LOS ANGELES, California—“I get up, sing a lot, sign autographs, eat, and then go home.” Lea Salonga made it sound like her list of mundane things to do for the day when we recently asked her what she would do in her July 11 concert at the prestigious Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles.

But, of course, when Lea sings, there’s nothing humdrum about it. Her impeccable voice and unmatched, crystal-clear diction have been entrancing listeners from London to Seoul, South Korea, where she performed recently. She told us via e-mail that, much to her surprise, “We were received so warmly in Korea, and with so much enthusiasm. I actually felt like a rock star!”

Normally a venue for the world’s top classical music artists, the Walt Disney Concert Hall this time hosts Lea Salonga in an effort to draw people who don’t usually attend concerts at the distinctive Frank Gehry-designed structure. The show will no doubt be another high point in the singer’s multi-awarded career. Tickets to the Walt Disney Concert Hall show on July 11 at 8:30 p.m. are available at www.ticketmaster.com. For groups, e-mail globalpop@musiccenter.org.

Rehearsals

Currently in Manila, Lea, whose masterful vocal artistry is showcased in her studio and live-concert recordings under the Sony BMG Philippines label (“Inspired” is her latest album), has begun rehearsals for the Asian touring production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella.”

In our Q and A, she shared her excitement about the LA concert, declared that Arnel Pineda’s joining Journey is inspiring, and revealed that Nicole, her 2-year-old daughter with husband, Robert Chien, has started to imitate her. Excerpts:

You’ve performed on some of the world’s premier concert and musical-theater stages. But, this will be your first time to have a concert at the prestigious Walt Disney Concert Hall. What are your thoughts on being the first Filipino performer to have a show in it?

Oh, goodness! I’m excited to be performing there. As much as it is fantastic that I’ll be the first Filipino artist to have a show there, that aspect doesn’t matter as much as just being in that beautiful hall. My being the first one there isn’t necessarily important—as long as it happens!

Diverse communities

With the show, you also have the honor of launching “Global Pop at the Music Center,” a series of concerts featuring popular international performers representing the diverse communities of Los Angeles. The Blue Ribbon, the center’s volunteer support group, hopes that this first show in the series kicks off in a big way their goal of bringing new audiences—especially for the followers of global pop artists like you—to the Walt Disney Concert Hall. “Global pop artist” has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?

I honestly don’t think about it—I just do my work, then I go home. If the end result is greater visibility for me in the global arena, then wonderful! More artists will then reap the benefits. I mean, it’s not necessarily arrogant to think that Filipino singers are now reaping the benefits of what Arnel Pineda has done, being the frontman of Journey. His is one inspiring story—and it gives others hope that they can also make their dreams come true.

By coincidence, the second artist scheduled in the “Global Pop” series is the R&B pop duo, Fly to the Sky, from South Korea, where you just had a concert. How did that go? I read that you were surprised to get an offer to perform in Korea.

The concert in Seoul was an incredible experience! Honestly, I didn’t set my expectations too high—I didn’t know if I even had an audience there. I thought that the audience would mostly be composed of fellow Filipinos, and I also thought we would have a very polite and conservative crowd. Man, was I wrong! We were received so warmly, and with so much enthusiasm. I actually felt like a rock star!

How would the LA concert be any different from your other shows?

This time, we’ll have a bigger band onstage, to take advantage of that concert hall’s acoustics. Other than that, it’ll be similar to my other shows. I get up, sing a lot, sign autographs, eat, and then I go home.

Special venue

How special is the venue site to you, since it’s very close to the Cathedral where you got married, and it’s right beside the Mark Taper Forum, the venue of “Flower Drum Song,” where you met Robert’s cousin in the cast, who introduced you to him?

That entire area is special to me, because I met my husband and married him there. So, to have a concert there would be absolutely sweet! It would be great to do a musical at the Music Center again.

You also performed with Patti Austin in San Francisco recently. Did you get to talk to her about the time she performed in Manila?

Actually, I didn’t get to speak with her a lot—our time together in San Francisco was limited, and she was incredibly busy when she wasn’t working. But, it was fine. I was able to spend some much-needed quality time with friends from that area—people whom I hadn’t seen in years. The show was great, but getting together with friends was a blessing!

Environment

I saw a nice photo of you apparently taken during a rehearsal: Nicole was on your lap, while you were rehearsing with Martin Nievera, and with musicians around. With genes from her mom and growing up in a music-filled environment, how can Nicole not grow up to become a singer? Has she started singing? What are her favorite songs, so far? What tunes do you like singing to—and with—her?

The same way that kids of doctors don’t always grow up to follow in their parents’ footsteps. Just because Nicole is surrounded by it doesn’t mean she’ll want to be a part of it. At the end of the day, what she does end up doing in life is really up to her. I’d rather she be whatever makes her happy and fulfilled.

But, having said that, Nicole has started to imitate me, using her Megabloks as microphones. She sings with her own made-up songs—and it’s always with a big finish! As for what I like singing to her, it’s usually something from “Sesame Street.” I’m on a major Old-School “Sesame Street” kick, so I like singing to her what I remember watching as a preschooler!

E-mail rvnepales_5585@yahoo.com and read his blog, “The Nepales Report,” on http://blogs.inquirer.net/nepalesreport.