PHOTO FLASH: Stephanie Reese Pre-Carnegie Hall Concert

Whenever MS. SAIGON alumna Stephanie Reese stages a solo concert, she always ends up baring her soul – freely allowing the audience to invade her personal space, and to simultaneously share the gamut of emotions the singer's music evokes. 

Reese successfully held her Pre-Carnegie Hall concert at Music Museum in San Juan, Manila on October 12, 2009, which was delayed for a week due to typhoons Ketsana and Parma.  Repertory Philippines' "Sweeney Todd" Audie Gemora, and the Euphony Male Ensemble were her special guest performers.

Her evening show's repertoire included Broadway hit songs "Sun and Moon," "I'd Give My Life For You," "Maybe This Time," "The Phantom of the Opera," "All I Ask of You" (a duet with Gemora) and "As If We Never Said Goodbye;" old favorites "Que Sera Sera," "This Is My Life," "The Greatest Performance of My Life," "He Touched Me" and "Somewhere In Time;" and opera numbers "Nessun Dorma" and "Spente Le Stelle."

Her original songs – the flirty "Chocka Locka Boom Boom" was charmingly staged; and the anthemic "Your Voice" roused patriotism among the mostly Filipino audience.

Reese heads back to the United States today to prepare for her solo debut concert at the famed Carnegie Hall in New York City on November 7, 2009.  

Photos by Ulysses Manuel