Monday, November 23, 2009
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Lea
For singer Salonga, returning to Hawaii is like taking a breath of fresh air
POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Nov 06, 2009
Award-winning stage performer Lea Salonga returns to Honolulu next week to wrap up a two-month U.S. tour, and the trip couldn't come at a better time.
"I can't wait to get to Honolulu," she said on Monday, shortly after landing in Toronto with her 3-year old daughter. "I just have to be there and breathe the air and I'll be happy."
Her husband -- who, like Salonga, has relatives who live in Hawaii -- will join the family on Oahu in time for next week's performance at the Blaisdell Concert Hall; they also plan to help celebrate her grandmother-in-law's 89th birthday.
Salonga spoke about her current tour, her part-time job as a columnist for a newspaper in the Philippines, and shared her thoughts on the possibility of the Honolulu Symphony filing for bankruptcy during a phone conversation with the Star-Bulletin earlier this week.
LEA SALONGAWhere: Blaisdell Concert Hall, 777 Ward Ave.When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday Cost: $39, $49 and $125 Info: (800) 745-3000 or hsblinks.com/18a Note: $2 from every ticket will be donated to disaster relief in the Philippines.
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ANSWER: It was an incredibly busy year, actually.
January was when we ended "Cinderella" in Singapore. I was on tour for about six months. We thought we were going to go into April, but because of the news about the economy ... we went home early.
I came to the U.S. in May and did a series of shows, and now I'm back again. And I've been working in Manila on a whole slew of stuff.
I sometimes get so busy where I don't know what day of the week it is. This is also the first year where my daughter went to preschool, so it was a very busy year for me on a personal note and a professional note.
Q: Does touring require a different mindset than performing a one-time concert?
A: (This tour) is, like, 19 shows stretched over two months. I kinda have to think of it as a marathon runner, not as a sprinter.
If I find out it's a one-off, I know I can blow my vocal cords that night and not have to worry about anything the next day. Whereas, I really have to pace myself when I'm doing a series of shows.
But I'll have a lot left in the tank when I come back to Honolulu.
Q: When you performed here in 2008, four years had passed since your last visit. What made you decide to come back so soon?
A: Well, Tom Moffatt was nice enough to ask. It's as simple as that.
I've got family and friends in Hawaii, so it's pretty much a no-brainer to come over.
Q: What will the Honolulu concert be like this time around?
A: It's basically me, with a band behind me, getting up in a nice frock and singing.
I sing a lot of musical theater, some Disney, and I always try to put in one or two Filipino songs. I'm very proud of Filipino music and Filipino songwriters and what we have to say.
Q: You also have a job writing a column for a newspaper in the Philippines. Does writing satisfy you the same way performing does?
A: It's different. I've never really had to deal with deadlines before. It's kind of like being back in college.
The toughest part, though, is finding inspiration -- something new to write about every week. When I do a show, it's pretty much ... sing and go home.
But when I'm writing, I really have to figure out what it is I want to do. It's not easy.
Q: Earlier this week, reports surfaced about the Honolulu Symphony possibly having to file for bankruptcy. Any thoughts?
A: You're kidding me? No! When I hear that a theater company is closing or that a symphony is closing, it's like getting kicked in the gut.
The arts have to remain alive, because they're such a big contributing factor to our culture. Not too many people realize it, but the arts influence our children into being more creative. It's a power that cannot be underestimated.
The community needs to come together. If they pool even just a little bit of money to keep it alive, that would be something. It's an important part of our culture ... something that can only lend good things to the community.
Award-winning stage performer Lea Salonga returns to Honolulu next week to wrap up a two-month U.S. tour, and the trip couldn't come at a better time.
"I can't wait to get to Honolulu," she said on Monday, shortly after landing in Toronto with her 3-year old daughter. "I just have to be there and breathe the air and I'll be happy."
Her husband -- who, like Salonga, has relatives who live in Hawaii -- will join the family on Oahu in time for next week's performance at the Blaisdell Concert Hall; they also plan to help celebrate her grandmother-in-law's 89th birthday.
Salonga spoke about her current tour, her part-time job as a columnist for a newspaper in the Philippines, and shared her thoughts on the possibility of the Honolulu Symphony filing for bankruptcy during a phone conversation with the Star-Bulletin earlier this week.
LEA SALONGAWhere: Blaisdell Concert Hall, 777 Ward Ave.When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday Cost: $39, $49 and $125 Info: (800) 745-3000 or hsblinks.com/18a Note: $2 from every ticket will be donated to disaster relief in the Philippines.
|
ANSWER: It was an incredibly busy year, actually.
January was when we ended "Cinderella" in Singapore. I was on tour for about six months. We thought we were going to go into April, but because of the news about the economy ... we went home early.
I came to the U.S. in May and did a series of shows, and now I'm back again. And I've been working in Manila on a whole slew of stuff.
I sometimes get so busy where I don't know what day of the week it is. This is also the first year where my daughter went to preschool, so it was a very busy year for me on a personal note and a professional note.
Q: Does touring require a different mindset than performing a one-time concert?
A: (This tour) is, like, 19 shows stretched over two months. I kinda have to think of it as a marathon runner, not as a sprinter.
If I find out it's a one-off, I know I can blow my vocal cords that night and not have to worry about anything the next day. Whereas, I really have to pace myself when I'm doing a series of shows.
But I'll have a lot left in the tank when I come back to Honolulu.
Q: When you performed here in 2008, four years had passed since your last visit. What made you decide to come back so soon?
A: Well, Tom Moffatt was nice enough to ask. It's as simple as that.
I've got family and friends in Hawaii, so it's pretty much a no-brainer to come over.
Q: What will the Honolulu concert be like this time around?
A: It's basically me, with a band behind me, getting up in a nice frock and singing.
I sing a lot of musical theater, some Disney, and I always try to put in one or two Filipino songs. I'm very proud of Filipino music and Filipino songwriters and what we have to say.
Q: You also have a job writing a column for a newspaper in the Philippines. Does writing satisfy you the same way performing does?
A: It's different. I've never really had to deal with deadlines before. It's kind of like being back in college.
The toughest part, though, is finding inspiration -- something new to write about every week. When I do a show, it's pretty much ... sing and go home.
But when I'm writing, I really have to figure out what it is I want to do. It's not easy.
Q: Earlier this week, reports surfaced about the Honolulu Symphony possibly having to file for bankruptcy. Any thoughts?
A: You're kidding me? No! When I hear that a theater company is closing or that a symphony is closing, it's like getting kicked in the gut.
The arts have to remain alive, because they're such a big contributing factor to our culture. Not too many people realize it, but the arts influence our children into being more creative. It's a power that cannot be underestimated.
The community needs to come together. If they pool even just a little bit of money to keep it alive, that would be something. It's an important part of our culture ... something that can only lend good things to the community.
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