Brian May and Rick Wakeman perform at STARMUS Festival
A stellar concert in Tenerife
Queen guitarist Brian May and keyboard wizard Rick Wakeman were among the stellar performers at STARMUS festival in Tenerife over the weekend.
Co-founded by astronomer Garik Israelian and rock icon and astrophysicist Sir Brian May in 2007, STARMUS is an international gathering focused on celebrating astronomy, space exploration, music, art, and the natural sciences.
This year’s event - STARMUS VIII: The Search for Truth – kicked off in spectacular style with a star-studded celebratory concert on Saturday night (17th October).
Playing his fabled Red Special guitar, Brian joined forces with legendary Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli at the event, and their collaborative performance in honour of the legacy of Professor Stephen Hawking included a rousing rendition of Queen’s ‘Who Wants To Live Forever’.
Progressive rock titan Rick Wakeman also tinkled the ivories onstage, and the evening’s highlight came when Brian May, Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman played a version of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ while flanked by the Las Palmas Symphony Orchestra.
STARMUS says that Brian’s performance ‘embodied the festival’s founding philosophy: that scientific discovery and artistic expression share a common language of curiosity, imagination and wonder.’
Brian May receives the inaugural Jane Goodall Earth Medal:
Alongside his performance, Sir Brian May was also the surprise recipient of the inaugural Jane Goodall Earth Medal, recognising his longstanding commitment to animal welfare, wildlife conservation and environmental protection.
Dr Jane Goodall’s son, Nick van Lawick, presented Brian with the award alongside her grandchildren, honouring the extraordinary legacy of the pioneering primatologist and conservationist.
STARMUS VIII: The Search for Truth continues until Thursday 22nd October 2026 in La Palma, Canary Islands.