Celine Dion Cancels More Vegas Shows On Doctor's Orders

LAS VEGAS -- Singer Celine Dion has canceled more shows at Las Vegas' Caesars Palace, citing a virus causing an inflammation of her vocal cords.

Christi Nelson, an official with show producer AEG Live, said Tuesday that the French-Canadian pop superstar has been ordered to rest her voice for six to eight weeks and will resume performances June 9.

"I tried to sing at my sound check last week, and I had no control of my voice whatsoever," Dion said in a statement. "We thought that after a few days' rest I would improve, but it wasn't getting any better."

Officials announced last weekend that Dion was canceling shows through March 3. On Monday, she was diagnosed with a viral illness and weakness in her right vocal cord by Dr. Gerald Burke, an authority in laryngeal physiology at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles.

The singer of romantic odes including "My Heart Will Go On" and "It's All Coming Back to Me Now" returned to Caesars Palace a year ago for a three-year engagement.

The Las Vegas Strip casino spent $95 million building the Colosseum for Dion in 2003, complete with a humidifier to protect her voice. After a five-year run at the casino, she embarked on a world tour and took time off for her family, giving birth to twin boys in 2010.

Tickets to the new show in Las Vegas sell for up to $250 apiece.

Dion said the doctor assured her she'll be "back to 100 percent" after resting her voice, but she said she's disappointed by the cancellations.

"Obviously this is the worst thing for a singer ... not being able to do your shows," she said. "I feel worse knowing that I'm disappointing my fans. I'm so sorry ... I hope they forgive me."

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Comments

[JediGoddess]

07:40 AM on 03/03/2012

Please singers today wish they had a quarter of Celine's talent. Comparing different types of singers from different genres is so silly and unimportant. If your going to get technical Celine far reaches almost all the talent we have today. However if most people on here act like adults and realize this isn't a contest and that different types of singers can co-exist then we will move forward.

[ztck5356]

10:45 PM on 03/02/2012

Some of the posts on here are so shocking. This woman has a virus. She is a human, we all get them. Middle School jealousy from would be adults hiding behind a computer.

Cowards and Bullies.

[lohengrin97]

12:37 PM on 03/02/2012

Adele is the new queen of MOR music.
It's time to retire for Carey, Dion and all the "sopranos".

[shawman65]

12:24 PM on 03/02/2012

Jeez, I thought she retired. Irrelevant..

[kuklamou]

07:18 PM on 03/01/2012

Get well soon. I have always enjoyed your performances.

[okaywhat]

09:46 AM on 03/01/2012

She has a great voice, like her songs!

[gosteelers]

09:35 AM on 03/01/2012

lot of stuff going around. get well soon.

[Howard53545]

06:31 AM on 03/01/2012

May be time to think about another line of work.

[casunley]

05:51 AM on 03/01/2012

See you in 2013 ( again lol ) love you Celine get well and rest xxxxx

[Scandinavisk]

05:49 AM on 03/01/2012

Mass-produced, long running Vegas/Bway-style shows and vocal wellness/hygiene simply do not mix (think Julie Andrews - voice trashed with long run of Victor Victoria on Bway...) and singers will eventually burn out. It´s the artists responsibility to keep artistic control and $ay no and schedule fewer singing engagements and allow for vocal rest in between performances. Basta.

[AnnikaD]

08:48 AM on 03/01/2012

She has a virus, not nodes.

[CheapTrick]

02:47 AM on 03/01/2012

Even if you find her music a bit grating, it's hard not to at least like a pop star who married for love, stayed married, gave up touring to raise a family and has never had a huge drug/alcohol/arrest scandal. For all the jokes people tell about her, she really does come across as a likable person.

And the story Kathy Griffin tells about meeting her back stage is hilarious and Celine comes off sounding really funny in it. In a good way.

[Ugonna]

08:26 AM on 03/01/2012

agreed!

[KC45]

02:09 AM on 03/01/2012

Get well soon, Celine.

[Nightangle]

01:47 AM on 03/01/2012

Celine Dion has always been a squeeky clean image - no drugs, scandals etc. AND SHE IS ALIVE. Sore throat well, it's serious for her - she is a singer with that special high pitch ability. But it's very treatable 6-8 weeks rest.

ALIVE AND WELL.

[Lefty88]

12:08 AM on 03/01/2012

I attended the 1999 concert she gave to open the Pepsi Center in Denver. This was in October, and the Columbine H.S. shootings took place in April. She did the gig for free, gave freebie front row seats to the families and victims, and had students from Columbine H.S. join her in a song on stage. It wasn't until later that I found out she'd actually raised/donated $500,000 for the victims' recovery as well.

That concert was emotional and healing on a level I'll never forget, and I'll always adore Celine for it.

[blinkthink]

09:23 PM on 03/01/2012

Thanks for passing that along. We need more of those stories.

[Lefty88]

10:42 PM on 03/01/2012

Thanks for responding. It was an amazing night.

If you'll permit me to tell one more story about it, I remember that the local news interviewed one of the Columbine survivors after the show -- you know, it might have been Patrick Ireland (the young man who pulled himself to the window and fell into the arms of rescuers after being shot). As the station aired footage of the young man hugging Celine during the concert and saying something in her ear, the reporter asked what it was he told her. He actually blushed, paused, and replied rather shyly... "I asked her to marry me."

[nypurplegirl]

12:03 AM on 03/01/2012

I hope Celine Dion will get well. I hope she will get back in to her singing. I love her a lot. She's very good. I always wish her well. XXOOXOXO