Lea Salonga joins Les Miserables The Arena Spectacular in Singapore as Madame Thenardier

Lea Salonga is returning to Les Miserables — but not in the roles audiences might expect.

The Tony and Olivier Award-winning performer will take on the part of Madame Thenardier in Les Miserables The Arena Spectacular, which arrives at Sands Theatre at Marina Bay Sands from Mar 24 to May 10 for a limited seven-week run.

Best known for playing Eponine and Fantine in previous productions of the musical, Salonga’s casting marks a new chapter in her long association with the show. She first appeared as Eponine in the landmark 10th anniversary concert at London’s Royal Albert Hall and later took on Fantine in the 25th anniversary staging at the O2 Arena.

Beyond Les Miserables, Salonga is widely recognised for originating the role of Kim in Miss Saigon, a performance that earned her a Tony Award, Olivier Award and several other major theatre honours. She has also lent her voice to iconic Disney characters, including Princess Jasmine in Aladdin and Fa Mulan in Mulan, and was the voice of Celine in K-Pop Demon Hunters.

She joins an international cast led by Geronimo Rauch as Jean Valjean and Jeremy Secomb as Javert. Singaporean performer Nathania Ong will appear as Eponine, alongside Red Concepcion as Thenardier and Na-Young Jeon as Fantine. The cast also includes Will Callan as Marius, Lulu-Mae Pears as Cosette and Harry Chandler as Enjolras.

The Arena Spectacular production was conceived by producer Cameron Mackintosh to mark the 40th anniversary of the long-running musical, which is based on Victor Hugo’s novel and features music by Claude-Michel Schonberg and lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer.

Unlike traditional stagings, this version has been reimagined for larger venues, with expanded staging, lighting and projections designed to create a more cinematic, concert-like experience.

Since premiering in the UK and Europe in 2024, the production has toured extensively, selling more than one million tickets worldwide and playing to full houses in cities including Manila, Shanghai, Sydney and Tokyo. After its Singapore run, the show is set to return to Europe, with stops at London’s Royal Albert Hall and New York’s Radio City Music Hall.

Les Miserables remains one of the world’s longest-running musicals, with Mackintosh’s original production continuing its record-breaking run in London’s West End alongside multiple international productions.

The show is a rare chance for Singapore audiences to see Salonga revisit the musical that helped define her career.