Elton John accepted the Glenn Gould Prize at a Gala event in Toronto. The famed singer donated the $100,000 prize back to the foundation.Shawn Goldberg/Supplied
With a speech that graciously celebrated Canada, potently spoke to the power of philanthropy and music, and jokingly referenced the rockstar hedonism of the past, Elton John accepted the 15th Glenn Gould Prize in Toronto on Saturday.
The 79-year-old pop star was saluted at a gala event drolly hosted by Toronto-born Will & Grace actor Eric McCormack. Presented by Canada’s Glenn Gould Foundation and described by previous recipient Philip Glass as the “Nobel Prize of the Arts,” the $100,000 Glenn Gould Prize is an international honour named after the iconic Canadian pianist. It is awarded every two years in recognition of lifetime artistic and humanitarian contributions.
The glammy concert held in the Theatre at Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto was performed by a who’s-who cast of homegrown talent. Among the highlights: Diana Krall covered Your Song in an elegantly bluesy way, Sarah McLachlan dazzled both with a glitzy gold suit and with her rendition of Tiny Dancer, Saya Gray’s bass solo rocked a funky Honky Cat in authentic 1970s style, and, with a triumphant version of I’m Still Standing, Indigenous singer-pianist Jeremy Dutcher brought the house down and John up from his seat applauding.
“It’s so nice to be in Canada and have a concert full of Canadian artists who I know of,” John said at the end of the evening. “It’s also nice to be in a country that has common sense.”
The five-time Grammy Award winner married Torontonian David Furnish in 2014. They have two children.
“Canada is part of my life, and is embedded in my soul,” he said to a round of hoots, whistles and clapping hands. He further endeared himself to the sold-out 3,500-member crowd by proclaiming that the country was not the “51st state,” a reference to repeated imperialist remarks by President Donald Trump.
From left: Ron Sexsmith, Diana Krall, Sarah McLachlan, LOONY, Jeremy Dutcher, Elton John and Emily D’Angelo sing Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.Shawn Goldberg/Supplied
He spoke of his time studying at Royal Academy of Music in London and of his boyhood home filled with a radio, 78 rpm records and a standup piano: “Music is my soul, my driving force. It is everything and has been everything to me for my whole life.”
John said the honour was a “humbling experience,” before musing about his partying days of the past. “Years ago, I’d be doing cocaine off of that, I tell you you,” he said, holding the gold statuette created by Canadian artist Ruth Abernethy that depicts a solitary Gould walking on a winter’s day. “Shocking!”
After his speech, John and all the guest performers gathered on stage for the finale, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, a 1973 hit with words written by the singer-composer’s longtime collaborator, Bernie Taupin.
John’s lyricist did not attend the event, but other dignitaries and musicians did. Among them were Ontario Lieutenant-Governor Edith Dumont, former New Brunswick premier and past ambassador to the United States Frank McKenna, superstar classic-rock producer Bob Ezrin, British High Commissioner to Canada Rob Tinline, photographer Edward Burtynsky, musician Loreena McKennitt and film producer Martin Katz (one of the members of the Glenn Gould Prize jury that also included actor Jeremy Irons).
Former prime minister Kim Campbell and Marc Miller, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture, gave short speeches.
The gowned and tuxedoed VIPs snacked on appetizers and sipped on wine (including Elton John Zero, a non-alcoholic sparkling white launched by the long-sober singer earlier this year). They sat at tables spread across the theatre’s floor, while other attendees sat in the stands.
Elton John with his husband, Torontonian David Furnish, at Saturday's gala.Shawn Goldberg/Supplied
As a recording of John’s Rocket Man played in the theatre, John had made his way to a centre table helped by his husband. From there he took in the show, often singing along to himself as the guest artists performed his music. Given his history of outrageous glasses, the yellow spectacles he chose for the gala barely raised an eyebrow.
Vancouver piano prodigy Ryan Wang opened the concert with Chopin’s Preludes, Op. 28.
Among the hand-picked performers previously championed by John were singer-songwriter Ron Sexsmith, pop singer LOONY and rock group the Beaches. They covered Blues For My Baby And Me, Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters, and The Bitch is Back, respectively.
Host McCormack, a friend of John, cracked wise and smoothly facilitated the evening. “Look, you guys, I’m playing casinos now,” he said early on. The actor also mentioned the annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party, which has raised millions of dollars since 1993.
National Ballet of Canada’s Noah Parets, who began his career as a pre-teen in the title role of North American Broadway Tour of Billy Elliot the Musical (with music written by John), danced to the musical’s Electricity. He pirouetted his way down the catwalk that ended in front of the table occupied by John and Furnish.
Glenn Gould Prize laureates select a young artist for a protégé award worth $25,000. John chose mezzo-soprano Emily D’Angelo, a 31-year-old Canadian who recently performed at London’s Royal Opera House in the title role of Handel’s Ariodante. At the gala, she sang the Scottish/Irish folk ballad Wild Mountain Thyme, and I Know the Truth from the John/Tim Rice musical Aida.
“I know a star when I see one,” John said, after giving D’Angelo her award. She returned later to sing with the Toronto Children’s Chorus, one of her alma maters.
Elton awarded the Glenn Gould Protege prize to Canadian opera singer Emily D’Angelo.Shawn Goldberg/Supplied
John, who retired from touring in 2023, was heralded for his successes − the dozens of Top 40 hits, the 300 million records sold, the philanthropy and the EGOT (winning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony award) that Glenn Gould Foundation chief executive officer Brian Levine suggested should now be a “GEGOT.”
What presented itself as just as meaningful an accomplishment was a phone call he made to Michael Bublé when the Canadian crooner’s eldest son was diagnosed with cancer in 2016. In an emotional video, Bublé said John, whom he did not know, contacted him and offered any help he might need.
“Thank you for allowing me to be just a little part of your life,” Bublé said to John on the taped testimonial.
In his own speech, John said reaching out to Bublé’s comments was an example of artists supporting one another.
“Communicate with people, help people, encourage people,” he said, his voice rising as the crowd reacted with enthusiasm. “Be there for people, all of the time.”
The pop star donated his $100,000 in prize money back to the Glenn Gould Foundation.