Born Maria Lea Carmen Imutan Salonga in the Philippines, Lea Salonga made her professional stage debut at the age of seven (in “The King and I”) and three years later recorded her first album.
Here she is starring in the Repertory Philippines production of Annie
At the age of 17, she was hired to originate the lead role of Kim in the London production of the stage musical “Miss Saigon”
Here is a video of her audition (she starts singing at 1:30)
Having just turned 20, Salonga re-created her “Miss Saigon” role on Broadway, winning the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical.
In the three decades since, she has been an international star on stage, screen, and concert hall. She has portrayed both Éponine and Fantine in “Les Miserables” on Broadway, and both Princess Jasmine and Fa Mulan in Disney animated movie musicals. Her theater career is not limited to Broadway. In 2008, for example, she starred in a 30-week Asian tour of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella.
Check out the rest of the Broadway Alphabet series
Miss Saigon, 1991
She won a Tony for her role as Kim.
Lea Salonga and Willy Falk sing “Last Night of the World.”
Salonga and Ruthie Henshall sing “Room 317″/”Now That I’ve Seen Her,” from the penultimate performance of the original Broadway production of “Miss Saigon,” January 2001.
Les Miserables, 1987
Salonga joined the cast in January 1992, portraying Eponine
Here she is singing “On My Own” at the 10th anniversary concert at Royal Albert Hall
And (I can’t resist) here she is singing the song at Marie’s Crisis piano bar in the Village, introduced by Darren Criss
Flower Drum Song, 2002 revival
Score by Rodgers and Hammerstein. Book revised by David Henry Hwang
A Hundred Million Miracles
Love Look Away
Performed in concert
Les Miserables, 2006 revival
In the revival, Salonga portrayed Fantine, and sang “I Dreamed A Dream”
Allegiance, 2015
Salonga sings Higher
Salonga and cast sing Our Time Now
Once on This Island, 2017 revival
Salonga, as the Goddess of Love, sings “The Human Heart”
Broadway medley
Aladdin, 1992 animated film
Salonga was the voice of Princess Jasmine in the Disney film (later turned into a Broadway musical, so I think this belongs)
Here she is at the 1993 Oscars singing A Whole New World with Brad Kane
Mulan, in Quarantine
Lea Salonga sings “Reflection” from “Mulan” at the Rosie O’Donnell Show in quarantine
