Celine Dion: Taking Chances tour to heights

Dubai’s newest concert venue, Four Season’s Golf Club, saw its biggest action so far when 12,000 fans swayed and mouthed the words to the songs of Canadian pop diva Celine Dion during her first-ever Middle East performance last night.

On a five-day trip to Dubai with her mother, son, sisters and husband, Dion was in town to perform the second leg of her Taking Chances world tour. She proved to be incredibly popular with Dubai music lovers.

Looking ravishing in leather shrug, sequined silver top and black tights, Dion made a dramatic entry at 8.40pm, coming down from a platform lowered onto the stage.

Opening with I Drove All Night, Power of Love and Taking Chances, she amply displayed her vocal prowess, high-octane performance and stage presence as a seasoned artist.

"I’ve been in Dubai for three days and now I know what people all over the world are talking about. Dubai’s the place to be. It’s the future city," Dion said.

The thunderous response to her rendition of the Academy Award-winning My Heart Will Go On put to rest any questions about her being the biggest-selling female artist of all time with 175 million records sold globally.

Dion showed no signs of weariness that could afflict a singer who has just finished a contract with a Vegas hotel that required her to perform every day of the week for five years in a row.

She sang tributes to Queen’s lead singer Freddie Mercury with the hits The Show Must Go On and We Will Rock You.

The grand 32,000sqm greens was packed with an audience who didn’t seem to mind going to a gig on a weekday. The show was choreographed and directed by Jamie King, who has worked with the likes of Madonna, Mariah Carey and Ricky Martin.