Elton plays Paris charity concert
BBC News
2005/01/24
Sir Elton John has performed at a special concert in Paris to raise
money for the victims of the Asian tsunami.
The British singer played to a 2,700-strong audience on Sunday at the
French capital’s Bastille opera house.
The concert was also part of an attempt to bring a broader range of
events to the famous venue.
Money raised will go to the Fondation pour l’Enfance (Foundation for
Childhood) which aims to rebuild a children’s shelter in Sri Lanka.
Sir Elton played hits from his vast back catalogue to a sell-out crowd
which included former French president Valery Giscard d’Estaing and his
wife Anne-Aymone.
The veteran pop star played piano accompaniment throughout the concert
which lasted for three hours without an interval.
Standing ovation
He told the crowd: “Throughout the years, I’ve done a lot of drugs and
alcohol. It’s true that I was a nightmare, impossible. For the last 14
years I’ve been normal. Now my drug is called David” – a reference to
David Furnish, his partner.
The crowd, who greeted each song with a standing ovation, also included
French singer Charles Aznavour and British ambassador Sir John Holmes.
Sir Elton has also teamed up with Phil Collins to record a version of
Eric Clapton’s 1991 hit Tears In Heaven to raise money for the relief fund.
A release date has yet to be set for the recording, which was organised
by Sharon Osbourne.