Photo Flash: Lea Salonga’s 40th Birthday Cake

Tony award-winning actress Lea Salonga turns 40 on Tuesday, February 22, 2011.  It coincidentally falls on the same day when "Les Miserables" 25^th Anniversary Concert at the O2 Arena, where Salonga played Fantine, is released on DVD and Blu-ray in the United States. 

"Best birthday ever," Salonga tweeted earlier right after her family, theatre and mainstream show biz friends in the Philippines gathered together for a private birthday dinner.

Interestingly, her 40^th birthday cake is adorned with theatre memorabilia that pay tribute to her over 30 years of blissful career in the theatre and mainstream show business.

The Filipino Broadway star first gained international stardom for her award-winning portrayal of young Vietnamese bargirl Kim in Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg's epic musical "Miss Saigon" in London and New York. For her excellent performance in the musical, she won the prestigious 1991 Tony Award for "Outstanding Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical" as well as the Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk Awards. Broadway credits include the revival of "Les Miserables" and the contemporarized "Flower Drum Song". Salonga also recorded the singing voices behind Disney princesses Jasmine ("Alladin") and Fa Mulan ("Mulan"). She was last seen portraying Grizabella in the international touring production of "Cats" at the Cultural Center of the Philippines in Manila and Fantine at the 25th anniversary concert of "Les Miserables" at the O2 Arena in London.

Salonga is expected to conquer the Broadway stage anew when the musical "Allegiance" with George Takei opens in 2012.

She will also star in a series of dinner concerts at Café Carlyle in New York from Tuesday, June 7 to Saturday, June 25, 2011. 

Happy birthday, Lea!

Photo by Raul Montesa