Lea Salonga Interviews LES MISERABLES' New 'Fantine' Rachelle Ann Go

Rachelle Ann Go will join Les Miserables at the Queen's Theatre in London next month as 'Fantine'. The actress just spoke with original 'Fantine' Lea Salonga for Inquirer.net about playing the legendary role and more. Scroll down for excerpts, and click here to read the full interview!

On her final audition for the part, Go told Salonga, "I sang the three Fantine songs...Of course, while singing these wonderful songs, I was acting-with matching tears galore! Good thing I was nervous so tears effortlessly flowed from my eyes! Then after I sang, all I heard was Cameron [Mackintosh] saying: 'Good ... quality. Thank you.'"

"They called me in again during the first week of March and this time (composer) Claude-Michel Schönberg was present and we tried to play around with the key of 'I Dreamed a Dream'...Of course, I didn't want to assume that they were offering me the role then. I just had to do my best.

"They asked me to go to their office on March 13 (which happened to be my 11th year in the business) and I was given the good news...I said, 'No! Are you serious?!' I was having migraines at the time so I was so bewildered! And I got teary-eyed. (I really tried hard not to cry!) I told them that it was one of my dream roles!...I started bursting into tears while I was walking down the road!"

On taking on such an iconic role, Go said, "I still can't believe this great news. It feels surreal and I feel so honored and humbled to belong to this illustrious list of such talented women who played the same iconic role before me. You are all my inspiration...I guess creating my own Fantine is the hardest part. Acting-wise, I know it's going to be a challenge."

Below, watch Salonga perform "I Dreamed a Dream" as part of LES MISERABLES' 25th anniversary celebrations!

Now in its record breaking 30th year, the West End's LES MISERABLES welcomes (from 15 June 2015) Phil Daniels as 'Thénardier', Jeremy Secomb as 'Javert', Rachelle Ann Go as 'Fantine'; Katy Secombe as 'Madame Thénardier' and Zoë Doano as 'Cosette.' Peter Lockyer will continue to star as 'Jean Valjean', Rob Houchen as 'Marius' and Carrie Hope Fletcher as 'Eponine'. Bradley Jaden, who is currently in the ensemble, will play 'Enjolras'.

Based on Victor Hugo's classic novel, Boublil and Schönberg's magnificent score of LES MISERABLES includes the songs, "I Dreamed a Dream", "On My Own", "Stars", "Bring Him Home", "Do You Hear the People Sing?", "One Day More", "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables", "Master Of The House" and many more.

Cameron Mackintosh's production of LES MISERABLES is written by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönbergand is based on the novel by Victor Hugo. It has music by Claude-Michel Schönberg, lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer and original French text by Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel and additional material by James Fenton. The original London 1985 production of LES MISERABLES was adapted and directed by Trevor Nunn and John Caird.

Go has just finished playing the role of 'Gigi' in Cameron Mackintosh's new production of MISS SAIGON at the Prince Edward Theatre for which she won the Whatsonstage Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical. She is a well-known TV star in her native country, the Philippines having won the "Search for a Star" contest. Rachelle is also a double-platinum recording artist.

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