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• Live “It’s the concert of our lives”: in Paris, Celine Dion fans flock to the opening of the doors of the venue
After two weeks of rehearsals at the Plénitude Arena in Nanterre, the Quebec star is preparing to return to the stage on Saturday evening, after six years of absence and a memorable appearance at the opening of the Olympic Games.
What you need to know
It's D-Day. Céline Dion returns to the light, Saturday September 12, at 7:30 p.m., for the first concert of a Parisian residency with worldwide resonance. Fans' impatience has been felt since his arrival in Paris on August 28. She left her hotel early Saturday afternoon with her son René-Charles, to go to the Plénitude Arena in Nanterre, near Paris, where she will perform in a series of 16 concerts, until October 17, in front of a large, fervent audience, sometimes from far away.
Fans begin to enter the concert hall. Just before, our journalist met them. “It’s the concert of our lives,” declared Estelle, who came from Montpellier, with her friend Sabrina. A Norman couple spent almost 4,000 euros to attend Céline Dion's first concert in Paris. Leslie and her beautiful daughter Manon, 15, have just arrived from Reims: "We are very happy to be there for the premiere. Nothing has leaked, it will be a total surprise." Follow our live stream.
Thirty thousand people expected each evening. The first female artist to fill the Stade de France, in June 1999, Céline Dion knows how to control her communication, letting nothing leak out about what she is preparing for her 16 concerts in September and October – before 10 others in May – at the Plénitude Arena in Nanterre (Hauts-de-Seine), on the outskirts of the capital, a venue which will welcome around 30,000 people at each concert.
Hard to get places. Obtaining a ticket was an obstacle course for fans, between multiple pre-sales, endless virtual queues and prices of several hundred euros, prohibitive for many budgets.
Unprecedented economic benefits. In a format never before seen in Paris, his residence, produced by AEG, one of the American entertainment giants, promises significant economic benefits, direct and indirect (hotels, restaurants, merchandising, etc.), by attracting international tourists, including many Canadians.
Marianne Leroux
franceinfo 0 sec ago
#CELINE_DION Many journalists cover Céline Dion's first concert in Paris. Among them are Belgians, Swiss and above all… Canadians.
(MARIANNE LEROUX / FRANCEINFO)
franceinfo
0 seconds ago
#CELINE_DION A Norman couple spent almost 4,000 euros to attend Celine Dion's first concert in Paris. “I’ve never done concerts, the only one I wanted to do was Céline so I bought my credit card, I couldn’t miss that,” confides Richard, 38 years old. The two men are not yet queuing to enter the room since they have the VIP pack which includes a meal at the Billy Billy restaurant which is opposite the room: “We take our time, we take advantage of this suspended moment.”
(MARIANNE LEROUX / FRANCEINFO)
Marianne Leroux
franceinfo 0 sec ago
#CELINE_DION It’s 6 p.m. The first fans approach the entrances to pass the search and gain access to the room. Some are dressed to the nines, others in business attire. Men, women, from 7 to 77 years old.
Marianne Leroux
franceinfo 0 sec ago
#CELINE_DION Just opposite the room, the Billy Billy terrace is full. Gaëlle and Anne-Sophie finish their drinks before jumping into the queue. “We are placed so we are not in a hurry,” confide the two Breton women. “We enjoy the outdoor atmosphere and the good weather.”
(MARIANNE LEROUX / FRANCEINFO)
franceinfo
0 seconds ago
#CELINE_DION "It's the concert of our lives" declares Estelle, who came from Montpellier, with her friend Sabrina. The two thirty-somethings get ready and put on makeup while waiting for the doors to open.
(MARIANNE LEROUX / FRANCEINFO)
Response from franceinfo
0 seconds ago
In 30 minutes, the 30,000 fans will be able to enter the Plénitude Arena. The concert starts at 8 p.m.
(MARIANNE LEROUX / FRANCEINFO)
Marianne Leroux
franceinfo 0 sec ago
#CELINE_DION Some fans are lucky, others a little less: they didn't get the grail. Diana Da Diva has been looking for a place for a month by making videos on Instagram to challenge the star: "It didn't work so I'm trying again today in front of the VIP entrance, you never know..." If she doesn't get one this evening, she will return every concert evening until October 17.
(MARIANNE LEROUX / FRANCEINFO)
Response from Marianne Leroux
franceinfo 0 sec ago
This is what it looks like on social networks:
Playfulness
0 seconds ago
#CELINE_DION In all innocence, can you just explain to me WHY you give so much importance to Céline Dion, as if it were the goddess Athena who honored us with her arrival?…
Response from Pierre Godon
franceinfo 0 sec ago
@Espiéglerie Quite simply because he is a global superstar who is making his return after six years of absence in Paris. His previous performance, at the top of the Eiffel Tower during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, moved the whole world. The only star with whom we could compare is Michael Jackson who announced a return in 2009 in London, a few months before his death, generating global interest. As I often say, just because information doesn't interest you doesn't mean it doesn't exist. And it seems to me that there is enough information on other subjects for you to find what you are looking for in this live ;-)
franceinfo
0 seconds ago
#CELINE_DION Karaokes are organized in front of the room. Fans sing and dance to the rhythm of the Quebec star's biggest hits. The tension is rising, one hour before the opening of the Plenitude Arena.
franceinfo
0 seconds ago
#CELINE_DION Célinemania is also gaining ground on the second-hand market. In Paris, derivative products around the Quebec star are being snapped up. On the online shopping platform Leboncoin, there were 7,000 Celine Dion searches last week.
Marianne Leroux
franceinfo 0 sec ago
#CELINE_DION There are already many fans in front of the concert hall. Leslie and her daughter-in-law Manon, 15, have just arrived from Reims. “We are very happy to be there for the premiere. Nothing has leaked, it will be a total surprise.” They made a list of 12 songs they would like to hear tonight, including Pour que tu m'aimes encore and I'm Alive: "We hope to check them all off."
(MARIANNE LEROUX / FRANCEINFO)
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