OUR CELINE COUNTDOWN CONTINUES WITH JUST THREE REMAINING SHOWS
We conclude our Celine Dion countdown as she approaches the final New Day presentation at Caesars Palace with a two-part story. Today Celine reflects on the show itself and tomorrow she chats about her personal life in Vegas.
“When I look back over the five-years,” said Celine, “I’m amazed that we even accomplished a five year run in and of itself.”
The phenomenal success surpassed everybody’s expectations and right until the very end this week she has been selling out 4,000 seats to fans every night. When the curtain finally comes down on Saturday, some 2.5 million people will have experienced A New Day.
“I had absolutely no idea how magical this experience truly would be,” said Celine. “This has been the best year yet. The fans have been so supportive of us and I thank them for taking the journey with me.
Working with director Franco Dragone and a wonderful cast of the most incredible artists has given me the opportunity to interpret my music in a very different and profound way. To share a unique experience with audiences from around the world every night has been wonderful.”
John Meglen, president of AEG Live/Concerts commented: “It’s a testament to her artistry, her passion and her connection with fans. It truly has been an historic show in the history of show-business.”
Even my colleague, Steve Friess wrote that Celine revolutionized Vegas entertainment: “She’s a Queen who is voluntarily abdicating her ginormous throne. This moment is significant. As major as the final days of the Rat Pack or Elvis. She turned The Colosseum into the closest thing Vegas may ever have to New York’s Radio City Music Hall—by far the most prestigious and classiest theater to perform in in the Western United States.”
Steve says that in a recent interview with Bette Midler who arrives to take over from Celine that she put it best: “The effect of Celine is absolutely huge, enormous.
She was a giant headliner and she made a choice that a lot of others wouldn’t have made at the time. She opened a lot of people’s eyes to the possibility of being a resident headliner, not just at The Colosseum, but also to all of Vegas. It was a sharp and shrewd move, and without Celine there would be no Elton John, no Barry Manilow, no Toni Braxton—nor Bette in Vegas.”
Celine commented: “The show marked a turning point in my professional journey. It guided me to self-discovery, to push the limits of performance. A New Day really did begin for me with this show. I will never again be the same type of performer I was before. I became emboldened by dancers of all disciplines, powerful trainers who made my body stronger and more flexible. I fly, I dance, I bend and I stretch and believe it or not I enjoyed every minute of it. I really had a good time. It was a show about pain, doubt, laughter, talent, beauty, music, friendship, and songs and about people and trust. It was also about yes and no and maybe and we all shared the ambition, the tears and the smiles through our teamwork. More than anything though it was a show about passion.”
The spectacle itself was created by Franco Dragone and, in addition to the songs and dances, uses incredible imagery and special effects with certain images projected several stories high where objects and performers appear to float across the stage. A New Day features the largest indoor LED screen in North America to create ever-changing backdrops for the cast of 50-dancers and musicians performing under the lighting effects. Simultaneously, in the closing days Celine “switched directions” by recording a highly personal collection of songs in a bold new way for her newest album, appropriately titled Taking Chances. It has become another blockbuster hit. Part-recorded in George Maloof’s recording studio at his Palms resort, it went into the Top 10 charts in more than 12 overseas countries which shot it to no.1 on the all-European top 100 sales chart. It also took the no.1 position in all the dual-language Canadian charts, and added with her French language album earlier, racked up the two highest sales in Canada this year!
She is the golden entertainer who can do no wrong, and tomorrow in our final Luxe Life countdown story we delve into her personal life and remaining desires. She reveals plans for a new baby and how she’ll divide her time between Vegas and Florida when the upcoming world tour comes to an end. Celine opens up on just how important her son is to her and how he helped change her life while here in Vegas.