Photos Of Tina Turner's Final Red Carpet Appearance Are Even More Devastating Now
Tina Turner died on May 24, 2023, at the age of 83. The Instagram account for the music veteran, who was widely regarded as the Queen of Rock 'n' Roll, delivered the tragic news alongside a black and white photo of Turner sporting her classic mullet. "It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Tina Turner," read the post. Although the "Proud Mary" singer's official cause of death was related to the string of health issues Turner faced during her last stretch of life — including kidney failure and intestinal cancer — she made public appearances until age 79. And her very last public outing is incredibly devastating in hindsight.
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In October 2019, Turner walked the red carpet for the Broadway debut of "Tina: The Tina Turner Musical," and she seemed over the moon! As you can see, Turner was beaming in a shot, where Oprah Winfrey posed affectionately behind her. Additional photos, published by The Mirror, featured Turner walking arm in arm with her second husband, Erwin Bach, on one side as Winfrey flanked the other. Her signature smile filled the room, suggesting that, though she'd been retired for several years, she still held an appreciation for the public part of her life.
Unfortunately, this would be the last time Turner attended an industry event.
Tina Turner was heavily involved in the stage show about her life
Although she became one of the most beloved and lauded entertainers of all time, Tina Turner's life was filled to the brim with tragedy. It was marked not only by illness, but also by the horrific physical and emotional abuse she suffered at the hands of her first husband and musical collaborator, Ike Turner. Tina's latter years were remarkably sunnier, underlined by the age-defying success she achieved mid-life and the longtime love she experienced when marrying her second husband, Erwin Bach. All of that and more was covered in "Tina: The Tina Turner Musical," the stage production that she had a hand in crafting.
When discussing the New York premiere of the stage play, which originally debuted on The West End in London, Tina revealed the reason that she wanted to see her likeness immortalized through theater. "It's really important to me to have the chance to share my full story," she said in a statement (via Best Classic Bands). She continued, "This musical is not about my stardom. It is about the journey I took to get there. Each night I want audiences to take away from the theater that you can turn poison into medicine." Mission accomplished!
The show, which ran on Broadway for three years, was a critical success. In addition to garnering a slew of Tony Awards nominations, Adrienne Warren, who portrayed the fictional version of Tina, won best leading actress in a musical on Broadway in 2020.