During the pandemic, a surprising romance quietly blossomed between two talented singers, Gian Magdangal and Lara Maigue. Their love story unfolded without any grand plans; instead, they allowed fate to take its course.

It was an encounter over coffee and a serendipitous connection through The Jackson 5's classic hit, "I'll Be There," that initially brought them together two years ago. Since that fateful meeting, their bond has only grown stronger.

As a testament to their love and shared musical passions, Gian and  Lara are set to grace the stage together on Nov. 10, as they present their first full-length concert, "The Greatest Duets Goes Broadway," at Teatrino Promenade in Greenhills. Tickets to the show are available at ticketworld.com.ph

Both artists, known for their diverse musical backgrounds, are gearing up to present a wide array of  purely Broadway songs. "We received our draft script just two weeks ago, and it's heartwarming to have the opportunity to share the stories behind our song choices," Lara shared. "During the concert, we'll also individually showcase our personal narratives."

"Towards the end," she continued, "we will serenade the audience with songs that reflect our hopes and dreams. By the time the concert concludes, we hope that it will become evident why we are together."

Their original repertoire is nothing short of a testament to their versatility as singers. "We don't want the show to be a mishmash of styles,"Lara emphasized. "We aim for diversity. We received suggestions like 'Dirty Dancing,' but we decided to focus on singing Broadway tunes for this initial concert – songs closest to our hearts, ones that we grew up listening to, original Broadway cast albums that have shaped us."

Gian and Lara intend to explore songs from movies in future concerts, making this just the first of many exciting performances in their musical journey.

The initial idea that sparked their collaboration was to explore "the greatest duets of all time," according to Gian. "Although not exclusively from Broadway, the songs we selected happened to be from that genre. Singing Broadway songs is no easy feat, at least not by our standards. Each Broadway song feels like an examination. It's not like singing at a karaoke session. You can't just pick up a Broadway song and sing it; thorough preparation is essential. We desire to take on more Broadway duets as a challenge."

Lara chimed in, "Growing up, we both listened to cast albums, and most of the song requests we received were from movies. This concert is just the beginning of what we have planned."

Their first duet was the iconic "I'll Be There" by The Jackson 5. Lara reminisced, "We were paired by our National Artist for Music, Ryan Cayabyab, during a gig in the midst of the COVID pandemic in 2020. It was a challenging time with numerous protocols in place, but we knew we had to record together."

"After that we realized, we sang good together. It was so easy to work with this person. It was so easy to sing with this person. It continued from then on. He asked if he could take my picture, if we could write a song together or we could sing together. I would always delay it because at that time, I just didn’t see the point. I asked, Why?,” she added.

Gian made an effort to get closer to Lara, saying, "I asked her if we could record another duet or if I could write a song for her. We were friends, more like acquaintances, but not particularly close."

Lara fondly remembered seeing Gian play Roger in the musical "Rent" when she was part of a girl group under Sony Music. "Thanks to the pandemic, we became close through our collaborative work. We engaged in various online training platforms and performed in numerous online shows. I was a guest in his shows, and he appeared in mine. Subsequently, we would video call each other to assess our performances and talk about various things. That's when coffee entered the picture. Gian was selling coffee and asked if I wanted to try it."

Lara elaborated that for their upcoming concert, "We're planning a unique arrangement of the songs, incorporating medleys to ensure a seamless and enjoyable experience. We're determined to avoid any hint of monotony."

Earlier this year, they had the opportunity to perform as guest artists on Balesin Island, which turned out to be a delightfully fun and successful show. It was during this event that they realized they should collaborate on a show of their own.

Jesper Mercado, a talented pianist and Lara's former schoolmate at the UP College of Music, is the musical director for "The Greatest Duets." He's also known for his role in the Manila production of "Hamilton."

Meanwhile, stage director Stephen Viñas, who had previously worked with Gian as a choreographer for "Ang Huling El Bimbo," will oversee the show's direction.

When it comes to dream roles in musical theater, Lara aspires to play Christine in "Phantom of the Opera," Maria in "West Side Story," and Tuptim in "The King and I." These iconic roles offer a perfect showcase for her soprano voice and ingenue charm.

Gian, on the other hand, has his sights set on the role of the Phantom in "Phantom of the Opera," Chris in "Miss Saigon" and Jean Valjean in "Les Miserables." As he humbly stated, "If I'm of the right age, have the necessary vocal range, and the required skill, I'd love to tackle Jean Valjean."

Their love for musical theater and their incredible chemistry have not only brought Gian and Lara  together in a heartwarming romance but have also set the stage for an exciting and harmonious musical partnership that promises to enchant audiences for years to come.