On the first visit of the world-renowned and multi-awarded the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square to the Philippines for its Hope concert tour, the special guest will be no other than acclaimed Filipino Broadway star Lea Salonga.

This is going to be Salonga's second time to perform with the musical ambassadors of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In December 2022, she was part of Season of Light: Christmas with The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square.

Salonga expressed her excitement to perform once again with the group at the press conference held Monday, 26 February, at the Conrad Hotel in Pasay City. She was joined by choir president Michael O. Leavitt and music director Mack Wilberg, along with fellow concert guest Ysabelle Cuevas, a Filipino singer and content creator based in the US.

Also present at the media huddle were celebrity couple Paolo Abrera and Suzi Entrata, who will act as narrators during the performances. They later told DAILY TRIBUNE they became friends with the choir members after Entrata got to interview them on her morning show years ago.

Salonga, who's famous for the musical Miss Saigon and Disney films Aladdin and Mulan, said she'll be singing a song from the musical Baby and Filipino pop standard, "Hahanapin Ko." She said the song, written by Jose Mari Chan and Jimmy Santiago, has been a staple in her concerts for the last 21 years. She describes its sentiments of "a Filipino that's been transplanted in another country and you're remembering what it is about home."

The Tabernacle Choir's two-night concert on 27 and 28 February at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City is by-invitation only, but the show on the 28th will be streamed live on Facebook and YouTube.

Leavitt and Wilberg said the choir's playlist is a mix of sacred and secular music. They also pointed out that the songs Lea will be singing also has "spirituality" in them, as "she's singing to your soul."

The Tabernacle Choir is known worldwide for its "one-of-a-kind signature sound" created by its 420 volunteer voices and orchestra players. For the Philippine shows, 330 out of the 360 active singing ambassadors will perform.