Iglesias Performs with Haitian President Michel Martelly

Julio Iglesias has performed a presidential duet during a recent benefit concert..

The 69-year-old Spanish singer performed at the Altos de Chavon Amphitheater in the eastern Dominican city of La Romana, where he shared the stage with Haitian President Michel Martelly.
Julio Iglesias & Michel Martelly
Iglesias kicked off the Friday night concert with several references to relations between the Dominican Republic and Haiti, the two countries that share the Caribbean island of Hispaniola.

Iglesias’ concert was a benefit to raise money for a children’s institution presided by Haiti’s first lady, Sophia Martelly, who was there with her husband, as were the country’s Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe and Tourism Minister Stephanie Balmir Villedrouin.

Iglesias spoke French to greet Martelly, who was seated in the front row, and thanked him for joining him at the show, to which Martelly thanked Iglesias for his concert on behalf of Haitian children.

Haiti’s president connected immediately with the audience when he said he has been a singer all his life, but never imagined he would be performing once day alongside “a singer called Julio Iglesias.”

At that point Iglesias invited his illustrious companion to come onstage to do a duet of “Corazon, Corazon,” which they sang in Spanish.

Martelly displayed a clear, strong voice and several times earned applause from the audience, above all for the second song he sang with Iglesias, “To All the Girls I Loved Before,” which Iglesias made famous with Willie Nelson.

With that, the Madrid artist hugged Martelly, who left the stage waving at the audience to another resounding ovation.

The concert continued with Iglesias singing “Hey,” highlighting the admirable qualities of his friend, famous Dominican designer Oscar de la Renta, who was in the audience, as was Barbara Walters.