By virtue of him being "the best Engineer" (in the eyes of producer Cameron Mackintosh) in the West End toast "Miss Saigon,"Leo Valdez{ has indeed, done his country proud as he wowed (and was cheered on by) every nationality who witnessed his electrifying and intense performance. The singing is another inarguable patent. Leo is simply, an artist par excellance. Another living proof that yes, there are still a million other things about being a Filipino that we can be proud about as a race. Talent is definitely one.
He was away for more than five years in a row, spreading goodwill to every nation by sharing his innate talent across foreign shores. In turn, he has made his kababayans realize a dearth that he alone could fill right here at home.
But that is now a thing of the past. Leo is back and is in fact glorying in the idea of performing before his fellow Filipinos once again. "I missed home. Since October of last year, I have been accepting selected projects to perform. There’s still no audience like the Filipinos. Inasmuch as I’ve been greatly entertained by my stints abroad, I am very glad to revisit my roots. Where everything started."
Leo is in fact in a sabbatical leave from the theatre production. "I was given this reprieve while ‘Miss Saigon’ is touring the countryside performing to smaller venues and smaller theaters. I was part of the touring company that took us in huge cities and huge venues in Manchester, England; Dublin; Edinburgh, Scotland; Bristol, England, among others, before I went on leave," he rambled on.
But no, Leo has not said goodbye to "Miss Saigon." He reveals that he is actually on a stand-by. "They asked me to wait for their advice when my next performance will be. It’s an arrangement that is very nice because Mackintosh really takes care of me. I’m happy with the way they treat me back there. That is why, If London calls, they are absolutely my top priority," he said.
In the meantime, let us enjoy Leo right here with us. For a start, he’d be seen this Valentine season with another "hard-to-find" musical gem Ms. Verni Varga in a rare performance aptly titled "The Engineer and The Vamp" on Feb. 13 at the Rizal Ballroom of Makati Shangri-la Hotel.
It has been four years since Leo did his last Valentine show (at the Century Park Sheraton Hotel) that’s why he is all fired-up for this return engagement, and especially in a season that has seen him through meaningful musical journey.
He said he’d be doing what the public would surely expect him to do in the show – and that is to sing The Engineer’s most requested song – "The American Dream" along with other memorable Broadway originals like "The Music of the Night" from "The Phantom of the Opera," and "Aspects of Love’s" "Love Changes Everything." "This Is The Moment" will also be an unforgettable rendition come performance night. More than anything, Leo said "the show is going to be capitalizing on what we can do, Verni and I, as musical artists. Of course, the public will expect mostly love songs in the repertoire."
Toti Fuentes flies in from the US to be the event’s musical director, which has got both artists so much more excited.
For the songs that they will be doing together, Leo said "there will be re-arranged versions of ‘Ain’t Nobody Does It Better," "Til I Loved You," "I Finally Found Someone," and whole medley of other beautiful love songs, including the Tagalog medley of "Kahit Na," "Sana Maulit Muli," "Ikaw Lang Ang Mamahalin," and "Mahawi Man Ang Ulap."
With this kind of preview on what’s to come on Feb. 13, we dare say that this one night is going to be a musical coup. Agree?
