Guided gently off the stage following a performance with his close friend Dua Lipa , Sir Elton John leaves his audience in no doubt of the challenges he faces after losing his sight.
A production assistant holds out a supportive hand for the 77-year-old singer to hold as he made his way backstage at the Royal Albert Hall on October 17.
During his heartfelt duet with Dua for her concert special An Evening with Dua Lipa, which airs on ITV this Sunday December 8, she introduced him with the words, ‘Give it up for a man who needs no introduction, Elton John.’
Throughout most of the performance, Sir Elton remained seated, a visible reminder of the frailty brought on by losing his eyesight.
When the final chorus of their chart-topping hit Cold Heart arrived, Sir Elton stood briefly, swaying gently to the music, though he refrained from moving his feet.
As the song ended, The Goodbye Yellow Brick Road hitmaker extended his hand to the 29-year-old Houdini singer, holding it in the air until she realised he wanted her to take it.
Guided gently off the stage following a performance with his close friend Dua Lipa , Sir Elton John leaves his audience in no doubt of the challenges he faces after losing his sight
A production assistant holds out a supportive hand for the 77-year-old singer to hold as he made his way backstage at the Royal Albert Hall on October 17
His emotional performance was capped by a kiss on the cheek from Dua before Sir Elton was carefully escorted offstage.
Concertgoers described the atmosphere as electric, with one telling the Mail: ‘The chemistry between Elton and Dua was really sweet and joyous to see, they clearly have a lot of love for each other and to see that live was special.
‘He obviously wasn’t as active a stage presence as in years gone by, needing to sit down and be escorted onto the stage, but he sang as well as he ever has and filled the hall with emotion.
‘It was bittersweet to see him struggling a little, and I didn’t know the extent of his vision loss, but it’s amazing he can still create such a fantastic environment in a venue of that calibre.’
Another Royal Albert Hall attendee shared: ‘It was incredible to see Elton John live, we were ecstatic to see him and truly shocked that he had come.
‘It was emotional seeing him, knowing that his health and balance was deteriorating – he was led on by the hand and perched on a stool for the majority of Cold Heart.
‘You could definitely tell that the performance meant a lot to him, he was standing and dancing hand in hand with Dua by the end of the song, along with the entire audience. His vocals remained strong and compelling, I don’t think his charm and charisma was lacking in the slightest.
During his heartfelt duet with Dua for her concert special An Evening with Dua Lipa, which airs on ITV this Sunday December 8, she introduced him with the words, ‘Give it up for a man who needs no introduction, Elton John’
Throughout most of the performance, Sir Elton remained seated, a visible reminder of the frailty brought on by losing his eyesight
Elsewhere in the concert, Dua Lipa performed 19 of her songs, reimagined with a 53-piece orchestra and a 14-person choir, with her seven-piece band
The show also featured the live debut of Dance The Night, from the soundtrack of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie film
Concertgoers described the atmosphere as electric, with one telling the Mail: ‘It was bittersweet to see him struggling a little, and I didn’t know the extent of his vision loss, but it’s amazing he can still create such a fantastic environment in a venue of that calibre’
The pop star, 29, released Live At the Royal Albert Hall this week. It marks the singer’s first-ever live album and features grand symphonic reimaginings of the biggest hits from her discography like Levitating and Don’t Start Now, as well as the Radical Optimism album in its entirety
‘The crowd was completely hooked: we were dancing and singing along to Dua and the orchestra from the beginning, however Elton John’s surprise appearance transformed the night into a standout event.’
This latest performance follows Sir Elton’s candid public admission that he has lost his sight due to a severe infection earlier this year.
At the premiere of The Devil Wears Prada: The Musical in London, he shared his struggles with the condition, thanking his husband, David Furnish, for his unwavering support.
‘I’ve lost my eyesight,’ Sir Elton revealed, explaining that he now relies more on sound than sight to experience performances.
At the curtain call of the musical, Sir Elton was assisted onstage by David, 62.
He said: ‘And [thanks] to my husband who’s been my rock because I haven’t been able to come to many of the previews because, as you know, I’ve lost my eyesight.
‘It’s hard for me to see it but I love to hear it.’
Elsewhere in the concert, Dua Lipa performed 19 of her songs, reimagined with a 53-piece orchestra and a 14-person choir, with her seven-piece band.
The show also featured the live debut of Dance The Night, from the soundtrack of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie film.