Beijing 2008 cancelled

[Xpresso]

There is a whole lot more than protecting Celine's voice... Politics always ruin everything!!

I feel sorry for the people organizing the tour, and for Céline and René who must get stressed out with this kind of issues...

Edited April 2, 2008 at 01:26 PM by Xpresso

[Filine]

I don't think it's a rumor Bellamy, it's now on celinedion.com too...

[JessCC]

Hmm.... Couldn't secure an indoor venue, that's why it was cancelled? Hmm.....

[Bellamy]

They didn't say it's because of selling tickets broke Chinese government rules.

Beijing Show Cancelled Due To Difficulties Securing Venue

April 2 , 2008

 

Contrary to earlier reports, Celine Dion is not cancelling her Beijing concert because of sandstorms.

 

Due to some difficulties in securing the appropriate venue, organizers for Celine's Beijing concert announced that the show originally scheduled to take place on April 13th, has now been cancelled. The original site for the concert was Worker's Stadium, however after further review it was decided that an indoor venue might be more suitable. A few sites were contemplated, however, nothing could be organized on such short notice. With time running out before the event date, a decision was made to re-schedule the show for another time in the future. Ms. Dion, who will still visit Beijing on Saturday April 12th to make an appearance on her friend, Yang Lan's TV show, issued the following statement. "I'm really sorry that things couldn't be worked out for the concert in Beijing. I was really looking forward to it. I'm excited about visiting the city and appearing on Lan's show. At least I will get a chance to visit Beijing and continue to make plans for a future concert". The April 11th Shanghai Stadium concert will be held as scheduled. Patrons holding tickets for the Beijing show may obtain a refund by calling the Emma Ticket National Hotline, 400-707-9999, or by visiting the Emma Ticket office at the North Gate of Workers Stadium.

 

TeamCeline ticket holders will be contacted by email for ticket refund.

I do can understand there's no way for them to accommodate 60K people inside an indoor stadium.

 

 

And I got this email:

Dear Fan:

 

Due to problems with securing the appropriate venue, Celine's concert in Beijing, which was scheduled to take place on April 13 2008, has been cancelled.

 

TeamCeline tickets purchased for this concert will be automatically refunded.

 

If you have further questions, please contact customer service at tix@musictoday.com.

 

We apologize for the inconvenience.

 

TeamCeline Management

[CSCfan]

April 3, 2008

Celine Dion in China concert confusion

 

To be frank, we were kind of hoping that we wouldn't have to do a whole post about Celine Dion on Shanghaiist, but then this article from China Daily struck us as somewhat odd and we felt we should share our cynicisms with you.

 

Here's what China Daily reported yesterday:

 

The highly anticipated Celine Dion show on April 13 in Beijing might be canceled because the singer is suffering from a throat infection.

 

What's so odd about that you ask? (No, it's not the 'highly anticipated' comment). Well, she's scheduled to perform in Shanghai on April 11th. There has been no mention of postponing or cancelling the Shanghai show, so how does she know that she will have a throat infection two days after appearing in Shanghai? We know that Beijing doesn't have the greatest air quality in the world, but last time we checked Shanghai wasn't doing too well in those stakes either.

 

Anyway, after a big of digging we found Reuters were reporting somewhat different reasons for the cancellation:

 

Canadian pop superstar Celine Dion's April 13 Beijing concert has been cancelled because the organizers failed to obtain a permit despite selling thousands of tickets, local media reported.

 

The [singer's] spokesman said the real reason for the cancellation was that the concert's organizer "had sold more than 10,000 tickets, having not carried out the approval process," the Beijing Evening News said on Tuesday, citing a statement from the spokesman.

 

An official in the department involved in event approvals at the culture ministry said on Wednesday that Dion's Beijing concert had been approved.

 

So it looks like Emma have been Taking Chances with ticket sales, but the Culture Ministry are still saying it's going ahead. All very strange. Maybe the Culture Ministry, like us, were just really freaked out by the photo on Dion's promotional posters and have decided to cancel the concerts to protect the innocent?

 

To be honest, right now no-one seems entirely sure what is happening. Over at Shanghai Daily the plot thickens. They reckon that everyone's favourite Canadian diva will be belting out her tunes in Kuala Lumpur on the 13th and that those who have already bought tickets for the Beijing show will not only receive a full refund, but will also get two complimentary tickets to the Super Moto GP from a rather embarassed Emma. Shanghaiist wonders what the cross-over audience for Celine Dion and the Super Moto GP is but, more to the point, we also wonder what the hell is going on.

 

As we told you earlier, government officials are becoming increasingly jumpy about foreign performers coming to China following Bjork's "whispers" in Shanghai and some people are suggesting that this could be behind the farcical mess that Dion and Emma seem to have got themselves into — with the Culture Ministry suspecting some sort of union among female singers from cold countries.

 

Then again, in the government's defence, you have to go a long way to find a more controversial and politicised performer than Celine Dion — Shanghaiist has always felt 'My Heart Will Go On' to essentially be a call to arms.

[

Shanghaiist]

 

 

Wow....this is shaping up to be a true detective !

[zmilez]

Wow....this is shaping up to be a true detective !

 

 

can't agree more...

[Bellamy]

I can't find the need of post the same things in another topic which is solely about Shanghai concert now. Posts moved to right topic.

 

BTW, seems some people are very happy and even giggling about the Beijing concert cancellation. I can't understand why it's so funny to them.

[Filine]

three different explanations about 1 cancellation, what are they hiding

[Bellamy]

three different explanations about 1 cancellation, what are they hiding

Could be anything, except funny.

[Filine]

No it's not funny, I know what it's like to be cancelled on...I think the smilies above are more meant as sarcasm Bellamy Edited April 3, 2008 at 11:04 AM by Filine

[CSCfan]

Yes they are Bellamy. Do you really think we find this funny? Of course not! This is one of the most terrible things that can happen to a fan, especially ones who have waited years for an artist to come to their country/city. But we can't be bitter all the time.. there's always a light at the end of everything.

[VinnyT.]

Italian press :

 

http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/1914/stampa03042008sw9.jpg

 

 

http://img530.imageshack.us/img530/2186/stampa103042008lj9.jpg

 

 

http://img530.imageshack.us/img530/561/stampa203042008rp8.jpg

[CSCfan]

Wow.... this is really world news!

 

It's also on the BBC now..

[JP]

Of course, they also talk about it on Flash in Quebec yesterday.

[Bellamy]

Perfect time to associate it with politics, poor Celine.

[JP]

Is Bjork is to blame in that story or the Chinese politic is REALLY strict.. I also read somewhere that some website are also block by the chinese governement!?

[CSCfan]

Oh there's definately censorship in China, but that's another topic....

[idroveallnight]

It seems like not enough planning has been put into this tour. In just 2 months after ending the most successful show in history she hops on a world tour wagon. It just didn't seem logical to me from the start...things like this require more preparation. I know Celine is a pro at this by now, but if there's even the slightest possibility that something may go wrong, than it definitely will. I know they have their reasons for canceling shows but I hope it's not because of the money (which it probably is). They just keep adding and adding more concert dates to this tour and I don't think they exactly realize what's in store for them. Just looking at the list of shows on celinedion.com seems exhausting. I hate to say it, but I wouldn't be surprised if many other shows are canceled down the road.

[Chula]

Why doesn't Rene hire the same organizer as the FIY or LTAL tour?

[superstarleash]

How long do you think it will be until a new date is announced?? I am guessing the show will probably be added at the conclusion of the tour in 2009? If this is true I DEFINITELY want to start saving up NOW to go to it.

 

It's just dreadful that there have been so many issues so early on in the tour. In honesty, I think Celine should have taken more of a break after Vegas. Atleast a good few months. She is quite the trooper..

[CSCfan]

René Angélil sur...

 

Un retour en Chine

 

«Quand elle va revenir, elle va sûrement faire Pékin plus trois autres villes.»

 

Le marché du disque (piraté) chinois

 

«Je n'ai pas vu de redevances dans nos derniers relevés qui venaient de la Chine. Je sais qu'on essaie de s'organiser. Sony-BMG a ouvert un bureau à Shanghai et à Pékin.»

 

L'intérêt du spectacle si on y vend peu de disques

 

«Le but, ce n'est pas de vendre des disques. C'est l'fun d'en vendre, mais le but d'une tournée, c'est de faire des spectacles pour les fans.»

 

Le déclin des ventes de disques

 

«On est affectés comme tout le monde. Tous les artistes vendent 70% de moins. Un disque qui se vendait à 10 millions d'exemplaires se vend à trois millions maintenant. Ça, c'est partout dans le monde.»

 

L'exposition universelle de Shanghai en 2010

 

«On aimerait pouvoir y contribuer, peu importe la manière.»

 

 

Rene Angélil on...

 

A return in China

 

"When it will return, it surely will make Peijing plus three other cities."

 

The market of the disc (pirated) Chinese

 

"I did not see royalties in our last statements which came from China. I know that one tries to organize oneself. Sony-BMG opened an office in Shanghai and Peijing."

 

Interest of the spectacle if one sells few discs to with it

 

"the goal, it is not to sell discs. It is the fun to sell some, but the goal of a round, it is to make spectacles for the fans."

 

Decline of the sales of discs

 

"One is affected like everyone. All the artists sell 70% less. A disc which was sold to 10 million specimens sells to three million now. That, it is everywhere in the world."

 

The World Fair of Shanghai in 2010

 

"One would like to be able to contribute to it, it does not matter the manner."

 

Seems they are already planning a return....

Edited April 13, 2008 at 08:53 PM by CSCfan

[CSCfan]

Celine Dion on the Olympics, the dreams of children and world peace

 

Celine Dion, who sang Power of the Dream for the Atlanta Olympics in 1996, airs her thoughts on the sh*t surrounding the Olympics in an interview right after her concert:

 

I'm not a politician, but I don't think it's about politics either. We're talking about Olympics. We're talking about hardworking people. We're talking about young kids who have dreams, and I think we should give them a chance to go on with their dreams. Let's reunite the whole world together and make it a peaceful moment and event.

 

Simply inspirational.

 

Yang Lan (of Sun TV fame), also cleared up some of the earlier controversy surrounding Celine Dion's cancelled Beijing concert and clarified that the Workers' Stadium, which Dion was looking at performing in, is an Olympic venue and currently undergoing some final checks and therefore could not be made available to public events. Other available venues in Bejing, however, were not able to meet Celine Dion's requirements and hence, the concert was cancelled.

[Bellamy]

That reason is quite close to the truth that I know of.

[superstarleash]

I still don't understand at all. This is all very confusing. Can someone please put this in lamens terms?