Review: Disney princess to 'Dancing Queen,' Lea Salonga charms with Pops
As soon as she opened her mouth, you knew you had heard that voice before.
Lea Salonga, the singing voice of at least two Disney princesses and Broadway star of “Miss Saigon” and “Les Misérables” brought a few of her favorite songs to the Cincinnati Pops in Music Hall for the final show of the season.
You could only smile when you heard her sing Mulan’s enchanting “Reflection,” with her breathtaking upper range and peerless way with words.
But then came Fantine’s “I Dreamed a Dream,” from “Les Misérables,” in which she stood still and communicated to the last seat in the hall. It was one of the emotional high points of the evening, and Friday’s large crowd barely moved before erupting in cheers.
The concert of Broadway tunes, conducted by John Morris Russell, was an engaging evening that showed a bit of the trajectory of Salonga’s career. A former child star in the Philippines, the singer spoke about winning the audition at age 17 to sing Kim in “Miss Saigon,” a role which eventually won her a Tony and many other honors.
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Introducing “I’d Give My Life for You,” the 45-year-old legend confessed she didn’t really understand its meaning until she had her daughter, now 9. Her phrases had depth as well as a touch of drama.
She came out in the first half wearing a tuxedo and a new pixie haircut to a captivating rendition of Rodgers and Hart’s “My Romance.” Then, from Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Flower Drum Song,” in which she appeared on Broadway in 2002, she charmed in “I Enjoy Being a Girl.” Despite her apologies for its dated lyrics, she was “cute and funny.”
Éponine, the other role she performed from “Les Misérables” by Schönberg and Boublil, was the role that changed her life, she said, as she launched into a pure-toned “On My Own.” Every word had meaning.
The singer stayed fresh all evening, even though she was onstage much of the time. She hardly moved as she sang, which allowed the listener to appreciate the expressive beauty of her voice.
For her finale, she offered the ubiquitous “Let it Go” from “Frozen,” inviting the crowd to sing along. But it wasn’t until the encore, a “Mamma Mia” medley, that she finally kicked up her heels and was the “Dancing Queen.”
Tenor Steven Morgan, of the a cappella group Straight No Chaser, was Salonga’s partner for the love duet “Last Night of the World” from “Miss Saigon,” as well as the delightful “Beauty and the Beast” and “A Whole New World” from Disney’s “Aladdin.” It’s too bad that his mellow voice wasn’t a good match to Salonga’s crystal-clear timbre
Morgan’s finest moment came in the heart-rending “Bring Him Home” from “Les Misérables,” sung from the heart. You could have heard a pin drop.
The orchestral numbers were entertaining, too. Russell enthusiastically zipped through a Disney medley as the curtain raiser. The Pops orchestra sounded wonderful in Bernstein’s “West Side Story” Overture. Another highlight was the atmospheric “He Lives in You” from “Lion King,” which included a fantastic section of drumming.
The show marks the final weekend of the Pops season before Music Hall closes for renovation. In the balcony’s lobby, people were voting on the new chairs to be installed in Springer Auditorium.
The Pops with Lea Salonga repeats at 8 p.m. Saturday, April 23 and 2 p.m Sunday, April 24 in Music Hall. Tickets: 513-381-3300, cincinnatipops.org.