LEA SALONGA Not a Part of 2019 SEA GAMES Opening Ceremony Despite Singing OFFICIAL SONG

For better or worse, the 2019 Southeast Asian Games being host by the Philippines in New Clark City and various other locations around Luzon is all set to open things in earnest this weekend, even as some of the services and facilities in place are yet to perform efficiently. Stories about the accommodations for athletes, such as the women’s football teams being served meager breakfasts of egg, rice and kikiam for breakfast, contrast with the reveal of the exorbitant price tags for some of the fixtures on the New Clark main stadium such as the torch. Even the list of entertainers for the opening ceremony is not quite finalized either.

Case in point, Lea Salonga, the Philippines’ top star on Broadway, has confirmed that she cannot be part of the opening ceremonies for the 30^th Southeast Asian Games this coming Saturday. According to Inquirer.net the singer, stage actress and Disney Princess singing-voice made the announcement on Monday, November 25, on her official Twitter page. Lea explains that she is part of a production of stage musical “Sweeney Todd” in Singapore that starts Thursday, November 28, in Singapore, and that she is catching a flight to the island nation this Tuesday.

Leaving on a jet plane for Singapore tomorrow and will begin our 14-show Sweeney run on Thursday night. This means I will not be performing at the SEA Games opening ceremonies on Saturday. I won’t be back home til after Sweeney is done.

— Lea Salonga (@MsLeaSalonga) November 25, 2019

Salonga explains on her tweet that the “Sweeney Todd” production that she is part of will run a total of 14 shows in Singapore. “This means I will not be performing at the SEA Games opening ceremonies on Saturday,” she wrote. “I won’t be back home til after Sweeney is done.” This bit of news is a bit of a downer considering Lea’s major contribution for the 2019 SEA Games. The official song for this year, “We Win as One,” was sung by her from lyrics by Floyd Quintos and musical composition by the legendary Filipino music man Ryan Cayabyab. 

At best, only a recording of her voice for the athletes to follow will play out during the formal opening ceremony of the 2019 SEA Games in November 30. Several sporting events have already played their first games this week.

Image courtesy of ABS-CBN News