@@nr4008 the current finale is entitled "This is The Hour Reprise" The original song is Sacred Bird, rewritten to Little God of my heart and finally the current one.
I can’t believe no one’s talking about the “Ill give my life for you” reprise.... you guys, when she first sang that song, she was being hypothetical. Now, she KNOWS she’s giving her life for him. I always thought that that should be the ending song due to the fact that when we first hear it it’s like, “I love you I’ll die to save you” now it’s like “I was not kidding, I said I’d do it and now I am”
I think Lea Salonga and the role of Kim is the only unanimously agreed casting role. Every other role in musicals has controversy of who's the best for a part, except Kim and Lea Salonga. Cuz she's boss.
She had a dream for her son to be an American boy; to be well off and happy and never know the sort of pain she had grown up with. Ellen insisted (and Chris agreed) that Tam should stay with Kim and they would pay for him, but there would still be no real life for him there; Kim wanted him to have his father and the American dream, and killing herself was the only way she could guarantee he would get it; it forces Chris and Ellen to take her little boy into their care.
I personally loved the Sacred Bird song. It provided more an emotional connection to the ultimate sacrifice she would make for her son. I hope in the current revival they kept it in.
It's been changed a few times. The most recent that they've stuck with is Now Tam. "Now Tam, my brave boy our long wait has ended smile Tam for you have a father at last he has come to take you home all I dreamed for you he'll do you're still mine but I can't go along don't be sad though I'm far away I'll be watching you this is the hour I swore I'd see I alone can tell now what the end will be they think they'll decide your life no, it will be me
Lea has been the idol of my two daughters. They've seen her in San Francisco. My youngest was 8. She was fascinated byLea's performance and been following her since! In fact she played Kim in 2007 at Ohlone Summer Fest presentation of this wonderful play! So we thank u for your great influence to our daughters!!!
The part where Chris cried out loud and yelled "No" in other versions gave me goosebumps. But this was the original and it was re written and re arranged. But Iam glad you shared this. By the way I heard Miss Saigon is going back in Broadway.
One thing I like about this production is the actor who plays the Engineer (hear me out here) there are some versions I’ve seen clips of where the Engineer is just portrayed as a selfish jerk, and others where k think he’s totally selfish but also seems to be growing to view Kim as a daughter. In this version, I really feel like it’s one of the versions that he actually cares about Kim, and the actor did a great job of subtly acknowledging that, I love how when the gun went off and everyone ducked, he didn’t hesitate to jump on top of Tam to protect him
Yes, that's Jonathan Pryce, the original Engineer in London and on Broadway. I love how he cries out in fear and gets on top of Tam to protect him. it shows that he would take a bullet for Kim's son, which is very touching.
@jhill74893 Oh yeah, same here. I didn't care much for Nick Jonas as Marius either. Their pick for Eponine was decent, but I wished they could have cloned Lea for that part (LOL.) I'm glad they got Jenny Galloway back as Madame Thernadier, but I wish they could have gotten Alun Armstrong back as well. Matt Lucas was so fakey as him.
They just couldn't leave it alone. There were dozens of versions in London. This was always the most beautiful and powerful. At times it got preposterously operatic
2:32 That "your chance" is so emotional that I cried even more 😢 Although "This is the hour" ending is good, the "I'd give my life for you" reprise in this ending is more powerful to emphasize Kim's sacrifice.
I like your sense of humour to. Les mis is the greatest musical ever, ( thats why it is still running after 25 years), followed closely by Miss Saigon, and Lea Solonga has sung superbly in both. She has a unparalled voice and is also a great actress. I have seen Les mis at least 10 times, but only seen Miss Saigon twice. I hope they bring it back soon
This is my first time seeing this ending- I personally prefer her reprising I'd give my life for you more than this is the hour. I think it's because this is the hour is more about Kim, and this is more about Tam.
I never watched this play only bits and pieces of it on the internet. The first time I watched this clip and listened to the finale on the OST with Lea Salonga (or "The Diva" as I would call her) I cried endlessly. FYI, Lea and Deedee are the top two favorite who played Kim.
I thnk the only difference (from what I can see apart from some orchestrations) is that the scene is arranged differently. Stage Left is Kim and Tam in a room similar to this. Stage Right enters The engineer, Ellen, Chris and John just as the music is reaching a crescendo while Kim stands up and goes behind the curtain to shoot herself. She does, Tam gets up scared and runs Stage Right straight into Ellen's open arms, She hugs and holds him until the curtain comes down.
@rikkulockhart15 jean val jean was excellent (alfie boe ) and javert was ok, Matt Lucas was a bit week as well and was not mean and nasty enough. I hope to see it again in london for the 10th time some time in the new year. I like the idea of cloning Lea Salonga as she could play all leading female roles she is so good, but then we would have nothing to argue about. Happy Christmas
I totally disagree. I've seen this play so many times and I never felt she was horrible at the end. I felt better because it was clear that she was showing that she would accept the boy and take care of him.
What is with the Engineer hugging and comforting the child? That doesn't seem in character for him at all!!! And him being the one that ends up carrying Tam away........... now that is just wrong. lol.
@rikkulockhart15 True, she is very expressive, and totally convincing, a great actress as well as brilliant singer. I loved her part as Fantine but really dont like the most of the rest of the cast especially nick jonas, far to lightweight for the part, lets face it you have michael ball ( big man great singer) or nick jonas ( small voice wimpy popstar) no contest
@ArtistM Because of this, his fantasies about going to america become somewhat perverted and, since it's a fantasy, he indulges himself in the fantastical and sometimes impossible, partly as something to look forward to, and partly as something to ease the pain of war.
@ArtistM The american dream was the fantasies of the engineer. Bear in mind, he's a half french, half viet, who has been struggling throughout french, japanese, and american occupation, and continuous fighting for over 20 years to survive in any way he can, the best way being through pimping young girls to americans, the providing of drugs, and the ability to throw a decent party.
This is the very part of the play that made me cry before (1990)... and i can still feel it until now specially that i am already a mother... i would give my life for my child...
@MizzUniQue101 She killed herself because a child is supposed to stay with the mother, with her gone, her son can go the USA with Chris, the father...what she did was the ultimate sacrifice a mother can give to a son to have a better life...
Because it was the only way her son could stay in America with his father to have a better life. If she had been alive, she and her son had to return to Vietnam and could only get support from the father because he had been married.
This is musicaltheatre history! I love the musicality it expresses by using 3 of Kim's songs as a reprise in this "Sacred Bird" segment. I never really understood the bombastic "American Dream" theme in all this. I'm sure the writers had good reasons for it though. As for the scene: even though the song is beautiful with the lyrics almost being poetry, it's clear why they rewrote the finale so often to make it work. The scene seems out of balance in some way. I love it anyway! Thanx for posting!
This is so stupid how I feel about this scene. i found myself in tears as it reminded me of what I did for a person who just used me. I took my life for someone who doesn't deserve it. Ah, that was several years ago and I'm glad I still exist. learned it the hard way though.
oman i have been watching her sing "i'd give my life for you" over and over and to watch this conclusion with the short reprise and it actually happening is soo heartbreaking.
poor Lea she has had 2 major parts--- Kim in miss saigon and Eponine in les miserables and she has been shot in both of them, maybe she will get a part where she doesnt die but still gets her man
@Maranedy - Chris, the man she loves, is the father of her child, but he hasn't seen her in 3 years, since the Americans pulled out of Vietnam. Kim has been living in poverty and trying to find Chris, but he has remarried. When they finally find her, they decide to send her money to support her and the child. Kim, however, wants her child will have a better life, so when Ellen refuses to take her child, Kim shoots herself, leaving Chris no choice. She sacrifices herself to provide for her child.
me too, it always touches my heart, especially for me, a vietnamese to know such a story about the vietnam war coz the war had ended long before I was born (1992)
@iamfab09 0:36 the great sacred is reborn.. dear this song means that though she will commit suicide the poenix will save her soul.. and so on ^_^ listen to a much clearer music ^_^
![Lea Salonga - On My Own (Les Misérables) [720p]](/img/n.gif)
Does anyone agree with me that this is a lot sadder and a lot more moving than the current finale?
yes. especially Tam was able to witness everything
I cried watching this on the play.
How is the current one different?
@@nr4008 It's an entirely different song. There are multiple versions of the finale.
@@nr4008 the current finale is entitled "This is The Hour Reprise"
The original song is Sacred Bird, rewritten to Little God of my heart and finally the current one.
I can’t believe no one’s talking about the “Ill give my life for you” reprise.... you guys, when she first sang that song, she was being hypothetical. Now, she KNOWS she’s giving her life for him. I always thought that that should be the ending song due to the fact that when we first hear it it’s like, “I love you I’ll die to save you” now it’s like “I was not kidding, I said I’d do it and now I am”
I think Lea Salonga and the role of Kim is the only unanimously agreed casting role. Every other role in musicals has controversy of who's the best for a part, except Kim and Lea Salonga. Cuz she's boss.
Carlene Tauro Ate Lea is Definitely Boss!
She is but Eva Noblezada makes an awesome Kim as well!
She had a dream for her son to be an American boy; to be well off and happy and never know the sort of pain she had grown up with. Ellen insisted (and Chris agreed) that Tam should stay with Kim and they would pay for him, but there would still be no real life for him there; Kim wanted him to have his father and the American dream, and killing herself was the only way she could guarantee he would get it; it forces Chris and Ellen to take her little boy into their care.
I personally loved the Sacred Bird song. It provided more an emotional connection to the ultimate sacrifice she would make for her son. I hope in the current revival they kept it in.
Dante Mendoza What did they change it to?
It's been changed a few times. The most recent that they've stuck with is Now Tam.
"Now Tam, my brave boy
our long wait has ended
smile Tam
for you have a father at last
he has come
to take you home
all I dreamed for you
he'll do
you're still mine
but I can't go along
don't be sad
though I'm far away
I'll be watching you
this is the hour
I swore I'd see
I alone can tell now
what the end will be
they think they'll decide your life
no, it will be me
i feel like they changed it just because the ending would be too obvious otherwise (although the ending is quite well known and cliche to some)
There is only one original. This part was cut for Lea! She was magnificent, warm and beautiful in person too!!!
Lea has been the idol of my two daughters. They've seen her in San Francisco. My youngest was 8. She was fascinated byLea's performance and been following her since! In fact she played Kim in 2007 at Ohlone Summer Fest presentation of this wonderful play! So we thank u for your great influence to our daughters!!!
The part where Chris cried out loud and yelled "No" in other versions gave me goosebumps. But this was the original and it was re written and re arranged. But Iam glad you shared this. By the way I heard Miss Saigon is going back in Broadway.
One thing I like about this production is the actor who plays the Engineer (hear me out here) there are some versions I’ve seen clips of where the Engineer is just portrayed as a selfish jerk, and others where k think he’s totally selfish but also seems to be growing to view Kim as a daughter. In this version, I really feel like it’s one of the versions that he actually cares about Kim, and the actor did a great job of subtly acknowledging that, I love how when the gun went off and everyone ducked, he didn’t hesitate to jump on top of Tam to protect him
Yes, that's Jonathan Pryce, the original Engineer in London and on Broadway. I love how he cries out in fear and gets on top of Tam to protect him. it shows that he would take a bullet for Kim's son, which is very touching.
Lea Salonga is the best! Love her performances!
I believe, this is the first and the most powerful ending. The next 2 or three endings were not so moving
I am crying... This is intense :'(
@jhill74893 Oh yeah, same here. I didn't care much for Nick Jonas as Marius either. Their pick for Eponine was decent, but I wished they could have cloned Lea for that part (LOL.) I'm glad they got Jenny Galloway back as Madame Thernadier, but I wish they could have gotten Alun Armstrong back as well. Matt Lucas was so fakey as him.
They just couldn't leave it alone. There were dozens of versions in London. This was always the most beautiful and powerful. At times it got preposterously operatic
2:32 That "your chance" is so emotional that I cried even more 😢
Although "This is the hour" ending is good, the "I'd give my life for you" reprise in this ending is more powerful to emphasize Kim's sacrifice.
Do you have more Simon Bowman and Lea Salonga's video together????I really really love their pair up for Miss Saigon....
I cried when I first saw this, it brought too many memories back
I definitely like this ending as opposed to the Broadway version.
I like your sense of humour to. Les mis is the greatest musical ever, ( thats why it is still running after 25 years), followed closely by Miss Saigon, and Lea Solonga has sung superbly in both. She has a unparalled voice and is also a great actress. I have seen Les mis at least 10 times, but only seen Miss Saigon twice. I hope they bring it back soon
This is my first time seeing this ending- I personally prefer her reprising I'd give my life for you more than this is the hour. I think it's because this is the hour is more about Kim, and this is more about Tam.
Thank you sooooooooooo much for this!!
The only sad thing is I can't find anywhere online where you can buy the musical on DVD :'(
I hope you could also post Monique Wilson singing "I'd Give My Life For You".... I heard she sang it with great conviction and it was really moving..
I never watched this play only bits and pieces of it on the internet. The first time I watched this clip and listened to the finale on the OST with Lea Salonga (or "The Diva" as I would call her) I cried endlessly.
FYI, Lea and Deedee are the top two favorite who played Kim.
Gosh, I'm crying...😭
gave me shivers
Please tell me I'm not the only one crying?
It basically is Madame Butterfly set in Saigon.
my favorite ending
omg...tears tears everywhere
Wow and I thought I was naughty sneaking an audio recorder in!
THIS IS WHAT I DREAMED TO WATCH THE SHOW ON BROADWAY... I'VE ALREADY SEEN HER IN LES MISERABLES, NOW I NEED TO WATCH MISS SIGON!!!
Love your sense of humor! Like what Patti LuPone said, Les Mis is a musical where everybody dies!
i wish it has a Dvd copy . :) i want to watch it
I thnk the only difference (from what I can see apart from some orchestrations) is that the scene is arranged differently. Stage Left is Kim and Tam in a room similar to this. Stage Right enters The engineer, Ellen, Chris and John just as the music is reaching a crescendo while Kim stands up and goes behind the curtain to shoot herself. She does, Tam gets up scared and runs Stage Right straight into Ellen's open arms, She hugs and holds him until the curtain comes down.
I prefer the this is the hour reprise which u can see in the 1995 production footage. Much more dramatic and better staging.
dayum! this is heartbreaking :s
I wonder what the next step for this show is.
Are there any official digital recording of this?
@rikkulockhart15 jean val jean was excellent (alfie boe ) and javert was ok, Matt Lucas was a bit week as well and was not mean and nasty enough. I hope to see it again in london for the 10th time some time in the new year. I like the idea of cloning Lea Salonga as she could play all leading female roles she is so good, but then we would have nothing to argue about. Happy Christmas
I hate this part coz i always cried, huhuhu.
..
Do you have the full 1989 show?
is version 3 still the version used or do we get another change with the new production?
where did you hear saigon is coming back to broadway?
it's too soon (unfortunately) ... it closed in 2001 ...
I totally disagree. I've seen this play so many times and I never felt she was horrible at the end. I felt better because it was clear that she was showing that she would accept the boy and take care of him.
@jhill74893 She was not killed in Mulan.
Another change they shouldn't have made along with a long list of others.
how sad :(
but she did the voice for the whole movie.
I love how Chris is upset about kim and holding her close and Ellen is just like 'GIMME THE KID DUDE! >:)'. She is quite horrible really, isn't she?
I prefer the This is the hour reprise than this because it's so full of drama.
This is Monique Wilson, not Lea Salonga.
Elchin Zeynalov this is Lea salonga not just by voice but her face was Lea
This is Lea Salonga. I am guessing you're not a hardcore fan.
I don't think this this girl is Lea Salonga.
it's her 0_0
@jhill74893 be afraid for the man t though.cos when she played Mary in JCS the poor lead actor got crucified..;)
What is with the Engineer hugging and comforting the child? That doesn't seem in character for him at all!!! And him being the one that ends up carrying Tam away........... now that is just wrong. lol.
you have to understand that for engineer Tam is his way to get out of Vietnam and live in America. that is why he is showing concern to the child
haafang It could be that his character finally grew to care about the boy because he saw what Kim did for her son and made him become a better person.
@rikkulockhart15 True, she is very expressive, and totally convincing, a great actress as well as brilliant singer. I loved her part as Fantine but really dont like the most of the rest of the cast especially nick jonas, far to lightweight for the part, lets face it you have michael ball ( big man great singer) or nick jonas ( small voice wimpy popstar) no contest
@jhill74893 Well, she did Cinderella in Manila three and a half years ago...
@jhill74893 and now 3: Fantine in Les Miserables dies too. Maybe Lea gets casted as characters who die a lot because she's good with her expressions.
@fredericarchie no
@ArtistM Because of this, his fantasies about going to america become somewhat perverted and, since it's a fantasy, he indulges himself in the fantastical and sometimes impossible, partly as something to look forward to, and partly as something to ease the pain of war.
@ArtistM The american dream was the fantasies of the engineer. Bear in mind, he's a half french, half viet, who has been struggling throughout french, japanese, and american occupation, and continuous fighting for over 20 years to survive in any way he can, the best way being through pimping young girls to americans, the providing of drugs, and the ability to throw a decent party.
This is the very part of the play that made me cry before (1990)... and i can still feel it until now specially that i am already a mother... i would give my life for my child...
@MizzUniQue101 ERRATUM:...her son can go to the USA...
@MizzUniQue101 She killed herself because a child is supposed to stay with the mother, with her gone, her son can go the USA with Chris, the father...what she did was the ultimate sacrifice a mother can give to a son to have a better life...
It's the fact that she sits sobbing to him, whilst singing....I just want to scream 'Don't do it Kim!!!!!'
rivers are flowing in my eyes now
I will never understand why did she kill herself?? Does anybody know??
She did it for his son to have a better life in america.
Because it was the only way her son could stay in America with his father to have a better life. If she had been alive, she and her son had to return to Vietnam and could only get support from the father because he had been married.
This is musicaltheatre history! I love the musicality it expresses by using 3 of Kim's songs as a reprise in this "Sacred Bird" segment. I never really understood the bombastic "American Dream" theme in all this. I'm sure the writers had good reasons for it though. As for the scene: even though the song is beautiful with the lyrics almost being poetry, it's clear why they rewrote the finale so often to make it work. The scene seems out of balance in some way. I love it anyway! Thanx for posting!
I cried so bad :/
cant hold my tears on the last scene....the singing was very effective.
You're a Filipino, aren't you?
@racquelbu OMG REALLY? YEHEY!
How in one night have we come so far?
This is so stupid how I feel about this scene. i found myself in tears as it reminded me of what I did for a person who just used me. I took my life for someone who doesn't deserve it. Ah, that was several years ago and I'm glad I still exist. learned it the hard way though.
@zeusjhon why wouldn't she be the best kim?? she IS the ORIGINAL kim. =)
They probably were videoing from the wings...Stage right.
@racquelbu yuh... this is the first performance of Lea Salonga as Kim in Miss Saigon. She was only 17 on her first performance..
@mylionette102675 i have to agree on that. KIM is Lea Salonga, Lea Salonga is KIM. She was the first KIM of Miss Saigon...
oman i have been watching her sing "i'd give my life for you" over and over and to watch this conclusion with the short reprise and it actually happening is soo heartbreaking.
what were the the 2 standing men doing
poor Lea she has had 2 major parts--- Kim in miss saigon and Eponine in les miserables and she has been shot in both of them, maybe she will get a part where she doesnt die but still gets her man
@freakydisco ... well said...
lea salonga always makes me cryyy waaaahhh
i'm so crying right now :'(
@Maranedy - Chris, the man she loves, is the father of her child, but he hasn't seen her in 3 years, since the Americans pulled out of Vietnam. Kim has been living in poverty and trying to find Chris, but he has remarried. When they finally find her, they decide to send her money to support her and the child. Kim, however, wants her child will have a better life, so when Ellen refuses to take her child, Kim shoots herself, leaving Chris no choice. She sacrifices herself to provide for her child.
I don't get it.... why was kim shot??
There were a lot of ladies who performed as KIM but it seems LEA have been the best among them. i salute you Lea. Your the best!
I'm crying so bad right now...
bravo........
thanks for sharing this video. been really searching for this video. thanks again
loved it! made me cry when i heared it on CD but now seeing the footage made it even stronger. No big finale but wonderful acting, just superb
Yes, I know. I just mean it made me emotional. I found it very touching.
Why? It shows that Ellen can accept Tam.
I noticed that too, and it destroyed me a little.
me too, it always touches my heart, especially for me, a vietnamese to know such a story about the vietnam war coz the war had ended long before I was born (1992)
it was on the Complete Symphonic Recording soundtrack of Miss Saigon.
@iamfab09
I have the Complete Symphonic recording with the song you are talking about. They only titled it as Finale.
@iamfab09 0:36 the great sacred is reborn..
dear this song means that though she will commit suicide the poenix will save her soul.. and so on ^_^
listen to a much clearer music ^_^
we played this during my high school days.. I played the role Chris! wooww.. that was 15 yrs ago!