Dion’s show still one of the Strip’s best

Friday, Oct. 1, 2004 | 8:47 a.m.

Eighteen months ago Celine Dion debuted in the $95-million, 4,000-seat Colosseum showroom, garnering mixed reviews and raising questions about whether Caesars Palace had invested wisely in the international superstar from Canada.

Turns out the gamble was not such a foolish bet after all.

Dion's quasi-concert, quasi-production show, "A New Day ...," created and directed by the incredibly gifted Franco Dragone, continues to play before capacity audiences who pay between $85 and $225 for a seat.

According to a financial report released by Caesars, the flow of traffic through the casino generated by Dion -- and her fill-in, Elton John -- has played a major role in increasing the venue's income by as much as $100,000 per day.

It's little wonder that her three-year contract, reportedly worth $100 million, has been extended an extra year. She is now scheduled to perform at the Colosseum until 2007.

There have been a few changes since her premiere in March 2003 -- none of them especially dramatic. The production is still filled with the surrealistic whimsy for which Dragone (creator of "O" and "Mystere" for Cirque du Soleil) is noted.

"A New Day ..." remains visually busy. So much is going on it's impossible to take it all in during one visit. The props are wonderfully creative, with giant musical instruments floating through the air, trees growing out of the stage and a man's head evolving into a rose.

The videos on a giant LED screen are awesome, with planets floating through space; the creation of an Italian village; doves flying into clouds; an image of Broadway and the creation of a Gothic scene.

Two recurring characters continue to be threads throughout the production, one a bellhop, the other a bald man dressed in white.

The show makes better use of the 22,450-square-foot stage and the LED screen behind it. When the show premiered, Dion was dwarfed by the enormity of the space. Now, during certain numbers, the size is reduced by some visual effects -- her image is projected more on the screen, and during one number the stage is dark but for a narrow beam from a spotlight that focuses on her.

Dion's costumes have improved greatly, thanks to new designs by Christian Dior and Emanuel Ungaro. Her attire is more becoming, as is her hair. When the show debuted Dion was shorn of her long, brown locks and sported an unflattering blonde 'do that made her look less than feminine -- but thanks to the help of extensions, she is back to her old young self again.

In the original version of the production, Dion did some flying. That has been scrapped, although during one number a couple of angels swing through the air while the chanteuse keeps her feet firmly planted on the ground.

There is a constant flow of dancers enhancing Dion's 22 songs.

Dion still does some tribute numbers in the middle of the show, including songs by Etta James ("At Last"), Peggy Lee ("Fever") and Frank Sinatra ("I've Got the World on a String"). Her final number of the evening is Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World."

The show wouldn't be the same without "My Heart Will Go On," the Academy Award-winning theme song from the 1997 film "Titanic."

Two weeks ago Dion was forced to cancel several shows after performing at the World Music Awards at the Thomas & Mack Center. Her spokesman said smoke that was part of that production caused throat problems.

A week after the cancellation there didn't seem to be any residual effects from the ailment. Dion's voice had the same clear, powerful delivery for which she is admired.

As long as she continues to be one of the top attractions in Las Vegas, "A New Day ..." can be assured of "A New Contract ..." from Caesars.