Lara Maigue and Gian Magdangal are transforming the way Broadway classics reach today’s audiences. With the power of social media on their side, they are reviving iconic songs and engaging a new generation of Filipino listeners.
Speaking to Manila Standard Entertainment on Thursday at FIVE Private Dining, Maigue is thankful for the role social media plays in their success.
“We are so grateful that there’s social media, and these platforms are giving us so much success in promoting our music,” she says.
Her viral Mozart performance, which amassed 30 million views, and her recent collaboration with Magdangal on The Phantom of the Opera highlight their growing influence.
“It’s nice and inspiring for the youth especially,” Maigue adds, noting the increased interest from young people eager to delve into music. She advises aspiring singers to find skilled teachers, pointing out that their seemingly effortless performances stem from over a decade of dedication.
Magdangal emphasizes the importance of storytelling in their work. Looking back on their production of Ang Huling El Bimbo, he describes how the show’s success far exceeded expectations. Originally slated for 30 performances, it expanded to 185 shows, drawing full houses of 1,700 nightly. The show’s online stream also quickly racked up 12 million views
“People, especially Gen Z, are excited to hear songs that became popular in 1993, not performed by Eraserheads but by us,” Magdangal explains and adds that this renewed interest has spurred requests for his dramatic rendition of the musical’s songs.
Maigue and Magdangal agree that staying relevant means trusting in their material and the stories they share. Through compelling performances, they continue to bring new life to classic songs and engage younger audiences.
Building on their success from 2023’s The Greatest Duets: Goes to Broadway, Maigue and Magdangal are reuniting in The Greatest Duets: Special Screening. This unique event will take place in a movie theater.
“It will offer audiences a fresh experience of live musical performances in a cinematic setting,” says Maigue, who is currently an ASAP Natin ‘To mainstay.
Maigue, celebrated for her soprano talent and international acclaim, is known for her accolades from the Awit Awards and Aliw Foundation.
Similarly, Magdangal has made a mark both locally and internationally, with residencies at Disneyland Hong Kong and Universal Studios Japan. His notable performances include West Side Story, Newsies, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Rent, and Carousel, as well as local productions like Katy and Ang Huling El Bimbo. He will also join the Dear Evan Hansen production in Singapore and has appeared in TV shows such as Viral Scandal, The Iron Heart, and FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano.
The upcoming screening will feature music from movie musicals like Moulin Rouge, West Side Story, and Les Misérables, along with popular soundtrack hits from Evergreen, Despicable Me, and Dirty Dancing, among other surprises.
Special guests Ogie Alcasid and Regine Velasquez-Alcasid will also join the event. Scheduled for Aug. 30 at the newly opened Gateway 2 movie theater, tickets range from P2,000 to P5,000. They are available at Ticketnet and ATeam (09276561261).
