Celine Dion's Beijing Show Cancelled

We've been hearing rumors for a while now that Celine Dion's Beijing show was in question and the fact that, as of last week, Emma ticketing were claiming that "technical difficulties" made it impossible for them to sell tickets to the event, made us even more skeptical. Today comes the announcement that Celine Dion's Beijing show, that was to take place on April 13 at Gongti, has been postponed and in all likelihood canceled.

According to Emma's announcement, the Beijing show has been postponed but her Shanghai concert will go ahead as planned on April 11. However, given the fact that she has already canceled some of her Australian dates, it seems unlikely that the singer will perform in Beijing.

Although it's easy to assume that the cancellation is directly linked to the controversy associated with February's Bjork concert in Shanghai and the subsequent tightening of regulations covering performances by foreign artists, the fact that Celine Dion has also had cancel some of her Australian shows suggests that the 40 year-old singer's voice might just not be up to the task of completing her first world tour in ten years. According to her official website: "Celine has been suffering from a respiratory tract infection, which has caused bronchial and laryngeal inflammation." The Beijing News reports that her husband Rene Angelil received medical advice saying that Dion should avoid singing outdoors, particularly in a city like Beijing where the sandy conditions could further damage her throat.

Emma have posted an announcement on their website that gives details as to how ticket holders can obtain refunds.

Links and Sources
Emma Ticketmaster: Celine Dion Beijing Concert Announcement
Celine Dion.com: What's Going On (image)
China Daily: Celine Dion cancels Beijing concert
AHN: Celion Dion Cancels Remaining Australian Shows
The Beijing News: 席琳·迪翁北京演唱会取消