It's a new day for Céline Dion as she wrapped up her titanic five-year engagement at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas on Saturday night.
Since opening in March 2003, Dion's show, A New Day…, grossed more than $400 million US and was seen by nearly three million fans. One fan had reportedly seen the show more than 100 times.
Céline Dion, shown waving during a performance at Caesars Palace in May 2006, plans to start touring in February.
(Isaac Brekken/Associated Press)
Tickets for the final show were for sale on eBay for as much as $1,899 US.
Fans in the 4,100-seat venue, called The Colosseum and built specifically for the Canadian chanteuse at a cost of $95 million US, cheered as Dion went through her usual numbers — hits such as Because You Loved Me, My Heart Will Go On (from 1997 film Titanic ) and A New Day Has Come — interspersed with some emotionally charged commentary.
"At one point, it was like feeling like the Titanic was about to sink again.… But we believed and we went on with it," said the 39-year-old singer in reference to her rocky beginnings back in 2000 when the show was still in development.
The Quebec-born singer had become pregnant and told husband-manager René Angélil she did not want to continue.
"I had a life for the first time," said Dion. "I knew then that I wanted to have more success as a mother than a singer."
But Angélil told her that too much money was involved and many people were depending on her. Dion's initial three-year, $100-million contract broke records. She went on to do her show, but suffered through some bad reviews at first.
After her last number on Saturday, Dion invited husband Angélil and her son, René-Charles, 7, on stage with her as rose petals rained down on the final bow.
"Most of us have left our families behind to give ourselves every night," she said. "I can assure you it was worth it."
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Dion's rest will be short-lived. She recently released her first English-language album in four years and sang the title song, Taking Chances, during her long finale.
She plans to start touring in February, starting with her first concert date in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Singer Bette Midler will take Dion's place at the Caesars Palace venue with a production called The Showgirl Must Go On… from Feb. 20 to March 9.
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