A Gala Concert in Support of the Filipinos in the Wake of Typhoon Yolanda

On January 29 & 30, 2014, the creators of the international musical sensations Les Misérables and Miss Saigon will present a special concert entitled "Do You Hear the People Sing?" celebrating their work at the Newport Performing Arts Theater (NPAT) in Resorts World Manila (RWM) 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.

 

The concerts, 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 Misérables, 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 theater 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 theater 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 Misérables. 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 Philippine theater 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 and services pro-bono. 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 Misérables (Broadway and Melbourne, Australia); Miss Saigon (London). 

 

Along with Bouberg Productions, Enda Markey and the performers who waived their talent fees, "Do You Hear the People Sing?" is the latest effort of RWM in a series of fundraisers to help in the relief and rebuilding phase following the destruction brought about by the typhoon—the first being the "1tayo" relief operation in partnership with other players in the industry and the second being the "Kami Naman Ang Taya" benefit concert held at the NPAT last December 3. Funds raised from this latest production and auction will go towards the rebuilding programs for the survivors of the typhoon. The event hopes to raise funds with the goal of building 200 homes in areas ravaged by Typhoon Yolanda 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!"

 

"Do You Hear the People Sing?" will feature the music and lyrics of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg, creators of Les Misérables and Miss Saigon. It will run from January 29 to 30, 8pm at the Newport Performing Arts Theater, Manila, Philippines. Ticket prices are as follows: Patron - PHP25,000; VIP - PHP15,000; Premiere - PHP9,200; Balcony Center - PHP6,700; Balcony L/R and Premiere B - PHP4,200 and are now available at all TicketWorld outlets and at the RWM box office.

 

For those who cannot attend the concert, donations may be made via the production's website www.thepeoplesing.ph. To know more on social media, check out Twitter @ThePeopleSing and Facebook.com/thepeoplesing.

 

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.