Neil Diamond surprised a Broadway crowd with his first live performance since 2018, singing Sweet Caroline at his musical’s opening night.
Neil Diamond delivered his first live performance in four years on Sunday (December 4), when he made a surprise post-retirement appearance at the opening night of his new Broadway musical, A Beautiful Noise. The legendary artist performed a heartfelt rendition of his 1969 hit, Sweet Caroline to a delighted crowd who cheered him on.
Diamond’s decision to retire in 2018 followed his diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease. As stated in an official press release at that time, “the onset of the disease has made it difficult to travel and perform on a large scale basis but will allow Mr. Diamond to continue his writing, recording and development of new projects.”
A statement from Diamond also read, “It is with great reluctance and disappointment that I announce my retirement from concert touring. I have been so honored to bring my shows to the public for the past 50 years. My sincerest apologies to everyone who purchased tickets and were planning to come to the upcoming shows.”
This painful plight is the basis for A Beautiful Noise, his new musical production which premiered at the Broadhurst Theatre last Sunday. During the show, Neil Diamond stunned the crowd with a surprise appearance, singing Sweet Caroline from his theatre box. Watch the heart-igniting moment take place via YouTube below.
