Lady Gaga Returns to Las Vegas Residency with Emotional Tribute to Tony Bennett
Lady Gaga is back in Las Vegas, resuming her Lady Gaga: Jazz & Piano residency at Dolby Live in Park MGM. The 37-year-old pop star paid tribute to the late Tony Bennett during her first show since his passing in July.
Before the performance, Gaga teased her highly-anticipated return on Instagram. She shared a selfie showcasing her glamorous makeup, complete with winged eyeliner and a bold red lip, while holding up a playbill. In the caption, she wrote, “IT’S OUR OPENING SHOW IN VEGAS BABY! 1 hr 16 min till we hit the stage to SWING ????????”
During the show, Gaga addressed Susan Crow, Bennett’s widow, who was reportedly in the audience. Gaga expressed the love and admiration of everyone in attendance for Crow, before speaking about Bennett and how she will miss him forever.
Gaga revealed that the entire show was dedicated to Bennett’s memory. She explained that all the musical elements, from the opening number to the improvisation, were in honor of the late jazz icon. However, she also acknowledged that Bennett wouldn’t want her to be sad and chose to celebrate his legacy instead.
To honor her late collaborator, Gaga performed Bennett’s song “Fly Me to the Moon.” She acknowledged that she couldn’t do it as well as Bennett but promised to give it her all. The emotional performance left a lasting impact on the audience.
According to an eyewitness, Gaga paid a special tribute to Bennett at the beginning of the show by using his voice to introduce her over the speakers. The crowd was treated to the late singer’s voice saying, “Ladies and gentlemen… Lady Gaga” before she took the stage.
Following the show, Gaga shared a photo with her glam team, showing off her shiny tuxedo look. She captioned the shot, “THAT’S ALL FOLKS ???????? @fredericaspiras @sarahtannomakeup.”
This jazz and piano residency is a return for Gaga, who originally kicked it off in January 2019. She alternated performances with her pop show Enigma. The show’s last performance took place in May 2022.
In between residency runs, Gaga took on the role of Harley Quinn in the upcoming film Joker: Folie à Deux, starring alongside Joaquin Phoenix. She recently wrapped filming for the project in April.
Gaga announced the new batch of shows after the loss of Tony Bennett. The two collaborated on several projects, including the albums Duets II and Cheek to Cheek. Their final album, Love for Sale, was released in 2021 and earned Bennett his final GRAMMY Award.
Tony Bennett passed away on July 21 in New York City at the age of 96. While the cause of death has not been officially announced, Bennett had publicly shared his Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis in 2021.
Lady Gaga’s residency at Dolby Live in Park MGM will continue for a total of 12 shows, ending on October 5. Fans can expect more heartfelt performances as Gaga pays tribute to Bennett throughout the run.
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