Broadway Actress Lea Salonga to Join With The Tabernacle Choir in the Philippines

Acclaimed Broadway singer and actress Lea Salonga will be the featured guest artist on The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square’s tour to the Philippines. This is the second stop on the Choir’s “Hope” world tour from February 20-29, 2024, and the first visit by the Choir to the Philippines.

Salonga is a multiple award-winning actor and singer renowned across the world for her powerful voice and perfect pitch. She is best known for her Tony Award-winning role in “Miss Saigon.” In addition to the Tony Award, she has won the Olivier, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Theatre World Awards in the field of musical theatre.

Many fans of all ages recognize Salonga as the singing voice of Princess Jasmine from “Aladdin” and Fa Mulan for “Mulan” and “Mulan II.” Lea served as a judge on the Philippines hit version of “The Voice,” including the ratings juggernaut “The Voice Kids.” Salonga is an avid techie and gamer, and she and her family divide their time between Manila, the Philippines and the United States.

Under the direction of Mack Wilberg, music director of the Choir, and Ryan Murphy, associate music director, the concerts will feature Salonga and the Choir performing a repertoire that reflects, in part, the musicality of the country.

Salonga performed with the Choir during its annual Christmas concert in Salt Lake City in December 2022. Wilberg said he is looking forward to working with Salonga again.

“It was a delight to have Lea Salonga share her extraordinary talents at our Christmas concert last year in Salt Lake City. It is an honor for the Choir to go to Lea’s home country to perform with her again and experience the kindness of the Filipino people,” he said.

Choir president Michael O. Leavitt said, “Our goal is to magnify the Choir’s impact throughout the world by helping people feel God’s love for His children. Our performances will be free. Many will be live streamed so local congregations in the regions we visit can invite their friends and communities to participate.”

Filipinos are a nation of singing people whose choral tradition started centuries ago with its indigenous origins and has continued until today. Internationally, the Philippines has one of the highest viewerships of the Choir’s weekly broadcast “Music and the Spoken Word.”

Over the next four years, The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra will travel twice a year to different parts of the world. The first stop on the Choir’s tour was in Mexico in June.