Lea, Richard to be 'active' trying to have a kid next year
Updated 06:16pm (Mla time) Nov 29, 2004
By Marinel Cruz
Inquirer News Service
Editor's Note: Published on page A3-1 of the November 30, 2004 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer
LEA Salonga, who wanted to start a family with a baby girl, said she and her businessman husband Richard Chien would be "active" in trying to have a child starting next year.
"We'll try to learn the science of it all next year," Lea said at the launch of her "Home for Christmas" album at the Discovery Suites last Thursday. "We can try all we want, but we can only do so much. It's really up to God.
"If it happens next year, then that's great. But we really don't want to pressure ourselves. Besides, it's been hardly a year since we got married," the award-winning actress-singer added. "We still want to enjoy being together."
Lea and Robert were married last Jan. 13 at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles, California. Lea and Robert live in the San Fernando Valley area in California where, she said, the living is "very peaceful."
"I love the anonymity," said the Broadway and West End star. "I'm left alone and I find that kind of nice. I'm not so
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shielded. I even drive around by myself."
Lea is back in Manila to do a special concert for the benefit of Bantay Bata Foundation, an organization involved in the rescue and rehabilitation of abused children. The show, also called "Home For Christmas," will be held on Dec. 8, 8 p.m. at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
The Olivier- and Tony-winning singer-actress admitted that she is "very nervous" whenever she thinks about her Araneta show.
"I've never had an Araneta concert of my own," she explained. "I guested in other concerts and opened shows for other acts."
"Home for Christmas" is a two-hour special that, according to Lea, features "not only songs for Christmas, but of love, family and of being away from home."
Joining Lea in the concert are Ogie Alcasid, The CompanY, Erik Santos, Christian Bautista and other guests. Her brother Gerard Salonga is the musical director.
Lea said she is pleased with the emergence of young talents like Erik and Christian, both products of one of several talent searches in the country.
"Now the torch can be passed," she said. "At least the market isn't saturated with only one thing. It gets boring if everybody does the same thing all the time."
Lea said Erik impressed her with his "very accurate intonation," and Christian with his "very clean" singing voice.
"I have not rehearsed with Christian yet," she added. "But with Erik, I can say that what's nice about him is that he's willing to learn, hindi mayabang [he doesn't put on airs]. That's important.
"The success of an artist is not based on talent alone. You have to have the right attitude and be hardworking," she said. "In the end, the best will be the one who is working the hardest.
"Personally, I still take voice lessons whenever I can," Lea said. "My voice is not made for belting. I don't make birit [strike high-pitched notes] like Regine [Velasquez], Sarah [Geronimo] or Sheryn Regis