Lea & Simon: Back to Saigon

MANILA, Philippines — Lea Salonga was only 18 years old when she was thrust on to the world stage for Miss Saigon, in London’s West End. That musical undeniably gave her international recognition, worldwide popularity, illustrious awards and countless career opportunities through the years.

Lea’s first leading man onstage was Simon Bowman, who played Chris opposite her iconic Kim. He was her first kiss. Without a boyfriend yet, at that time, Lea was fortunate to have worked with a leading man who never took advantage of her.

“I was only 17 when Simon and I first met,” shared Lea in the recently successful 40th anniversary concert at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC). “We’ve known each other for 30 years. I never had a boyfriend then. I didn’t how to kiss anybody properly.

“He (Simon) was a gentleman. He was patient with me in our scenes and hands down, one of the best actors I’ve ever gotten to work with and definitely one of the best voices that I’ve ever sung with. And he’s only gotten better with age.”

Today, 30 years after they first met, Lea and Simon were reunited onstage when she invited him to guest in her 40th anniversary concert. They actually saw each other a few years ago for the 25th anniversary gala performance of Miss Saigon in London.

“It’s like, we picked up right where we left off,” Lea recalled before she introduced Simon. “He’s still wickedly funny, incredibly charming and my God, he’s sexy. He’s still got those gorgeous curls. It’s his very first time in the Philippines.”

Lea and Simon rendered two popular songs — Sun and Moon and Last Night of the World — from Miss Saigon. Their time together onstage likewise allowed them to reminisce about working together nearly three decades ago.

“I just like to say, though, it has been an excellent privilege being here as a guest of yours,” Simon said. “I should have been here a long time ago, really. But now that I’m here, I promise, I’ll come back.”

Simon recalled the first time Miss Saigon composer Claude-Michel Schonberg was teaching Lea the Sun and Moon track. “He played it once, then he played it a second time and then a third time,” Simon recalled. “Then he said, ‘Lea, you’re on your own, sing it all the way through.’ Lea said, ‘Which version do you want?’ Then I said, ‘Uh, oh, trouble.’ Triple threat.”

Simon was given his spot numbers, as he rendered pop tunes, like George Michael’s A Different Corner and Simon also did his powerful version of Sam Smith’s The Writings On the Wall from the James Bond movie, Specter.

Working with Simon the first time back in 1989, Lea was admittedly filled with so much “anxiety and terror” and by extension, so was her mother, Ligaya. “Nick Hytner, who was our director in Miss Saigon, was directing us for Sun and Moon and that’s after Kim and Chris’ first night together. I didn’t know what to do. After that rehearsal, we were in a cafeteria.

“First, he took my mother aside, talked to her by herself, just the two of them. Then, he came and spoke with me and my mom was there also and the two of us can hear what he had to say. This is what he said and I’ll never ever forget it. ‘You can trust me. I will take care of you. I will not do anything to take advantage of you.’

“Can you imagine how important it was for your first romantic leading man to tell you that? He’s wickedly funny and he’s a jokester. But that was something I needed to hear. From then on, it got easier and I’ve learned a lot ever since.”

The year-long working relationship of Lea and Simon when they did Miss Saigon in London, translated into a long-time friendship that apparently remains evident up to now.

Simon also joined Lea in the much-applauded final number with the other concert guests — Mark Bautista, Esang de Torres and Lea’s daughter Nicole Chien — as they dished out a mash-up of The Story of Tonight from Hamilton and You Will Be Found from Dear Evan Hansen.