As selection of 40 photos from a total of over 6,000 images taken at the final concert of heavy metal singer Ozzy Osbourne and his staple band Black Sabbath will be presented by Buzau-based photographer Theodor Tudose at the exhibition "Back to the Beginning. Farewell to the Prince", as part of the Buzau International Arts Festival (BIAF).
Black Sabbath's farewell concert took place on June 5, 2025 in the band's hometown, Birmingham, to a stadium of 45,000 attendees and approximately six million online viewers. Theodor Tudose, a fan of the heavy metal band, scrambled to secure a ticket in the Golden Circle section, from where he immortalized with a camera purchased especially for the event the highlight moments of the concert. The photos would also be the last with Ozzy Osbourne on stage, surrounded by fans, before his death.
"Black Sabbath had a series of bands they performed with - Metallica, Guns 'N Roses, Slayer. For me it was an unmissable moment, I somehow felt that it was my last chance to photograph Ozzy, and it proved exactly so. I didn't expect him to die so soon after the concert, just two weeks later. From the energy I saw on stage, I expected them to release at least one more album and have more appearances in the US, UK, at events or as special guests. It was quite complicated for me to get there. I have a cousin who lives in the UK and I told him that we absolutely must go there together. I thought that if I can't secure a front seat, I won't be able to capture anything, I couldn't get an accreditation," said the photographer.
The exhibition brings to the public's attention around 40 photos taken in the most important moments of the concert, selected from a total of over 6,000. The moments captured by the camera will be shown in chronological order, so that the visitors can experience the vibe and atmosphere of the Black Sabbath performance.
"I think the most important is the one with Ozzy seated on the Gothic throne, it's also on the poster, only there it's stylized with a dominant red for a different effect, in my exhibition it's in natural colors. When he emerged from the hatch in the middle of the stage, I was caught unaware, but all of a sudden I saw the crowd become ecstatic, something was happening. I spotted him rise to the stage, I put my hands on my head and then I realized that I had to capture the moment and I lifted the camera to my eyes. The exhibition is the chronicle in pictures of the 'Back to the Beginning' concert. I don't know if this was the biggest performance in terms of audience in his career, but it was definitely the most important, considering the charity part as well. I snapped 6,000 photos, there are 35-40 in the exhibition. Initially I chose somewhere around 1,500 and making the selection for the exhibition was extremely hard. They are displayed chronologically, I want the audience to experience what I went through. The most important acts, besides Black Sabbath, were YungBlud and Steven Tyler, who were not announced, YungBlud is an up-and-coming artist. At one point he appeared on stage and sang a cover of Changes. It was an emotional moment, because the world sees him as the artist Ozzy passed the torch to, Ozzy also gifted him the cross around his neck, his personal cross, and at that moment 45,000 people welled up into tears," the photographer from Buzau said.
Theodor Tudose's exhibition is scheduled to open on August 18 at 6:30 p.m. at the Iazul Morilor Center in Buzau.
"This exhibition is more than a visual homage. It is a chronicle in images of a historical farewell, a tribute to a generation, a music genre and an idea of freedom arisen from the working class. An event presented within the BIAF," the organizers said.
Heavy metal band Black Sabbath held their last concert on June 5, 2025 in their hometown, Birmingham, an event that was a massive farewell, featuring the band's original lineup for the first time since 2005. It was also the last live appearance of the legendary Ozzy Osbourne, who has since passed into the eternity of rock culture.
British rock legend Ozzy Osbourne (John Michael 'Ozzy' Osbourne) was born on December 3, 1948 in the city of Birmingham. Vocalist, composer and actor, Ozzy stood out as the lead singer of the British band Black Sabbath. His unmistakable voice, the lyrics delving into less frequently addressed topics such as the occult, the dark atmosphere of the music described as a 'dark blues', propelled the band's namesake debut album to the eighth position on the 1970 Billboard charts.
Together, Black Sabbath albums with Ozzy on vocals and those of his solo career have sold over 120 million copies worldwide, according to the artist's official Facebook page.
Ozzy Osbourne died on July 22, 2025 at the age of 76.
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