Salonga, Harris and Zamora Lead Benefit Concert in Manila Tonight

Tonight and tomorrow, January 29 & 30, the creators of the international musical sensations Les Miserables and Miss Saigon will present a special concert celebrating their work at the Newport Performing Arts Theatre in Manila to raise funds to offer humanitarian relief and assist the rebuilding efforts after parts of the Philippines were left devastated in the wake of Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan).

Do You Hear The People Sing? features Lea Salonga, David Harris and Marie Zamora with special guests and members of the international companies of Miss Saigon. The concert is presented by Bouberg Productions and Resorts World Manila, in association with Enda Markey.

The performances, which will raise funds for Habitat for Humanity Philippines, will celebrate the works of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg, including musical numbers from LES MISERABLES, Miss Saigon, La Révolution Française, Martin Guerre and The Pirate Queen. Supported by the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra and a 100-member choir, conducted by musical director Gerard Salonga, the concert is headlined by some of the world's leading musical theatre performers.

Lea Salonga, the Tony Award winning Filipina performer who rose to international stardom when she was cast in the original production of Miss Saigon, will headline the concert alongside Australian theatre star David Harris (Miss Saigon, Wicked, Legally Blonde) and Marie Zamora (Barnum, Kiss Me Kate), the acclaimed French soprano who was the original Cosette in the Paris production of LES MISERABLES. Salonga, Harris and Zamora featured in the recent Asia Pacific Premiere of Do You Hear The People Sing? in China.

In celebration of the long association between the Philippines theatre community and the work of Boublil and Schönberg, the concert evening will feature special guests and a large ensemble made up of performers who have appeared in Miss Saigon throughout the world. The entire company is donating their time pro-bono in support of the cause.

In addition to these unique performances, there will be an online auction of memorabilia and gala night tickets (including hotel accommodation) for the opening nights of LES MISERABLES (Broadway and Melbourne, Australia); Miss Saigon (London).

Funds raised from the production and auction will go towards the rebuilding programs for the survivors of Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan). The event hopes to raise funds with the goal of building 200 homes in areas ravaged by the typhoon through Habitat for Humanity Philippines.

Reflecting on their long association with the Philippines, composer Claude-Michel Schönberg said "The Philippines gave me the voices of Miss Saigon, my daughter Margot and the joy of seeing Filipino babies adopted all around the world for nearly two decades already from my Manila orphanage, Sun and Moon."

Alain Boublil added "Creating Miss Saigon with those numerous talented Filipino artists was the answer to a prayer. These two concerts bring this extraordinary adventure back to life and a chance for us to modestly contribute to those lives that were shattered. Let's hear the people sing!"

For those who cannot attend the concert and who would like to show their support, donations can be made via the production's website, www.thepeoplesing.ph.

Do You Hear The People Sing? is the only symphonic concert of their work that has been authorized (and created) by Boublil & Schönberg. The concerts have played to enormous acclaim in major concert halls throughout the United States and the Asia Pacific tour of the show recently commenced in China.

Do You Hear The People Sing? is produced in Manila by Bouberg Productions and Resorts World Manila in association with Australian producer Enda Markey. Direction is by Andrew Pole with design by JAmes Browne, lighting design by Christopher Page and sound design by Thomas Brickhill.

"Do You Hear The People Sing? is an unexpectedly moving tribute to [Boublil & Schönberg's] collaborations, and shows how LES MISERABLES in particular has impacted people all around the world." - BroadwayWorld.com

Do You Hear The People Sing? will be performed 29 & 30 January 2014 at 8pm at the Newport Performing Arts Theater, Manila, Philippines. Tickets: Patron - PHP25,000; VIP - PHP15,000; Premiere - PHP9,200; Balcony Center - PHP6,700; Balcony L/R and Premiere B - PHP4,200

Twitter: @ThePeopleSing, Facebook.com/thepeoplesing, thepeoplesing.ph

Photo Credit: Stephen Sorokoff

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