Dion taking heat for cancellations
LAS VEGAS — Celine Dion has pulled out of another two concerts in Las Vegas, making it five shows she’s had to cancel this month due to illness.
A statement on Dion’s Facebook page says concerts scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday were cancelled because she “has been suffering for the past week from congestion and irritation of the vocal chords due to a lingering cold.”
The statement adds her doctor has ordered two days of rest for recovery and Dion is expected to return to the stage on Friday.
Last week, Dion posted a similar statement saying she was “truly sorry” for cancelling a Saturday night concert.
While fans on social media have largely been sympathetic and posted notes of best wishes for Dion, some have expressed frustration about last-minute cancellations.
Others have called on Dion’s promoters to give the singer an extended break, noting that many fans had booked expensive trips to Las Vegas specifically to see a concert.
“Keeping cancelling shows day by day is an insult to people who travelled to see it. I love Celine, by the way,” wrote Twitter user @Djbobm66Robert.
“Celine is human, and her doctors are not god, but in the last 10 days they cancelled like five shows always too close to showtime to let anyone modify their travel plans. You find that acceptable by her management team?”
On Facebook, a user named Katie Lesnick said the promoters’ “lack of communication and responsibility is disheartening.”
“Why don’t you let your revenue driver rest for a week or two (which is 100 per cent deserved)?” she posted. “Not only that but let those travelling across the country, wait — the world — save their time?”
The latest statement on Dion’s Facebook page notes ticket holders will be refunded for cancelled shows but promoters “are not responsible for hotel, travel or other expenses related to the cancellation.”
On Saturday, Dion told fans “cancelling a show is the hardest thing I have to do, especially when I know that so many people have travelled far to see me in Las Vegas.”
“This decision is not made lightly,” she said in a statement. “When I’m not well, I always try to push through and I do everything I can to do my show.”