88 replies to this topic

[Bellamy]

But she planned to take a break in 2009. So they have to do it in one year. I think they have too many dates in NA.

[Bellamy]

Scans from Journal de Québec, made by Love Heart.

[mirage]

if she plans on a tour again someday, she should do it easier...
maybe yeah just like madonna... returning a year later for some other countries or whatever haha

[destin139]

thanks for the translation and the scans

[Lou555]

Thomas, on Feb 7 2009, 12:46 PM, said:

In the past Celine when talked about returning to touring she said they wanted to do it slower and actually get to stay somewhere for a while and really see the place rather than just one day here and one day there. And on the whole they did this, especially in Europe where they based themselves for weeks at a time. But since the show got to the US, the schedule is much tougher due to the size of the place and the amount of shows they need to do so I guess now it's starting to take it's toll. I think if they had done the US leg the same way they did the European leg then they would have had a much more leisurely time, though at least they had Vegas to return to for some of the time which probably made it easier. I thought they would do it even slower actually, kinda like Rene mentioned about Madonna where she tours for a while then rests. I don't think 134 shows is necessarily too many if you take it easy and actually have some kind of life along the way.

I feel the same.   

I think they didn't know really what to expect either.  Céline had not tour for almost a decade and it's better to fill a smaller place than to have an empty house.  I think they were pleasantly surprise of how many people came to see Céline everywhere around the world.  Also in the 90's she did more shows in a week on a faster pace but I guess they were all younger   and only living and breathing showbusiness.  Hopefully for them, things have changed a little since RC's birth. I guess Céline(and René) thought that 3 shows a week would do it(less than in the 90's) but like Thomas said it's starting to take its toll.  

Personnally I think they're like everyone in that they make mistakes sometimes and try to learn from what they experienced. I have no problem with that.  On the contrary René has the humility to tell it to the world, I don't think everyone would have admitted that and told it.  He doesn't have to explain anything you know.

As for the way this tour came about, I also think it's interesting to see that they plan project around how they feel, where they are and what's happening in their life and what they want to experience and discuss it together(and with their team afterward I guess).  I think for Céline to want to make RC discover the world at this point, to be more with her mother who's getting old, to shake things up a little for herself by performing with her team in a less safe environment, to go and meet a new generation of fans that could not go to Vegas and to give something she felt exciting to the old ones like some of us ,...all of this and more, I understand why and how they felt it was the right thing to do.  I don't understand why it wouldn't be a good reason for them(René especially for his throat I think more than for Céline,s voice) to plan the tour the better he could around less harsh weather.  In the 90's they tried to plan one of the tour around golf opportunities.  Unfortunately it doesn't work as well as planned usually because touring is very hard and tiring.  But they're working so hard, why can't they give themself quality of life the best they can too.  
Personnally I never compare my life to theirs.    They're normal people   but with an extravagant life like Céline say. So they make decisions for their family reality and unusual day to day life and needs. But I guess the more they talk, the more they put themselves up for people's judgement.  But that's another choice they've made a long time ago and I respect that a lot.   That was my two cent.

Edited by Lou555, 07 February 2009 - 01:30 PM.

[Lou555]

Thanks for the scan!

On one of them "Un cadeau royal"(a Royal gift), they talk about what Céline gave to René for his birthday. What do you give to someone who can buy anything he wants they say.  Anyway, Céline gave René something to take care of his health, a stay in an Arizona clinic.  Apparently René had to loose some pounds being a little too heavy for his health(heart) and he did loose 8 pounds with their good program in Arizona(From 214 pounds to 206).  It's all mathematic he says, you can eat many things you like but they count the calories.  René had been to almost every Céline concert since the beginning of this tour(the first 10 months) but by recommandation of his doctor he had to lower the pace of his professional activities and rest a little.  So he didn't attend every other shows done by Céline and didn't attend for two weeks in a row at one point.  These days he still has a personal trainer and has to take care of his health.

I thought it would be of interest for those who can't read those previous scanned articles in French.

Edited by Lou555, 07 February 2009 - 02:55 PM.

[CSCfan]

Thanks for the translation!

Hope it shots down all those rumours about him not looking good/lost too much weight/health problems...

[celine4evauk]

CSCfan, on Feb 7 2009, 08:56 PM, said:

Thanks for the translation!

Hope it shots down all those rumours about him not looking good/lost too much weight/health problems...

I think he looks great considering everything he's been through!!

[Lou555]

Other articles scanned up there :

Passion Poker : English resumé
About his poker passion he says he learned from the best of them when they were in Vegas : Gus Hansen and Phil Evey.  Of course, he admits he paid to learn(loosing he meant) with an eloquent smile on his face..but I learned he said.  During the tour he has played in Monte Carlo, Paris, Berlin and Holland.  When he can not find players to play with, he plays on the web but he doesn't play for big money because it does not trust it very much.  Apparently he has left those big money games and concentrates himself to play in small and big tournements.  When he played at the big 100,000$ tournement where he won more than 1 and a half million, he also played another one next to that for 100$.  It's like when I play golf with my friend Michel Bergeron, we bet 20 dollars but will make myself perform the same as if it was for 1,000$.  When asked what are his secrets for the game of poker, what it takes to perform well?  He says : luck, patience and being able to bluff(you can't win a big game if you don't at least win a big one by bluffing).


Une tournée payante : English resumé
In another article scanned René respond about a money question, which he rarely does apparently.  He says the Billboard numbers reported are only for U.S. dates.  For the whole tour, he says Pollstar are not very far from the truth.

But a lot more than money talk, René prefers talking about great moments he experienced during the tour with René-Charles.  In Australia for example they played golf with each other(father and son) every day of their stay.  Their recent trip to Disney World, a gift for his son's birthday, is also a wonderful family moment for him.  His bound to his son is very palpable the journalist said.  "Before, I spent evenings playing poker and now I'm anxious to come home to my son" said the happy father who's phone tone is one of his son singing.

On the last one "Délire autour de la Diva" a journalist witnessed the great crowd reaction on tour for Céline's shows, in this case on her recent Miami show.

Enough for now,     I guess you have most of it now.  Have a good read!(Bonne Lecture!)

Edited by Lou555, 07 February 2009 - 04:11 PM.

[René 2]

We also learn that Celine won't play La Callas... too bad. It won't work, René only said.

[idroveallnight]

René 2, on Feb 7 2009, 04:55 PM, said:

We also learn that Celine won't play La Callas... too bad. It won't work, René only said.

Why though?  I thought this was her next step??

[ce-line]

Thank you!
This was indeed an exciting interview!

[Lou555]

idroveallnight, on Feb 7 2009, 05:03 PM, said:

René 2, on Feb 7 2009, 04:55 PM, said:

We also learn that Celine won't play La Callas... too bad. It won't work, René only said.

Why though?  I thought this was her next step??

René just said "it won't work".  Does it mean that it won't work "for now" or it won't work at all? It remains to be seen, it's not very clear.

Edited by Lou555, 07 February 2009 - 04:23 PM.

[Timster]

I love that picture of Rene being a conductor lol!

[martele]

Quote

On one of them "Un cadeau royal"(a Royal gift), they talk about what Céline gave to René for his birthday. What do you give to someone who can buy anything he wants they say. Anyway, Céline gave René something to take care of his health, a stay in an Arizona clinic. Apparently René had to loose some pounds being a little too heavy for his health(heart) and he did loose 8 pounds with their good program in Arizona(From 214 pounds to 206). It's all mathematic he says, you can eat many things you like but they count the calories. René had been to almost every Céline concert since the beginning of this tour(the first 10 months) but by recommandation of his doctor he had to lower the pace of his professional activities and rest a little. So he didn't attend every other shows done by Céline and didn't attend for two weeks in a row at one point. These days he still has a personal trainer and has to take care of his health.

I remember reading about such a clinic in the past in My Story, My Dream... I can't tell where in the book but it sounds familiar to me.

[RLAAMJR.]

That's not really too many since a lot of people really bought tickets to watch her shows.  

[ThisTime]

RLAAMJR., on Feb 7 2009, 04:12 PM, said:

That's not really too many since a lot of people really bought tickets to watch her shows.  

It was too many for Celine. She's gotten sick and I'm sure she's probably really tired by now. She is overworking herself. They didn't mean it was too many for us.

[Jacqui]

martele, on Feb 8 2009, 09:54 AM, said:

Quote

On one of them "Un cadeau royal"(a Royal gift), they talk about what Céline gave to René for his birthday. What do you give to someone who can buy anything he wants they say. Anyway, Céline gave René something to take care of his health, a stay in an Arizona clinic. Apparently René had to loose some pounds being a little too heavy for his health(heart) and he did loose 8 pounds with their good program in Arizona(From 214 pounds to 206). It's all mathematic he says, you can eat many things you like but they count the calories. René had been to almost every Céline concert since the beginning of this tour(the first 10 months) but by recommandation of his doctor he had to lower the pace of his professional activities and rest a little. So he didn't attend every other shows done by Céline and didn't attend for two weeks in a row at one point. These days he still has a personal trainer and has to take care of his health.

I remember reading about such a clinic in the past in My Story, My Dream... I can't tell where in the book but it sounds familiar to me.

Yeah I remember reading about it in the book, too. Well, I hope he's ok and that he takes care of his health.
It doesn't sound like a very fun Birthday gift though!

[Koolan]

How surprising it's Celine that decied to tour.

Great work, Louise. Thanks for taking the time to translate for the non-Francophone speakers.

[Lou555]

idroveallnight, on Feb 7 2009, 05:03 PM, said:

René 2, on Feb 7 2009, 04:55 PM, said:

We also learn that Celine won't play La Callas... too bad. It won't work, René only said.

Why though?  I thought this was her next step??

I read the second scan again and it says that even the movie project on Callas with producer Denise Robert is "postponed".
It was to be expected, she's taking a break now.  We'll see what the future brings...I hope she does that movie.

[CSCfan]

Koolan, on Feb 8 2009, 04:04 AM, said:

How surprising it's Celine that decied to tour.

OK, why is it so surprising?? We already knew it was Céline's decision to go on tour...  
It was she who came up with the idea, she just said it was because she couldn't slow down and wanted her mother to show the world, etc. but it was still her idea... and now René just confirms that (and giving another reason)..

[celine81]

I love articles like this!! Very frank and real!!. I'm just gonna go check out Vegas flight prices for 2010........

PS Enjoy your very much deserved break Céline!! x

[I Surrender]

thanks for posting. Interesting read.

[Petya]

Thanks very much for the translation and the scans. Auuuu, Rene has new glasses
Lou, you couldn't say it better! That's exactly what I was thinking when I started to read the topic. It's not so big surprise Celine suggested that tour. Hey, she loves what she is doing, she loves contact with people and places. And she was stuck in one place for 5 years! Maybe she felt like with a rope on her neck, caged there for years. Maybe she missed the "old times" touring around with 200 concerts per year, despite the pressure and the exhaustion. Yes, it is too much, yes, you get tired, yes, you want to stop. And when you stop, it's ok, you are happy, everything's fine. Then comes a time when you turn back and you remember only the good memories...and then you say:I want that again! Well, maybe she had that hunger for touring and didn't remember how exhausting it actually was. And they were too optimistic with these 134 shows. But it's almost over now, and I hope she'll have a nice vacation, she'll relax and get hungry again And I don't think the only reason for touring is the house, if I can call it so Well, maybe it is the occasion, but not the reason. She could have stayed somewhere with the family and take a break or just travel the world with Rene, Rene-Charles and mama. But no, she did it singing. That's why I think it's not such a surprise that she suggested it.
P.S. I PRAY for Callas!!!

Edited by Petya, 08 February 2009 - 09:12 AM.

[Lizzy]

Lou555, on Feb 8 2009, 02:20 AM, said:

idroveallnight, on Feb 7 2009, 05:03 PM, said:

René 2, on Feb 7 2009, 04:55 PM, said:

We also learn that Celine won't play La Callas... too bad. It won't work, René only said.

Why though?  I thought this was her next step??

I read the second scan again and it says that even the movie project on Callas with producer Denise Robert is "postponed".
It was to be expected, she's taking a break now.  We'll see what the future brings...I hope she does that movie.

Me too and thanks for the translation  

[Frozen_Phoenix]

Hmm, I don't know, somehow it's a weird interview.
The reason for touring also sounds a bit selfish don't you think?
"Hey, Rene, our house is not done yet, so what can we do? Let's just go on tour"

I also confirms what I read more and more often about Celine, this whole "Everything is so hard for us" thing.
Guys, she earned very much money with those concerts and of course that's stressfull but still there is just so much money involved.
Also this remark about the "horrible" stage in Las Vegas that made her"suffer so much".
Come on, she's not fifty and again, she earned a fortune with her Las Vegas Shows.
I somehow feel arrogance in those words.
I love Celine, I really do but still this interview is strange.

1,5 years break, well she could at least release one single or something in the meantime just like she did with Garou.

[Lou555]

Frozen_Phoenix, on Feb 8 2009, 01:45 PM, said:

Hmm, I don't know, somehow it's a weird interview.
The reason for touring also sounds a bit selfish don't you think?
"Hey, Rene, our house is not done yet, so what can we do? Let's just go on tour"

I also confirms what I read more and more often about Celine, this whole "Everything is so hard for us" thing.
Guys, she earned very much money with those concerts and of course that's stressfull but still there is just so much money involved.
Also this remark about the "horrible" stage in Las Vegas that made her"suffer so much".
Come on, she's not fifty and again, she earned a fortune with her Las Vegas Shows.
I somehow feel arrogance in those words.
I love Celine, I really do but still this interview is strange.

1,5 years break, well she could at least release one single or something in the meantime just like she did with Garou.

I can't believe I'm reading this.  Maybe it's my translation that did this but believe me it's not about complaining here, not at all.   If there is people that never complain, it's them, sorry I don't agree on this AT ALL!.  
They had a great time on tour and they have said it time and time again in many other interviews. They do not need to explain why they do this or that but they stilll do and when I read quick judgement like yours, it makes me regret that I translated that.  It seems to be all about money for you.  It seems like people with celebrity and money make some people envious and therefore they are never welcome to speak their mind truthfully because some want to believe that it's THE perfect life.(maybe a dreamy life for themself).  There is no such thing has a perfect life and Céline and René know they are privileged people but they never tried to embelish reality.  At home for journalist they always go a little bit more intimate because they know that most people always think they work too much and we're very protective of Céline's health and René's too.  But they're sincere and open people that don't always say superficial things in that superficial world of showbizz. Céline and René could have gone on vacation for a year easily like others already said or six months and then lived in Montréal and then vacation again and so on...but they like to work(and they surely don't need too for money) and for Céline to go on tour after those 5 years in Vegas can't be more far from being selfish, geeez!!!, I can't believe this.

Of course they have earned money, and in their case it's big money, so what?  Does it mean that all they should do is shut up, work, work, work, take the money and always smile cuz of it... They don't need the money anymore and Céline surely don't choose what she wants to do because of how much money she will gain from it.  I think sometimes people look at Céline and René's life through their own needs and wishes which is a wrong thing to do imo.

The "horrible" stage is a FACT and that's why it's not there anymore. So what they thought was a great idea at the beginning became a five year nightmare for everybody including the dancers. So, I'm glad she shared it so no one will have to try that again without knowing how it feels. To admit that this stage was a wrong idea is not complaining to me, it's called having the humility to tell it like it is and alert others who found it spectacular visually how costly it was physically.
If you want to look at their life through pink glasses it's your choice but it's not realistic.  Personnally I feel privilege to have followed their journey having them telling us things like they experienced them, good and bad, like down to earth people they were and still are.  If Céline comes across to you as a someone who's always complaining, maybe you read too many of those tabloid or something...     It's so....Anymay again I couldn't disagree more. I'm glad that comments like yours never prevented them from remaining truthfull and sincere about what they experienced in this "beautiful world"   of showbusiness.  I don't know myself of others that are more hard working and passionnate people in what they do and that know so well how privilege they are and are very grateful for what they have.

Sorry for the long post again but judging our Céline through     makes me mad.

Edited by Lou555, 08 February 2009 - 02:56 PM.

[calle]

Gosh must say im also quite shocked after reading that - Celine is FAR from ARROGANT and SELFISH. She could never be either!!  She is the most kind hearted and beautiful person.  This is her life and she loves performing, she even said in an interview over here in SA, that if she had to stop performing after 5 years in vegas that she would get sick.. But she does deserve a break, at least a year or so, and of course we will miss her, but as long as we know she is happy :-)

xxx

[calle]

Hey frozen phoenix... was just thinking about what u said, do u maybe think that the interview is not that true or do u think Celine is like that?  Im sure the interview is valid and is what Rene said, and Celine is not being selfish at all.

[Frozen_Phoenix]

Oh my god, calm down.
I am not an ignorant person who believes that Celine's Life is only wonderful and I also do not envy her or anything like that.
She has the greatest voice on this planet and she deserves every single dollar she gets but still I never read such stuff
from Madonna or Cher for example. Those people also tour or toured and especially Madonnas shows are far more exhausting than Celine's.
Half of Celine's tour was not live anyway, so the shows themselves could have been much harder for her.