Two decades after she first lent her voice to Disney magic at Hong Kong Disneyland’s grand opening, Lea Salonga returned to the park on 10 January for a one-night-only concert celebrating its 20th anniversary.
In front of the Castle of Magical Dreams, illuminated with spectacular projections and pyrotechnics, Salonga delivered a set of Disney classics, from A Whole New World to Reflection, Let It Go, and A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes. Accompanied by the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, the Disneyland band, and a sprinkling of Disney princesses, the Filipino Broadway star transported the audience into the heart of the Disney universe.
“The challenge in doing these songs is to capture all of their feelings and emotions in just a few minutes. That moment will last forever, and you have to give it your all,” Salonga reflected, recalling her years as the singing voice of Jasmine in Aladdin and Fa Mulan in Mulan.
Fans online celebrated her return. “One of the Disney Legends and Filipino pride Lea Salonga. Your talent knows no bounds,” one post read, while another added, “So proud of our own Ms. Lea Salonga.”
Her performance marked a full-circle moment for the award-winning artist, whose contributions to Disney were honored in 2011 when she was inducted as a Disney Legend.