It's 'New Day' for Celine in Las Vegas showroom
By Adam Goldman
Associated Press
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| Celine Dion will sing five nights a week in a $95 million showroom at Caesars Palace.
Associated Press 'A New Day' 8:30 p.m. Wednesdays-Sundays, through March 2006, The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas $87.50-$200. First three months are sold out, Ticketmaster: (702) 893-3000 |
The diva belted out 20 tunes in 100 minutes in front of an adoring crowd at the 4,100-seat Colosseum. The audience couldn't get enough.
"We love you Celine," they shouted, showering her with standing ovations.
Even a momentarily shoeless Dion did not disappoint.
"The shoes got stolen," she joked after the performance. "I don't know what happened. It was time for me to be on stage. I decided to go. I took a gamble to come on stage barefoot."
Dion thanked the audience for coming out.
"With everything that is going on in the world, let's just try tonight to focus on peace. Let's try to enjoy ourselves tonight," she said.
Dion, who turns 35 Sunday, danced and flew from steel wires throughout the night. But the fans were there to hear her voice and got plenty of it.
She sang such classics as "Fever," "At Last" and "I've Got the World on a String." Dion also piped out the hit from the movie Titanic, "My Heart Will Go On."
But there was no encore.
The $30 million production by Belgian director Franco Dragone includes 48 dancers and the world's largest LED screen that served as a backdrop to various images.
Before the curtain rose, the casino at Caesars was packed with people crowding around the red carpet leading to the $95 million theater and hoping to get a glimpse of celebrities, such as "The Bachelorette's" Trista Rehn and Ryan Sutter and other famous personalities.
Nevada Gov. Kenny Guinn was among those who turned out.
Dion's debut coincides with the release of her new album and a live CBS special hosted by Justin Timberlake.
Dion's husband-manager, Rene Angelil, had promised to amaze audiences.
Bonita and Popejoy George, who are part-time Las Vegas residents, said the show was not a letdown.
"I thought it was one of the finest shows I've ever seen," he said.
"It was phenomenal," his wife said. "We've seen every show in Las Vegas and that was my favorite."
Both wondered whether Dion could keep up the act five nights a week, 40 weeks a year until 2006.
To ensure that Dion can belt out tunes for 200 shows a year, a stage humidifier was installed to protect her voice, which is insured, from the desert climate.
And to ensure she has enough time to be with her family, Dion chopped off her long tresses. "I'm a mommy," she said. "I don't want to spend three hours on my hair."
The casino, along with parent company Park Place Entertainment, is hoping that Dion can reverse its sagging financial fortunes.
Anne Dube, 48, a nurse from Detroit, said after the show that she believes Dion will be a major draw for the city.
"Vegas needed a fresh, outstanding performance," Dube said. "This will be truly be the attraction for many years to come."
A store next to the theater is dedicated to selling Dion wares: clothing with "A New Day" logos, Dion photographs and other souvenirs. Wolfgang Puck's name is on the food concession stand, where a ham sandwich costs $8 and a spicy lobster avocado roll runs $12.
Dion will receive about $100 million, plus 50 percent of the profits during the three-year contract.
Director Dragone also created the Cirque du Soleil shows, including the long-running "Mystere" and "O."
