Lea Salonga Joins Singapore Season of LES MISÉRABLES

Acclaimed Filipino actress and singer to play Madame Thénardier in arena production

Mar. 23, 2026 at 3:34am

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Lea Salonga, the multi-award winning Filipino actress and singer, will star as Madame Thénardier in the Singapore season of the arena production of Les Misérables The Arena Spectacular, running from March 24 to May 10, 2026 at the Sands Theatre. Salonga has previously played the roles of Éponine and Fantine in Les Misérables on Broadway and in concert productions.

Why it matters

Salonga's casting as Madame Thénardier in the Singapore production of the iconic musical is a major draw for theater fans in the region, as she is renowned for her powerful vocals and acclaimed performances in musical theater. The arena production of Les Misérables is also an ambitious undertaking, aiming to deliver an 'epic and cinematic experience' for audiences.

The details

Salonga will join a previously announced cast that includes Gerónimo Rauch as Jean Valjean, Jeremy Secomb as Javert, Nathania Ong as Éponine, Red Concepción as Thénardier, Na-Young Jeon as Fantine, Will Callan as Marius, Lulu-Mae Pears as Cosette, Harry Chandler as Enjolras, and Earl Carpenter as the Bishop of Digne. The production has been reimagined for the arena stage to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the musical, with new staging, lighting, and visual design.

  • The Singapore season of Les Misérables The Arena Spectacular will run from March 24 to May 10, 2026.
  • The production has previously toured to the UK, Europe, Manila, Shanghai, Australia, and Japan, selling over 1 million tickets worldwide.

The players

Lea Salonga

A multi-award winning Filipino actress and singer who has previously played the roles of Éponine and Fantine in Les Misérables on Broadway and in concert productions. She is also known for voicing the singing roles of Princess Jasmine in Aladdin and Fa Mulan in Mulan and Mulan II.

Cameron Mackintosh

The producer of the Les Misérables The Arena Spectacular production, which has been conceived and developed to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the original musical.

Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg

The writers of the original Les Misérables musical, on which the arena production is based.

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What they’re saying

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee

What’s next

Following the successful Singapore season, the Les Misérables The Arena Spectacular production will return to Europe, where it will play London's Royal Albert Hall before heading to Radio City Music Hall in New York.

The takeaway

Lea Salonga's casting as Madame Thénardier in the Singapore production of Les Misérables The Arena Spectacular is a major coup, drawing on her acclaimed musical theater credentials and star power to attract audiences to this ambitious arena-scale reimagining of the classic musical.