A New Day...
''A New Day...'' was the first concert residency by Canadian singer Celine Dion. The show premiered on March 25, 2003, at the 4,000-seat Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States, and concluded on December 15, 2007, after 717 performances.[1][2] Created and directed by Franco Dragone to support her album ''A New Day Has Come'' (2002), the production featured elaborate sets, lighting, and choreography, blending pop concert elements with theatrical spectacle.[3][4] It broke box office records, grossed over US$385 million, and is credited with revitalizing Las Vegas entertainment residencies.[2]Background and Development
Conception
The conception of A New Day... originated during Celine Dion's hiatus from performing following the birth of her son René-Charles in January 2001, a period when she questioned her return to the stage. Her husband and manager, René Angélil, envisioned a transformative Las Vegas residency that would redefine live entertainment, leveraging the city's evolving show landscape to create a bespoke production centered on Dion's vocal prowess integrated with theatrical spectacle.[5] This idea gained momentum after Dion attended a performance of O, the Cirque du Soleil aquatic show directed by Franco Dragone, during a family trip to Las Vegas; she was captivated by its innovative blend of music, visuals, and performance, declaring it the model for her comeback: "I saw the show ‘O’ and fell in love with it... If we come back in show business this is what I want."[6] Angélil moved swiftly to secure partnerships, approaching Caesars Palace, which committed to constructing a dedicated 4,000-seat venue, the Colosseum, at a cost exceeding $95 million, with AEG Presents investing an additional $150 million to support the production's ambitious scale.[2][7] Dragone, renowned for directing multiple Cirque du Soleil hits including O and Mystère, was recruited to helm the creative direction, aiming to craft a "live music video in three dimensions" that fused Dion's repertoire with acrobatics, projections, and elaborate staging.[5][3] Despite Dion's initial post-pregnancy fatigue, Angélil noted the project had progressed too far to abandon, solidifying the commitment to a three-year run starting in 2003.[6] The residency's groundwork aligned with Dion's musical return via her 2002 album A New Day Has Come, which served as a thematic precursor, emphasizing renewal and family—motifs echoed in the show's narrative arc of personal triumph and emotional depth.[5] This strategic buildup, combining Angélil's business acumen, Dion's artistic inspiration, and high-stakes collaborations, positioned A New Day... as a pivotal evolution in artist residencies, grossing over $400 million across its tenure.[2]Announcement and Negotiations
The negotiations for Celine Dion's Las Vegas residency began in the early 2000s, led primarily by her husband and manager, René Angélil, who sought to establish a long-term performance commitment following her two-year hiatus after the birth of their son in 2001. Angélil engaged in discussions with representatives from three major Las Vegas casinos, including Caesars Palace, as well as producers and creative talents such as Franco Dragone, the director of Cirque du Soleil's O, to craft a high-production show that would blend Dion's vocal performances with theatrical elements. These talks emphasized building a custom venue to accommodate an elaborate production featuring acrobats, dancers, and innovative stage effects, ultimately prioritizing Caesars for its willingness to invest in infrastructure.[8] By mid-2001, the negotiations culminated in an exclusive agreement with Caesars Palace, valued at approximately $100 million for Dion, including a base guarantee plus a share of profits, marking one of the largest deals in entertainment history at the time. The contract stipulated 200 performances per year—five nights a week—for a minimum of three years, starting in March 2003, with Dion forgoing other live concert commitments during the term to focus on the residency. Caesars committed to constructing a dedicated 4,000-seat theater, later named the Colosseum, at a cost of around $95 million, designed specifically for the show with optimal sightlines ensuring no seat was more than 120 feet from the stage.[9][10][11][12] The deal was publicly announced on May 17, 2001, through joint statements from Caesars Palace, promoter Concerts West (a subsidiary of AEG Live), and Sony Music, highlighting the residency's role in revitalizing Las Vegas entertainment post-9/11. Initial reports detailed the $45 million upfront compensation to Dion, though later disclosures confirmed the higher total value including profit shares and ancillary benefits like album tie-ins. To build anticipation, tickets went on sale May 23, 2002, with prices ranging from $87.50 to $150, and a major press conference was held that day at the under-construction Colosseum, attended by Dion, Angélil, Dragone, and Caesars executives, where details of the show's format were previewed.[13][14][15] This announcement positioned A New Day... as a landmark venture, with projections estimating $300 million in ticket sales over the initial run, and it set precedents for future artist residencies by integrating venue development, creative production, and merchandising into a single package. The negotiations also involved coordination with Sony Epic Records to release Dion's album A New Day Has Come in March 2002, one year before the premiere, allowing songs from it to anchor the set list.[13]Production
Venue and Design
The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada, served as the exclusive venue for Celine Dion's A New Day... residency, which premiered on March 25, 2003.[16] This state-of-the-art theater, constructed specifically to host the production, features a design inspired by ancient Roman architecture blended with modern theatrical elements, standing 120 feet high and 256 feet in diameter.[17] Attached directly to the Caesars Palace casino complex along the Las Vegas Strip, the venue was developed by Scéno Plus for Park Place Entertainment and completed in just 140 days using fast-track construction methods.[16] The theater accommodates over 4,000 patrons across three levels: 2,283 seats in the orchestra section, 745 in the first balcony, and 1,074 in the second balcony, providing unobstructed views from all positions.[17] Its circular layout optimizes acoustics in a showroom environment, with the stage elevated 8 feet above street level to accommodate the site's natural slope and featuring a sloped surface—angled like those in ancient Roman amphitheaters—to enhance sound projection and visibility of performers and set elements for the audience.[18] A dedicated microclimate system regulates ventilation and humidity to maintain ideal conditions for vocal performances, while the technical infrastructure includes 1,200 dimmers, 1,365 lighting fixtures (198 motorized), 139 speakers with 180 kW amplification, six video projectors, and motorized rigging for dynamic staging.[17] For A New Day..., the stage spans 22,450 square feet under a proscenium arch measuring 120 feet wide by 44 feet high, allowing for elaborate production elements without overwhelming the intimate focus on Dion's vocals.[16] Directed by Franco Dragone, the show's design emphasized theatrical innovation with sets by Michel Crète, lighting by Yves Aucoin, and costumes by Dominique Lemieux, incorporating a 36-by-24-meter performance area, an 11-piece band, 48 dancers, and a massive LED screen for immersive visuals.[4][19] The sloped stage further supported lighting designs by showcasing textures and details, contributing to the production's blend of concert and Cirque du Soleil-inspired spectacle.[20]Creative Team and Rehearsals
The creative team for A New Day... was led by director Franco Dragone, renowned for his work on multiple Cirque du Soleil productions including Mystère and O. Dragone, founder of the Franco Dragone Entertainment Group, conceptualized the show as a theatrical spectacle integrating music, dance, and acrobatics to complement Celine Dion's performance.[5][21] Choreography was handled by Mia Michaels, a prominent dance innovator known for her contemporary style, with assistance from Brian Burke, who joined in November 2002 as assistant choreographer and later became the resident choreographer and artistic coordinator.[22] The musical direction was overseen by Claude "Mego" Lemay, ensuring seamless integration of Dion's live vocals with the 11-piece band. Costume design was led by Dominique Lemieux, who created outfits blending elegance and theatrical flair, while set and projection content were designed by Michel Crète, incorporating dynamic visuals and aerial elements. Lighting design by Yves Aucoin provided atmospheric enhancements, supporting the show's intimate yet grand scale.[23] Rehearsals commenced in autumn 2002 in La Louvière, Belgium, at Dragone's studio facilities, where Dion relocated temporarily to collaborate with the team and approximately 60 dancers. This phase focused on developing the show's structure, choreography, and technical elements ahead of the Las Vegas transfer.[24][25] In early 2003, the production moved to the Colosseum at Caesars Palace for site-specific rehearsals, including a dress rehearsal on March 14 that was filmed for broadcast. These sessions refined the 90-minute show's pacing, aerial sequences, and audience interaction, culminating in the premiere on March 25, 2003.[26][27]Show Content
Format and Structure
"A New Day..." was initially structured as a 105-minute theatrical production that blended live vocal performances with elaborate visual and acrobatic elements, creating a multimedia spectacle in the 4,100-seat Colosseum at Caesars Palace.[4] Directed by Franco Dragone, the show eschewed a linear narrative in favor of thematic vignettes centered on love, emotion, and spectacle, integrating Dion's singing with projections, dancers, and aerial feats to evoke a "live music video in three dimensions."[3][4][28] Over its run, the format was shortened to approximately 90 minutes. The performance opened intimately with Dion at a solo piano for a subdued rendition of "Nature Boy," setting a tone of vulnerability before escalating into more dynamic segments. Early acts emphasized inventive staging, such as blooming trees, flying instruments, and a massive 34-by-110-foot high-definition screen displaying backdrops like a rotating moon with a meteor shower during "My Heart Will Go On."[4][28] These elements transitioned into mid-show sequences featuring acrobats floating above the stage, exotic costumes, and projections of urban scenes like Times Square or natural landscapes such as oceans and forests, all designed by visual directors Michel Crete and Dirk Decloedt.[4][28] As the show progressed, the structure shifted toward high-energy crowd-pleasers, incorporating choreography with a dozen dancers for upbeat numbers like "I Wish," styled in a "West Side Story"-inspired manner. Dion frequently engaged in aerial maneuvers, soaring 50 feet in a harness while performing ballads such as "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," enhancing the emotional intensity without overshadowing her vocals.[4][28] Costume changes punctuated key transitions, including a notable aerial bride sequence and a jester-themed interlude set to neo-classical music, maintaining a flow that balanced intimacy and grandeur across approximately 23 songs in early performances, with about half being major hits.[4][28] The production culminated in a medley of love-themed songs, including "What a Wonderful World" and "Je t’aime Encore," followed by Dion's spoken reflections on children and family, providing a sentimental close that reinforced the show's thematic core. Throughout, the format prioritized Dion's powerhouse delivery as the central anchor, with theatrical innovations serving to amplify rather than compete with the music, resulting in a cohesive yet evolving experience over its run.[4][28]Set List
The set list for A New Day... evolved over the course of the residency, which ran from 2003 to 2007. Early shows featured around 23 songs over 105 minutes, while later performances were shortened to around 18 songs in approximately 90 minutes, showcasing Celine Dion's vocal range through a mix of her major hits, dramatic ballads, upbeat tracks, classic covers, and selections in French.[4] Early performances, as captured in the 2004 live album A New Day… Live in Las Vegas, opened with the ethereal cover "Nature Boy" and included jazz standards like "At Last" and "Fever," emphasizing intimate arrangements.[29] By the later years, the show shifted to a more energetic opener with the title track "A New Day Has Come" from Dion's 2002 album, incorporating medleys of her hits and fan tributes to heighten the spectacle.[30] A representative set list from the 2007 filmed performance, which reflects the residency's mature format, is as follows:- A New Day Has Come
- The Power of Love (Jennifer Rush cover)
- It's All Coming Back to Me Now
- Because You Loved Me
- To Love You More
- I'm Alive
- I Drove All Night
- Seduces Me
- If I Could
- Pour Que Tu M'aimes Encore
- I Surrender
- Ammore Annascunnuto
- All the Way
- I've Got the World on a String (Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler cover)
- I Wish
- Love Can Move Mountains
- River Deep – Mountain High (Ike & Tina Turner cover)
- My Heart Will Go On