Celine Dion makes dazzling return to Sin City

(CBS/AP) Celine Dion has returned to the Las Vegas stage in a parade of sparkly dresses with thigh-hit slits, a stage full of trumpeters, violinists and drummers, and a special appearance by Stevie Wonder.

Video: Celine on a bigger family

The French-Canadian singer sang the very songs that made her a star, including the best-selling single "My Heart Will Go On" and "It's All Coming Back to Me Now," in her encore performance Tuesday night at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace. She also shared a pre-recorded duet with Wonder to his "Overjoyed."

"Was that neat or what?" Dion told the concert hall of more than 4,000 people as a hologram of Wonder faded from the stage.

There's much riding on this sequel performance. Dion recently gave birth to twin boys about five months ago and tends to an expanding family while trying to mirror or surpass her previous success in a city that had yet to pry itself free from the embrace of a brutal recession.

The brand new three-year production pays tribute to Old Hollywood, accompanied by a 31-year old orchestra dressing the stage and an entourage of guitarists, back-up singers, drummers and pianists, all clad in black tuxedos and gowns

Removed from the show were the Cirque du Soleil-style dancers and theatrics which would bring Dion into the air on a harness, during her previous five-year stint at Caesar's Palace which ended in 2007.

From Michael Jackson to James Bond to 'Mr. Paganini,' it's so different, and it's so classy, and it's fun," Dion told The Associated Press before the show. "Different flavor. Different colors of music."

The voice behind Ti performed hit songs made famous by Michael Jackson, Billy Joel and Ella Fitzgerald. There was also a mod homage to James Bond and a "Smooth Criminal" jam session.

A chandelier sparkled over the head of Dion during a performance of "Because You Loved Me." Smoke licked at Dion's heels during "All by Myself," and in a haunting mid-concert rendition of Jacques Brel's "Ne Me Quitte Pas," Dion tearfully contemplated the loss of a lover in her native French.

The concert hall swelled at the emotion. Tears slipped through women's eyes, cheered on their feet and wiped their eyes dry.

Gary Selesner, Caesars PalacepPresident, said executives initially questioned reopening the snow amid Nevada's current 14.2 percent unemployment rate, the highest in the nation. Caesars lost over $830 million last year or about $3.5 more than its net income in 2009.

In comparison to Nevada's 2003 unemployment rate of 5.2 percent, when Dion's first stint, "A New Day," opened in Vegas.

Despite the recession since, "people still want to see the big stars get on the stage and sing their hits," Selesner said.

In the opening performance, Dion stunned the crowd in a bedazzled white strapless gown and belted out Journey's "Open Arms" on a stage dressed in sheer curtains. As the chorus rapidly approached, the curtains came down to reveal the countless musicians positioned across the stage.

Late in the show, a video appeared with a stream of images of her oldest son blowing out his birthday candles, her twins being baptized at a Las Vegas church and performances by a younger Dion at the peak of her career.

Throughout the two-hour journey of her greatest hits, Dion, 42, appeared in seven different outfits mostly consisting of glittery details

The Grammy-winning singer paid tribute to the late Michael Jackson when she sung the hit song "Man in the Mirror." She said he attended a performance of "A New Day," then probed her about the experience.

He was probably interested in coming here and performing here," Dion said. "I really wanted to kind of sing a few of his songs to tell people how big of a loss that is for him to not be here any longer."

It had been previously expected that her new show would have began last June but due to five failed in-vitro fertilization attempts those plans were placed on hold. Last October, Dion gave birth to twin sons, Nelson and Eddy and quickly began rehearsing for the show as she continued to breastfeed the twins and care for her other son, Rene-Charles, 10, with help from her mother, sister and nanny.

In that time, Dion also squeezed in a performance at the 83rd Academy Awards last month, where she performed "Smile," during a tribute to fellow actors and actresses who had died.

"I didn't think I would be ready after this pregnancy, but everything is smoother than I thought," said Dion, who is living with her brood at Caesars while a nursery is added to her lakeside home outside Las Vegas.

Before she left Caesars to launch a world tour in 2008, "A New Day" grossed more than $400 million over five years.

Caesars spent $95 million to build the Colosseum for Dion in 2003, complete with a humidifier to protect her voice. The show received bad review, but was a commercial success.

Selesner said, the new show is set to become another hit. Ticket sales has exceeded the pace of sales for "A New Day," and executives expect Dion to drive convention business, room rentals, travel to Las Vegas, room rates and restaurant sales.

Dion said she tries not to dwell on the tall expectations.

"I want people to come and not feel disappointed. That's my most important job," said the singer. "I personally don't think I have anything to do with the economy."