea even said that also

Please watch the entire documentary...amazing!

Fyi..She's the first Asian to win a Tony Awards for Miss Saigon

No, that was not a callback. It was the first time they met her.

I really really love to see you guys always doing reaction videos. You guys are fun to watch. I am now a fan. Yey!

Thank you Waleska and Efra for this reaction, Ms. Lea Salonga is our National Treasure. Please react more to her performances. Love you both and more power.

You definitely should not miss her On My Own performance at the 19 Anniversary of Les Mis in Royal Albert Hall.

Lea Salonga has an album from when she was a young child, “Small Voice” 1981, Philippines. She does have an interview of her Miss Saigon journey.

Please react to her documentary. Its very inspiring. And also some of her performances in miss saigon like “I’d Give my Life for you”

Was checking if you guys reacted to les miserables 10th anniv but havent found any videos here. youre gonna love lea salonga there and all the cast ❤️

Great video my friends. She looked so young back then. Epic singer that formed an own genre worldwide. I like your channel guys - surfing back to you always feels like meeting old friends for a talk and a nice cup of tea/coffee Jeremy :)

Lea was 17 years old when she auditioned in Miss Saigon. But she already has a big theater and TV carrier in the Philippines when she was still 8 or 9. She hs her own TV show with her brother who's an orchestra conductor

My all time favorite artist. I love u Lea Salonga. You are a pride to the Filipino people

I often wonder how long Wale takes to get ready. Your looks are so intricate at times and detailed! It takes me hoursss to jus tput makeup on! Love it! The hair! the bejeweled! the nails! the lines!

Very substantial reaction guys! Amazing!!!

React to Lea “don’t cry for me Argentina” and “a whole new world” after 23 years please!

She won Laurence olivier award for best actress.

Hey guys! So enjoyable watching your reactions.Thanks

I endear both of you. You are not just reacting you share trivia also of who you are reacting to and that's how an intelligent reactors do. BTW thanks 😘

it always gives me goosebumps everytime i watch her audition video 👏🏼🙌🏼

"It makes me wanna go back again" I'm kilig ❤️

Hi po! I hope you could also react to Lea Salonga singing "Blurred lines," you would really feel goosebumps all over, thankyou! 😘😊

This is the first time I believe they’ve seen her (audition). She was 18 years old Or turning 18 during the audition. She was 18 when they started Miss Saigon. So happy you are reacting to this video.

I really you took react. Amazing reaction always. You both are very entertaining.

If you want to have a glimps of how intensed and demanding her role in Miss Saigon was try to find clips of " I give my life to you part" of the play. One of the greatest!

She went on to play Eponine and Fantine in Les Mis, and a bunch of other musicals. She was also the singing voice of Princess Jasmine and Mulan.

I was in preschool when I first watched Lea as a child sing live on stage. She was great then too. Gets me all teary eyed every time when I listen to her sing this song.

On my own is her actual audition piece. They told her to sing another song and she sang the Greatest Love of All. It’s in one of her interviews. But there is no video at all of that audition.

React on her concert in the Sydney Opera house where in she picked one guy from her audience to sing a whole new world on stage. :)

I love you your reactions guys, very entertaining. God bless you both.

It’s the beginning of her International stardom outside Philippines 🇵🇭. She sang the MULAN song . And many more

The very reason I watch your reaction videos is that you are knowledgeable of what you are talking and you guys are just real and not faking reactions just for money❤️👍🇵🇭

Lea Salonga started her singing career in theater in the Repertory Philippines as a kid, very disciplined, excellent voice training and technique. She can read musical notes at that age so i think she learned the song fast

The auditions for the first run of Ms Saigon were done all over the world. If I remember correctly, they didn't even think of coming to the Philippines, initially. They only came after going to so many other countries and not finding anyone. But, when they finally ran auditions here, they found Lea whom they chose to play Kim and Monique Wilson who was her alternate and Isay Alvarez who played Gigi and so many more who played alternates and support roles. Lea and that first group of Filipinos in the cast lay the ground for even more Filipinos to be part of the cast as Kim, the Engineer, Gigi and other roles in Ms Saigon as well as in other West End plays, including Les Miserables. I've actually lost count, but there are at least 10 other Filipinos who played Kim, after Lea.

You should see her concert recently in Sydney Opera house. They premiered it in PBS in the US and the quality is soooo good. I can give you a copy of concert in HD if you're interested.

Really love your reactions and amazing reviews❤️👍

Yasssss! That's our queen!

You need to react to On my own. I love you both, your vocabulary is awesome!

When Lea starts singing, "You are . . . ," my heart melted.

Shes really a smart and intelligent even when she was a small girl she sings infrontt of of dignified people. Shes not intimidated. I saw her at the Repertory of the Philippines when she was 9 yrs. Old

She's the true Disney princess btw.. proud Filipina because of her.. thanks waleska and efra 💜 pls more of Lea Salonga

Yey! Thank you.

lea is a legend, she is in the book that we read when we are student in philippines.

Oh i love Lea Salonga so much!!!!!