Celine Dion wowed thousands of adoring fans for the opening day of the British Summer Time festival in London’s Hyde Park, performing well-known hits spanning more than three decades in the music business.
The Canadian chart-topper was the headline act for the first of five major concerts in the capital, a month after closing her second Las Vegas residency at the famous Caesars Palace hotel.
Attendees cheered as the 51-year-old launched with Jennifer Rush’s The Power Of Love, which she covered in 1993.
The Grammy Award winner also took to the stage with titles including I’m Alive, Because You Love Me, Think Twice and All By Myself.
“We are so excited to be with you this evening in beautiful Hyde Park and you are looking incredible,” she told the crowds.
“You know, we’ve always loved coming to the UK and doing shows here – but this is extra, extra special for us tonight.”
The singer concluded her show visibly emotional as she performed Titanic soundtrack My Heart Will Go On, before calling for peace and harmony as she finished with John Lennon’s Imagine.
“If I may, I would love to leave with this message of peace and harmony in the best way that I can,” she said.
Dion, who is preparing for the release of a new album in November and will embark on her Courage World Tour from September, performed after Josh Groban, Claire Richards, Jazz Morley, The Adelaides, Alice Chater and Kerri Watt.
Her set also consisted of cover performances of Prince’s Kiss and Purple Rain, Tina Turner hit River Deep, Mountain High, as well as one of her French singles Pour Que Tu M’Aimes Encore.
Stevie Wonder will headline the show on Saturday, supported by Lionel Richie, Lianne La Havas and Corinne Bailey Rae, ahead of Barbra Streisand on Sunday, Florence + The Machine on July 13, and Robbie Williams on July 14.
