Dream Again, ‘Miss Saigon’ Lea Salonga Announces 2022 UK Tour

The original Miss Saigon, and two-time Disney Princess, returns to the UK for her Lea Salonga: Dream Again tour in 2022. Lea Salonga claimed her theatrical crown aged just 18 when she created the role of Kim in the epic musical Miss Saigon in London’s West End in 1989 and then on Broadway. She then went on to be the first actress of Asian descent to play both Eponine and Fantine in Les Misérables on Broadway.

Now the Olivier and Tony Award-winning star is returning to the country which launched her international stage career with a new tour heading to nine cities across the UK including a visit to Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall.

Lea Salonga: Dream Again follows Lea’s single release of the same name last year. The international collaboration brought together composers, musicians and a production team across three continents and five time zones, to help organisations aiding in COVID-19 relief.

The Dream Again tour will also celebrate the 30^th anniversary of Lea’s recording of the iconic Disney love song A Whole New World as Princess Jasmine in Aladdin in 1992. Younger fans will also recognise Lea’s pitch perfect tones as the singing voice of Fa Mulan in Mulan and Mulan II. These three films earned Lea the official title of ‘Disney Legend’.

“I owe the UK audiences and fans so much for my success,” said Lea ahead of the concert tour, “after they took me to their hearts as Kim in Miss Saigon, something I will always be so grateful for.”

Joining Lea for the first time on stage in the UK will be her brother, conductor and orchestrator Gerard Salonga, as musical director. Gerard is the resident conductor of the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra and a former assistant conductor of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra.

“My first ever UK tour was in 2019 and it was a truly wonderful experience, “Lea added. “I am now even more excited to return in 2022 after such a long time of unable to travel or to perform, especially with Gerard joining me as musical director.

“Returning to the stage and to international touring will be an absolute thrill. I am so excited to get back to the UK, to meet fans again and to perform some of my all-time favourite songs.”

Philippines-born Lea Salonga was just 17 years old when she was discovered by the producers of Miss Saigon and cast in the lead role of Kim. She originated the role in London and New York, winning the Olivier and Tony Awards for ‘Best Actress in a Musical’ for her performances in the show. She returned to the West End in 2014 as part of the 25^th anniversary celebrations for Miss Saigon at the Prince Edward Theatre.

Lea is also famed for her portrayal of both Eponine and Fantine in Les Misérables on Broadway, and in the musical’s 10^th and 25^th anniversary concerts in London.

She played her first UK tour in 2019 to rave reviews, with critics acclaiming her performances as ‘spine-tingling’ and ‘simply stunning’.

In 2020, Lea featured on the internationally acclaimed American TV series Great Performances on PBS – which celebrates iconic Broadway performers – in a special solo concert filmed live from the Sydney Opera House in late 2019, with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra – conducted by her brother Gerard.

Away from the stage, Lea is a judge on the Philippines’ version of The Voice and has sold a staggering 19 million albums worldwide – making her one of the best-selling Filipina artists of all time. Her 2017 album Blurred Lines was followed by a sell-out run at New York’s renowned Feinstein’s / 54Below.