Few songs have the power to move entire stadiums. But when two legendary vocalists came together, that’s exactly what happened.
Music has been called the “language of the heart” for a reason – and this particularly soulful performance has been known to reduce grown men to tears.
Of course, we’re talking about The Prayer, performed by Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli and Canadian singer Céline Dion.
The first version that we heard of the song was back in the 1998 film, Quest for Camelot. The song was written by David Foster, Carole Bayer Sager, Alberto Testa, and Tony Renis. Bocelli sang his part in Italian, while Dion sang hers in English. The two legends recorded their solos separately.
But the most memorable performance of The Prayer happened in 2011. Bocelli had just lost a dear friend.
Of all the people Bocelli had worked with, he had a special place in his heart for Elizabeth Taylor. He was deeply saddened when he heard that she had passed away on 23 March, 2011.
And Bocelli’s free concert that December, Andrea Bocelli: Live in Central Park, was the perfect time and place for the tenor to pay homage to his departed friend.
Bocelli was backed by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, and among some of the surprise guests were Tony Bennett, Chris Botti, David Foster… and Céline Dion.
The video, which can be found on Bocelli’s official YouTube channel, has been viewed 130 million times.
Of course, when Céline Dion took to the stage, the crowd went absolutely wild.
Andrea Bocelli, who has been blind since the age of 12, has collaborated with many artists in his lifetime. He’s performed duets with the likes of Sarah Brightman, Jennifer Lopez, and his idol, Luciano Pavarotti.
Bocelli has made it known that Céline Dion is definitely one of his favorite artists to work with.
“About legendary voices, in September 2011, on stage in Central Park New York… I also had the honor of sharing the stage with a great friend, Céline Dion — an excellent professional and a wonderful person, she is very simple and loves her work,” Bocelli told Gulf News.
And for Dion, the feeling is certainly mutual. She arrives on stage and greets Bocelli warmly – like they are old friends.
The stage is set and the unforgettable performance begins.
The orchestra plays a somber yet beautiful melody, filled with soulful string sounds of violins and cellos. Dion starts to sing, but before she finishes the line “I pray you’ll be our eyes,” the audience has already realized that she is singing The Prayer and cheer wildly.
When Bocelli joins in, the pair’s harmony is absolutely perfect.
Céline Dion and Andrea Bocelli sing as if they were made for each other – his tenor and her soprano weave in and out of each other to create a stunningly complementary whole.
“When two voices are intertwined and reciprocally enhance their expressive qualities, something magical happens, and it remains inside your heart,” he says. “It is closer to one hundred than to ten, the number of colleagues with whom I am particularly happy I have been able to make music,” he explains in an interview with Gulf News.
And the performance is nothing short of magical.
The video of that performance has more than 21,000 comments:
“God breathed love into Andreas’ lungs during creation. His voice chills my soul every single time. This is one of the best duets ever,” one user wrote in the YouTube comments section.
“Truly a beautiful heart string tugging song … it has a special meaning for me and each time I hear those 2 angelic voices tears just roll down my face,” another wrote.
Aside from the beautiful song, many people were deeply touched by Dion’s interaction with Bocelli.
“The way he smiles when he hears her sing… it’s beautiful. It’s so beautiful. I can’t stop tearing up. They have such a strong bond. They know this song is an ode to their careers.”
To see the magical duet, dedicated to Elizabeth Taylor, watch the video below.
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