Push Admin

Ex-'Miss Saigon' stars Jamie Rivera, Jenine Desiderio emotional while watching musical

Article (news)

MJ Felipe

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1711521166126171151642050390096f52-2cc1-4662-a74e-70ebe0abec06.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>Former ‘Miss Saigon’ lead stars Jamie Rivera and Jenine Desiderio pose for a group photo at the star-studded gala night of the musical at Solaire on Tuesday. MJ Felipe, ABS-CBN News </div>MANILA -- It was a star-studded gala night for the Manila staging of &quot;Miss Saigon&quot; at The Theater in Solaire Pasay City, Tuesday night. ABS-CBN News spotted celebrities such as Martin Nievera, Arnel Pineda, Christian Bautista, ABS-CBN Star Magic head Laurenti Dyogi, Jed Madela, sisters Rica and Paula Peralejo, Vina Morales, Nikki Valdez, Roselle Nava, Tim Yap, Ice Seguerra and Liza Dino-Seguerra, theater actor Audie Gemora, even National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Ricky Lee at the gala night. Two of the Filipino actresses who gave life to Kim back in the &#x27;90s -- Jamie Rivera and Jenine Desiderio -- were also present at the red carpet. Rivera played Kim from 1991 to 1993 at the West End run of &quot;Miss Saigon,&quot; alternating with Desiderio, who came a year ahead of Rivera, from 1989 to 1993. “Of course, proud kami kasi mga Filipinos. &#x27;Pag sinabi mo’ng &#x27;Miss Saigon,&#x27; ang iniisip agad nila Filipinos kasi magagaling talaga mga Filipinos. Kahit dito, raised in Australia or raised in America, there’s something about the Filipinos babae o lalaki, pag sinabi mong international level,” said Rivera. Desiderio added: “Nakaka-proud ‘di ba? It’s an Asian role and it’s always awarded sa mga Filipinas. Parang anak na namin siya.”After the almost three-hour show, Rivera met the current Kim, Abigail Adriano, during the after-party. “Na-meet namin siya and napaka-humble niya,” Rivera said. “She was really, really good. Ang galing niya, I’m so proud of her, kasi Filipina pa rin ang roots niya. Ang ganda ng boses niya. Nako-control niya, ang galing ng pag-falsetto niya.” Watching the show again brought flashbacks of memories for Rivera, who played Kim three decades ago. “Nakikita ko pa rin kung papaano ginagawa dati. Parang feeling mo ikaw pa rin ang gumagawa. Tapos siyempre, nakikisabay ako sa kanta. Nararamdaman ko pa rin &#x27;yung feeling sa stage,” she said. As a member of the audience this time, Rivera couldn’t help but be overwhelmed with the intensity of the performance of the Manila cast.  “&#x27;Yung ginawa ni Abigail as Kim onstage, parang very touching. Actually, nakakaiyak. Of course, ginawa namin yun 30 years ago, so I feel so proud ‘wow nagawa pala namin &#x27;yun, nagawa ko pala &#x27;yun,&#x27;” she said. “Kapag pinanood mo parang ang hirap-hirap gawin. Nagawa namin &#x27;yun, nagawa namin ni Jenine, ni Lea (Salonga), ni Monique (Wilson). Masaya ang feeling na nag-graduate na kami doon.”Photos shared by Rivera with ABS-CBN News showed how the after-party turned out to be a reunion of sorts for former &quot;Miss Saigon&quot; actors such as Pinky Amador and Bobby Martino (who both were part of the original cast together with Salonga, Wilson, Cocoy Laurel, Michael Williams, and Isay Alvarez in London back in 1989), and Robert Seña, who gave life to Thuy and The Engineer in London, Manila and Stuttgart. Rivera also had an emotional moment with Claude-Michel Schönberg, the composer of &quot;Miss Saigon,&quot; who praised and described the Philippines as a &quot;soup of talent.&quot;<div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/2024/3/22/pinoy-cast-members-ready-to-turn-up-the-heat-in-miss-saigon-1059" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Pinoy cast members ready to turn up the heat in ‘Miss Saigon’</a></div>

Former Miss Saigon lead stars Jamie Rivera, Jenine Desiderio emotional while watching musical

Former Miss Saigon lead stars Jamie Rivera, Jenine Desiderio emotional while watching musical