The audience at the Broadway premiere of A Beautiful Noise: the Neil Diamond Musical on Sunday night, December 4, 2022, came expecting to hear their favorite hits from the iconic 81-year-old singer. However, they were in for a delightful surprise. During the curtain call, Diamond made an unexpected appearance in the balcony and led the crowd in a singalong of his beloved 1969 hit, “Sweet Caroline.”

The renowned singer, who had retired from touring in 2018 due to a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis, received a warm welcome at the Broadhurst Theatre. As the musical chronicling his life and featuring his music commenced, the audience expressed their admiration with a standing ovation. However, the true surprise unfolded after the curtain call. Rising from his box seat, microphone in hand, he began singing the familiar lyrics of “Where it began…”

Right after singing the song’s opening lines, the musical legend encouraged the packed house to join in on the iconic chorus, accompanied by the house band. This impromptu appearance at the jukebox musical, celebrating his illustrious and hit-filled musical career, marked Diamond’s first return to his hometown since 2017 and one of the rare instances he has appeared in public since his diagnosis.

Check out his stunning performance below:

His performance was widely shared on social media, especially that many YouTube channels reupload it. Plenty of fans got nostalgic when watching this video.

One viewer wrote, “I am just now getting a chance to make comments. This brought me so much joy that I actually cried the whole time I took my dad and every time Neil diamond was in town. It was his favorite artist.”

Another commented, “He still sounds amazing. His voice is so impactful, even with years and illness taking its toll. A rare talent to be able to do this.”