Legendary musician Sir Elton John, known for his vibrant spectacles and larger-than-life stage presence, has faced a significant personal challenge as he recently revealed he has “lost his eyesight”.
The ‘Rocket Man’ singer told the audience at the gala night for The Devil Wears Prada musical at the Dominion Theatre in London “it is hard for me to see [the show] but I love to hear it”.
Sir Elton, who wrote the score for the musical, which is an adaptation of the film and book of the same name, went on to say: “I haven’t been able to come to many of the previews because, as you know, I have lost my eyesight.”
He was led off the stage by his husband David Furnish on Sunday, who the 77-year-old singer described as his “rock”.
Despite this setback, he continues to engage with his artistic endeavors, although in a different capacity than before.
In late November, Sir Elton shared on Good Morning America that he had suffered a severe eye infection while in the South of France, which resulted in the loss of eyesight in his right eye.
“It’s been four months now since I haven’t been able to see. My left eye is not the greatest,” he expressed.
Due to this vision impairment, Sir Elton was unable to properly experience the charity gala performance of The Devil Wears Prada: The Musical, a show for which he penned the lyrics.
The event, held to benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation, was an occasion where the music icon had to rely solely on his auditory senses. “I have lost my sight and I haven’t been able to see the performance but I have enjoyed listening to it,” Sir Elton told the BBC during the event.
His resilience shone through at the gala, where he openly discussed his condition and expressed his appreciation for his husband. “David has been my rock,” he acknowledged, highlighting the emotional support he has received during this challenging time.
The musical itself, The Devil Wears Prada, features Vanessa Williams as the icy editor Miranda Priestly, a role inspired by Anna Wintour, who was rumored to be the real-life counterpart of the character from the film and the 2003 novel by Lauren Weisberger.
Wintour, who attended the event, commented on the parallels between her and Priestly, noting: “It is for the audience and for the people I work with to decide if there are any similarities.”
In September, Sir Elton had updated his fans via Instagram about his ongoing recovery from the eye infection, expressing gratitude towards his medical team and family for their relentless support.
He shared that he had been “quietly spending the summer recuperating at home” and felt positive about the progress in his recovery.
