Andrea Bocelli and Celine Dion have two of the most iconic voices in music and the talented duo teamed up over the weekend to deliver an incredibly moving rendition of song ‘The Prayer’, as they took part in a virtual concert for millions of fans across the globe.
They joined fellow musicians Lady Gaga, John Legend and pianist Lang Lang, for the performance, which was part of a star-studded virtual concert arranged to entertain people around the world amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
The ‘One World: Together At Home’ show was organised by charity Global Citizen to celebrate healthcare workers and raise money for the World Health Organization. And some of the world’s biggest stars, including Sir Elton John, Keith Urban and the Rolling Stones, took part, each from the comfort of their own homes.
From the moment Celine opened her mouth and began singing fans had tears running down their cheeks, as the ‘My Heart Will Go On’ singer belted out the tune from her lounge room. However, when Andrea joined in that’s when the goosebumps really set in, with the duo singing in perfect harmony.
Then, in an incredible finale, Celine, Andrea, Lady Gaga and Legend all came together to sing the final verse, with the accompaniment of Lang Lang.
Even the likes of Stevie Nicks were moved by the performance, with the singer claiming she was crying through most of the song, caught up in the emotion and beauty of their voices. She wrote on Twitter: “The second @celinedion started to sing ‘The Prayer’, I cried – I then cried for @ladygaga and @AndreaBocelli and @lang_lang. So beautiful. A moment amidst the horror of this virus. Stay home everyone – save the world!”
Meanwhile, fans across the world also shared their love of the concert, taking to social media to thank the stars for putting on the short, but beautiful performance.
“Y’all catch the Global Citizen performance by Andrea Bocelli, Celine Dion, Lady Gaga and John Legend?,” @mysigridlover wrote on Twitter. “Imagine having that much power in your voice? Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli stood perfectly still as they sang their f**king brains out. I mean … just … WOW.”
“Amazing performance [with] all these beautiful souls all together!” @drandrettim said. “I’ve got chills and almost cried with the talent of @ladygaga, @celinedion, @AndreaBocelli.”
While @Tina_Ting_Yu added: “Just beautiful. What a way to bring hope to a world in isolation.”
This isn’t the first time Andrea has blessed fans with his vocals amid the coronavirus lockdown, moving people to tears on Easter Sunday as he gave one of his most memorable performances to date. The opera star put on an incredibly poignant Easter concert as the world continues to battle the outbreak of Covid-19.
Despite being more used to performing in front of huge crowds, or at high-profile events including the royal wedding of Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank, the 61-year-old star put on an incredible show from Milan’s empty Duomo to mark the religious holiday. And, as much of the world continues to self-isolate in a bid to stem the spread of the virus, the one-of-a-kind show was live-streamed via YouTube.
The ‘Time To Say Goodbye’ singer was accompanied only by cathedral organist Emanuele Vianelli throughout the performance, which was titled ‘Music for Hope’, and belted out a number of beautiful songs, including ‘Amazing Grace’ and ‘Ave Maria’.
“I will cherish the emotion of this unprecedented and profound experience, of this Holy Easter which this emergency has made painful, but at the same time even more fruitful, one that will stay among my dearest memories of all time,” Bocelli said, ahead of the concert.
He added: “That feeling of being at the same time alone – as we all are in the presence of the Most High – yet of expressing the voice of the prayer of millions of voices, has deeply impressed and moved me. Love is a gift. Making it flow is the primary purpose of life itself. And I find myself once again indebted to life.
“My gratitude goes to all those who made this possible, the City of Milan and the Duomo, and to all those who accepted the invitation and joined in a planetary embrace, gathering that blessing from Heaven that gives us courage, trust, optimism, in the certainty of our faith.”