Céline Dion Live 2017 was the twelfth concert tour by French Canadian singer Céline Dion. The tour was organized to support Dion's 2016 French-language studio album, Encore un Soir. For the anglophone shows, Dion performed her song "How Does a Moment Last Forever" (from the 2017 version of "Beauty and the Beast"), along with a few rare songs and fan favourites.[1][2][3] With twenty five shows, the tour began in Copenhagen, Denmark on 15 June 2017 and concluded on 5 August 2017 in Glasgow, Scotland.[2]
Background
Dion at Birmingham's NIA in August 2017
After Dion's previously large-scale Taking Chances World Tour in 2008-2009 in support of her album Taking Chances, she began a new concert residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas in 2011, with a contract through 2019. On 25 January 2017, Dion's official website announced sixteen shows in Europe to take place during the summer months of 2017.[1][2] Tickets for those shows were available to the general public on 3 February 2017.[1][2] Eight additional dates—in London, Paris, Lille, Manchester, Birmingham and Berlin—were later added.[4] On 31 March 2017, The SSE Hydro posted an intimation of a concert in Glasgow, Scotland. Details for this show were announced during the first week of April 2017.[4]Véronic DiCaire joined Dion as the opening act.[5]
On 14 June 2017, it was announced that both shows scheduled to take place at Manchester Arena on 25 June and 1 August would be rescheduled due to ongoing investigation after the Manchester Arena bombing.[6] The shows were rescheduled to be at the First Direct Arena in Leeds, United Kingdom, on 25 June 2017 and 2 August 2017.[7]
Critical reception
The tour received positive reviews. The Independent rated the concert five stars out of five, calling it "a flawless show with zero pretence" with Dion's "unstoppable vocals".[8]The Guardian rated the concert four stars out of five.[9]London Evening Standard also rated it four stars out of five, writing that Dion "didn't just crank out soulful power ballads" but she was also "a stage-strutting, air-punching, kiss-blowing bundle of fun, gratitude and good humour".[10]Gay Times also praised the show, writing that Dion proved she's very much at the height of her career.[11] In a positive review Metro wrote that Dion's "vocals can easily be considered the eighth wonder of the world".[12] According to a positive review by the Official Charts Company, Dion's concert was "almost a religious experience".[13] Her concert in Leeds, on 25 June, was given a five star rating by the Manchester Evening News. Performing on a stage with a backdrop of "Leeds in loving support of Manchester", Dion was praised for her boundless energy and note and pitch perfect performance.[14]
Broadcasts and recordings
Dion's team recorded two shows in Paris (8 and 9 July) as well as two shows in London (29 and 30 July.) However, there has been no confirmation regarding possible CD/DVD release. On 26 January 2018, a recording of "Encore un soir" was broadcast on TF1 as part of "Jean-Jacques Goldman, 40 years in music."[15]
Commercial reception
Dion sold-out all of her European concerts.[16][17][18][19] She also broke records across the United Kingdom as the highest grossing artist at each UK venue where she performed.[20][21][22][23]
Background Vocals: Barnev Valsaint, Dawn Cumberbatch
Violins: Philippe Dunnigan, Jenny Elfving, Laraine Kaizer, Rebecca Ramsey, Svetlin Belneev, Lisa Dondlinger, Lenka Hajkova, John Arnold, De Ann Letourneau
Violas: Jerome Gordon, Kaila Potts, Dmitri Kourka
Celli: Lindsey Springer, Raymond Sicam III, Irina Chirkova, Judy Kang, Élise Duguay
Woodwinds: Eric Tewalt, Philip Wigfall
Trumpets: Matt Fronke, Kurt Evanson, Nico Edgerman, Don Lorice
^The concert on 2 August 2017 at First Direct Arena in Leeds was originally scheduled to take place at Manchester Arena in Manchester on 1 August 2017.
