Review: Céline Dion Delights Sydney Fans With An Incredible Return To The Sydney Stage On Her 2018 Australia and New Zealand Tour

Friday 27th July 2018, QUDOS Bank Arena

A decade since her last Sydney visit, Céline Dion fans were primed for a fabulous return of the French Canadian singer and Céline Dion did not disappoint. Delivering a stadium concert that was surprisingly intimate, Dion shared songs and stories from her 30+ year career and showed that her incredible three octave range voice is has not diminished at all.

With little more than a fabulous wardrobe of outfits, an intimate 6 piece band/orchestra, three backup singers and a lithe dance partner, Dion proves that she doesn't need a flash and distraction to deliver a sensational evening of entertainment. Her delightful personality, which includes a cheeky humor and self-effacing sensibility, shines as she shows she's humble and human and free from pretention. The leggy singer who celebrated her 50th birthday earlier this year jokes about the length of her career and recounts her realization that Ryan Reynolds wanted her to sing the theme song for his new movie, not be his next leading lady, all presented with fabulous physicality and priceless facial expressions, relayed on the huge screens that flank the stage.

The two hour concert which followed an opening act from Franco-Ontarian impressionist Véronic DiCaire was wonderful trip through Dion's famous songs. The selection showcased the diversity of the chanteuse's range, from passionate love songs infused with intensity and sensitivity, powerful rock ballads and poignant emotional works that tear at the heartstrings. Along with her well known chart toppers, like Power of Love which hit #1 in Australia, USA and Canada in 1994, and Because You Loved Me which sat at #1 on the Australian charts for 3 weeks in 1996, Dion also shares the biggest song of her French language career Pour Que Tu M'aimes Encore and Recovering, a piece written for her by artist Pink following her husband René Angélil's death. She follows this heartwrenching work with an intense and poignant expression of Eric Carmen's All By Myself that she breathes a new life into with an interpretation that connects to the lyrics in a way that few other performers can manage. Dion also delivers a fabulous rendition of John Farnham's You're The Voice whilst also proving her dedication to perfection and her fallibility as she ensures that she does the song justice, in case Farnham somehow sees a recording of the song which she has loved for years. Her cover of Janis Ian's Seventeen, supported by an intimate string quartet, is given a wonderful restraint in her phrasing expressing an honesty and connection to the work.

Dion is joined by backup singer Barnev Valsaint for a fabulous rendition of Howard Ashman and Alan Menken's Beauty And The Beast which was her first foray into music for movies. The piece shows Dion's respect for her team as well as showcases Valsaint's rich depth and wonderful headvoice. Dancer Pepe Muñoz joins Dion for a sensual latin dance as Dion sings the intense Falling Into You in a stunning fringed beaded dress that had been hiding beneath a full overskirt. Along with her latest movie song Ashes for DEADPOOL 2, Dion ensures that fans are treated to what is probably her most famous movie song from the story about a sinking boat before delivering a final treat to the audience, an acapella rendition of Can't Help Falling In Love.

Whilst Céline Dion's Sydney engagements have finished, the tour continues to Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne and Auckland. If you missed Sydney, it is definitely worth hopping on a plane to catch a concert before she returns to Las Vegas.

https://www.frontiertouring.com/celinedion

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