Hollywood stars and musicians joined President George W Bush and first lady Laura Bush on Monday night in a concert to mark the first anniversary of the September 11 attacks on the US.
The Bushes, accompanied by Secretary of State Colin Powell and his wife Alma, took their seats in Washington DC’s Kennedy Center for the concert, which included performances by opera singer Placido Domingo, Latin stars Enrique Iglesias and Gloria Estefan, and country and western singer Alan Jackson.
Soulsters Aretha Franklin and Al Green also took part in the musical tribute and there were dramatic readings from actors James Earl Jones and Angela Bassett.
The two-hour event was the second “Concert For America” – the first was held 13 days after the 2001 attacks – and will be shown across the US on Wednesday.
“Today we mourn the lost, honour the living and celebrate the character of our country and the creativity of our people,” the president told the audience. Laura Bush was the honorary chairwoman of the occasion.
Stars from the stage and screen will also be participating in a number of events in New York to mark the anniversary of the attacks. Sex And The City star Sarah Jessica Parker and hubby Matthew Broderick will be taking part in a theatre marathon with, among others, actress Calista Flockhart.
The three-day event at New York’s Town Hall features 50 new plays and songs, composed for three evenings and one matinee performance. All proceeds from the shows will go to the New York Children’s Foundation, which is dedicated to children affected by the attacks. Others who have signed on to the project include Billy Crudup, Oscar-winner Marisa Tomei and Rosie Perez.
President Bush is due to mark Wednesday’s anniversary with a speech to the nation, followed by an address on Thursday to the United Nations General Assembly.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
