The Let's Talk About Love World Tour was the ninth concert tour by Canadian singer Celine Dion. It began in Boston, United States on 21 August 1998, and concluded in Montreal, Canada on 31 December 1999. Spanning 97 shows across three continents, Let's Talk About Love World Tour became the highest-grossing female tour of the 1990s, earning $133 million in revenue.[1] At the 1998 Pollstar Awards, it was nominated for Major Tour of the Year and Most Creative Stage Production.[2] Designed to promote Dion's fifth English studio album, Let's Talk About Love (1997), the tour also incorporated previous hits and selected songs from new 1998 albums: S'il suffisait d'aimer and These Are Special Times. In North America, it became the highest-grossing female tour in 1998 ($38.1 million) and the fourth highest-grossing female tour in 1999 ($26.9 million).[3][4]
During a press conference following her win at the 25th Annual American Music Awards, Dion stated she would like to start touring during the summer of 1998. Following the award show appearance, the singer performed at the Crown Showroom in Melbourne, Australia and the Blaisdell Arena in Honolulu, United States with a set list similar to that in the Falling into You: Around the World, but also including "The Reason" and "My Heart Will Go On". The tour was officially announced in February 1998. Originally called Celine Dion: On Tour 1998,[5] the tour was set to begin on 21 August 1998 in Boston, United States. This marked the third time Dion begun a tour in Boston.[6] She said it is the closest US city to Montreal and considers it a "lucky charm".[6]
The tour was sponsored by Procter & Gamble in Canada, Avon in Europe[7] and Ericsson in the United States.[5] The commercials were shown throughout the US and Canada showing concertgoers using their cell phones as lighters during Dion's performance.[5] Those who purchased an Ericsson phone were given a special behind-the-scenes tour video entitled "Celine Dion: In Her Own Words".[5] During the trek, Dion opened the National Car Rental Center in Sunrise, Florida. The concert was attended by nearly 20,000 spectators and was sold out within two hours.[8]
Dion further remarked the setlist of the tour will contain songs from her current album, her hits and a few French selections. She continued:
"I'm going to definitely sing the new songs and a few French ones and definitely people's favorite. I can't do them all, unfortunately, because I have to do a two-hour show. It would take a long time to sing all my songs. I hope we have chosen the right ones for people to hear".[9]
As the tour continued into 1999, Dion performed in Hong Kong, Japan and an additional outing for North America. During this time, her husband René Angélil was diagnosed with skin cancer.[11] This forced the singer to postpone the remaining dates in North America and cancel half of the European leg. Dion resumed the tour in mid-June and thanked fans for their support during the rough period. After her tour of Europe, Dion's team announced the singer would give a special New Year's Eve concert in Montreal. Dubbed "The Millennium Concert" the show featured a new setlist and special appearances by prominent Canadian singers.[12]
In October, Dion opened the new Pepsi Center in Denver, replacing the McNichols Sports Arena. Dion dedicated the concert to the victims and survivors of the Columbine High School massacre. All proceeds from the show were donated to Colorado Organization of Victim Assistance. The singer was joined onstage by the Colorado Children's Chorale to perform "Let's Talk About Love" and "Friend of Mine Columbine"— a memorial song written by Stephen and Jonathan Cohen.[13] The singer stated it would be her last tour as she wanted to focus on becoming a mother.[12] Later, Dion released her first English greatest hits album, All the Way... A Decade of Song. The album was promoted by Dion's second CBS special, taking place at Radio City Music Hall. The special featured Dion performing her classics along with new songs from the album. The show featured duets with NSYNC and Gloria Estefan.
About the stage
The tour brought a new aspect to performing for Dion. The show was presented in the round. The stage designer Yves Aucoin states he wanted the show to be a big production while having an intimate feel.[14] The stage itself was shaped like a heart with five circular platforms that raised and lowered the members of the stage.[14] The constructor was Scène Éthique.[15] Above, four large video screens formed a circular pattern. The floor of the stage was made of large video screens utilizing the Jumbotron technology.[14] Dion initially was nervous performing in the way, as the performer had very little time to relax while on stage.[9] She continued to say she got the idea from attending a Stevie Wonder concert during her childhood.[9] The entire production costed more than $10 million. For some shows like in Munich, she used a 180 degree stage due to venue size.[16]
Critical reception
For the tour, Dion received mainly positive reviews from music critics. Many of the writers commended the singer's intimate connection with the audience, despite the massive size of the stadiums and arenas. For the inaugural concert in Boston, Steve Morse from The Boston Globe wrote that "despite Dion's nerves, she was able to pull off a successful concert". He continued, "for pure entertainment, however, this was a volcanic triumph". Dion thanked Boston fans for being "lucky charm people"; this was the third time she opened a world tour there.[17]
At the concert in Oakland, James Sullivan of San Francisco Chronicle felt that the night showed off Dion's prowess as a performer. He elaborated, "easily the best part of the 80-minute set came when Dion summoned her band to center stage, where they sat on the lip of the riser as she essayed a medley of some favorite songs. Roberta Flack's 'The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face', the Beatles' 'Pet Sounds'-inspired 'Because' and Eric Clapton's 'Tears in Heaven' were all delivered with tender care—no small feat in a basketball gym. Even Sinatra's 'All the Way' steered clear of swagger, and the accordion gave all four songs a touch of Dion's romantic French-language roots".[18]
Adam Sandler from Variety provided a positive review of Dion's concert in Inglewood, California. He stated, "to her credit, Celine Dion kept the vocal histrionics and hyper stage movements she has become known for to a minimum during her sold-out show Wednesday at the Forum, preferring instead to illustrate her evolution as an artist through singing prowess and a relaxed stage manner".[19] Jane Stevenson of Jam! Music gave the singer's show in Toronto four out of five stars. She said, "but as the first song of the night, 'Let's Talk About Love', progressed, her nine-person band eventually rose up alongside her, while a children's choir later took the stage for the song's big ending".[20]
The first glimpse of the tour came via Dion's music video to "S'il suffisait d'aimer", which was recorded during her concert in Chicago in September 1998. Footage of that show, along with footage of one of the December 1998 Montreal concerts was also shown on the TV special "Un an avec Céline" hosted by Julie Snyder. The final show at the National Car Rental Center was filmed and showed on The Oprah Winfrey Show. The special also included a behind the scenes feature. The singer also performed "To Love You More" live in Tokyo for the UNCF's "An Evening of Stars". The millennium concert was aired on TVA in Canada.
The concerts at the Stade de France in Paris were recorded for a CD/DVD package. They were released under the title Au cœur du stade (meaning At the Heart of the Stadium). For the show, Jean-Jacques Goldman joined Dion on "J'irai où tu iras", "To Love You More" featured Taro Hakase on violin, and Diana King could be seen on a screen during "Treat Her Like a Lady". The CD contained an abbreviated version of the concert, primarily showcasing her French-language songs. A live video of "Dans un autre monde" was used to promote both the CD and DVD packages.
For the performance of "Let's Talk About Love", Dion was joined each night onstage by a local children's choir except from London where she was joined with a group of children from a charity to raise awareness.
During the first leg in North America, "Zora sourit" often replaced "S'il suffisait d'aimer".
"Zora Sourit", "Immortality" and the English acoustic medley were performed at select concerts in Montreal.
The performance of "Treat Her Like a Lady" of 18 December in Montreal was used as a videoclip and audio release for the single of "Treat Her Like a Lady".
During the concert at the Orlando Arena, Dion performed "Fly". She was also joined onstage by Diana King to perform "Treat Her Like a Lady".
During the New York City concert on 3 September 1998, Diana King also joined Dion for "Treat Her Like a Lady", and comedian Ana Gasteyer made a surprise appearance reprising her famous spoof of Dion from Saturday Night Live on stage in a funny onstage sketch.
During the concert at the Broward County Civic Arena, Dion was joined onstage by the Bee Gees to perform "Immortality".
During concerts in 1999, "I'm Your Angel" was performed in lieu of "Love Is on the Way". Additionally, "The Power of Love" was performed in lieu of "All by Myself".
During the Montreal show on 7 December 1998, Dion received six 1998 Billboard Music Awards, via satellite by Bette Midler. Carole King made a surprise appearance to physically present Dion with the trophies and they later performed "The Reason" on stage. On the same night, French comedians Claude Meunier and Serge Thériault of the comedy duo Ding et Dong as Pôpa and Môman performed a surprise onstage midshow skit for Dion and René Angélil commemorating their 4th wedding anniversary.
During concerts in Paris, Dion performed "To Love You More" in lieu of "It's All Coming Back to Me Now".
During concerts in Japan, Dion performed "Watashi Wa Totemo Shiawase Ne" in lieu of "S'il suffisait d'aimer". She also performed "Pour que tu m'aimes encore" in lieu of "I'm Your Angel".
↑ The concerts in Japan were sold out on the first day of public sale.[33]
↑ The concert in Montreal on 8 September 1999 was originally scheduled for 6 May 1999, but it was rescheduled due to René Angélil's illness.
↑ The concert in Montreal on 9 September 1999 was originally scheduled for 7 May 1999, but it was rescheduled due to René Angélil's illness.
↑ The concert in Quebec City on 11 September 1999 was originally scheduled for 4 May 1999, but it was rescheduled due to René Angélil's illness.
↑ The concert in Ottawa on 13 September 1999 was originally scheduled for 2 May 1999, but it was rescheduled due to René Angélil's illness.
↑ The concert in Toronto on 17 September 1999 was originally scheduled for 29 April 1999, but it was rescheduled due to René Angélil's illness.
↑ The concert in Toronto on 18 September 1999 was originally scheduled for 30 April 1999, but it was rescheduled due to René Angélil's illness.
↑ The concert in Buffalo on 20 September 1999 was originally scheduled for 16 April 1999, but it was rescheduled due to René Angélil's illness.
↑ The concert in Providence on 25 September 1999 was originally scheduled for 19 April 1999, but it was rescheduled due to René Angélil's illness.
↑ The concert in Columbus on 27 September 1999 was originally scheduled for 17 April 1999, but it was rescheduled due to René Angélil's illness.
↑ The concert in Omaha on 29 September 1999 was originally scheduled for 9 April 1999, but it was rescheduled due to René Angélil's illness. The concert benefited the Nebraska AIDS Project.[34]
↑ The concert in St. Louis on 3 October 1999 was originally scheduled for 14 April 1999, but it was rescheduled due to René Angélil's illness.
↑ Spethman, Betsy (1 September 1998). "Is Advertising Dead?". Promo. Penton Media, Inc. Archived from the original on 18 March 2010. Retrieved 24 July 2011.
↑ Pccoli, Sean (11 October 1998). "New Arena a Luxe Lair for More Than Hockey". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Fort Lauderdale, Florida. p.1F.
1 2 Helligar, Jeremy; Morton, Danielle; Miller, Sue (1 March 1999). "Family Matters". People. Archived from the original on 2 September 2011. Retrieved 24 July 2011.
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