Celine Dion paid a moving tribute to her late husband, Rene
Angelil, during her return to the Las Vegas stage on Tuesday night.
The superstar singer’s tribute opened with a lovingly
crafted video montage of moments from Rene’s life, including adorable pics from
his childhood, snaps and video showing the doting dad with his beloved
children, footage from his wedding to Celine, and video clips of precious
moments the couple shared together.
Then, the curtain to the stage at Caesar Palace’s The
Colosseum opened to reveal Celine standing there. Immediately, the crowd
gave her a standing ovation and greeted her with warm cheers.
PHOTOS: Superstar Celine Dion!
After a momentary pause, the superstar entertainer launched
into “With One More Look at You,” which she performed beautifully,
her voice breaking just occasionally. “Are you watching me now?” was
the last lyric in the song, and as she received another standing ovation,
Celine was clearly emotional, wiping away tears.
When she addressed the crowd, Celine shared details about
what her life was like with Rene, who was her husband, who had been her manager, and who attended most of her shows.
READ: Celine Dion’s Husband, Rene Angelil, Dies Following Cancer Battle
“People thought that I was looking at him actually, but
I didn’t need to because every time I [closed] my eyes I felt Rene on stage
with me. Whether he was seated in his seat right there, in the balcony,
backstage, or at home with the kids, he’s always been on stage with me and
nothing will ever change that,” she said, choking up. “Rene always
surrounded me with the very best people possible. I trusted him so much that I
never really had the chance to worry about anything. Now, I guess it is only a
natural impulse to constantly question myself. Would he let the kids play with
these toys and, ‘Is this song too fast, is this song too slow? Don’t talk too
much.’ It is pretty amazing that since he’s… physically no longer with me, he
is even more present.”
Celine also talked about the love that the couple shared,
and how despite his death, he is ever present in her life.
“We were one, and nothing has changed. We will always
be one, you know?” she said. “I may not hear his voice yet, but I
talk to him, I think of him all the time. I feel and I know he hears me. One
way or another, I know he will give me a sign for his approval or not and now,
I can feel that he’s telling me to zip it and start singing.”
After a tribute to Rene in French, Celine launched back into
song, performing, “Where Does My Heart Beat Now?”
Rene died on January 14 after a battle with throat cancer.
Celine returned to the stage on Tuesday night after taking several weeks off
following her husband’s death.
— Jolie Lash
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