On June 24, 1988, local station Radio-Canada put on a big show at the Harbourfront Center on the shores of Lake Ontario. Celine Dion has just won the Eurovision competition in front of millions of viewers and continues her tour for her album Incognito.
In 1988, Celine Dion won the Eurovision Song Contest for Switzerland with her performance of “Don’t Leave Without Me” in Dublin, Ireland.
Photo: Associated Press/Peter Kemp
Gabriel Dubé, organizer of the evening for Radio-Canada, explains that Celine Dion has already attracted a record crowd. There have never been so many people there [au spectacle de la Saint-Jean à Toronto]he remembers.
“The excitement was there. Already! It was Celine! »
— A quote from Gabriel Dubé
There were buses from Penetanguishene, recalls Claude Deschênes, the evening’s host, as he reads his notes again.
Radio-Canada’s Toronto communications director at the time, Diane Chaperon-Lor, recalls a mad crowd, because we really had a crowded crowd. It overflowed to the edge of the lake. She remembers that it was a free Celine concert in Toronto.
Singing in English for Francophone Day
Celine Dion headlined Saint Jean Baptiste Day presented by Radio-Canada Toronto in 1988. Here is the original poster.
Photo: Courtesy of Gabriel Dubé
I will certainly sing in English on my show, but it will definitely be 50:50, Celine Dion said at the Radio Canada microphone before her show.
She played a medley of songs in English, maybe three in a row. It was as Diana Ross, old R’n’B, describes director Gabriel Dubé.
Claude Deschênes recalls that this was not well received by several spectators who had traveled from all over the world to celebrate the French deed.
“She was booed that night when she sang in English. »
— A quote from Claude Deschênes
Former Radio-Canada culture journalist Claude Deschênes hosted Saint Jean Baptiste Day in Toronto in 1988. (file photo)
Photo: Radio Canada/Olivier Lalande
It’s so unusual for Celine to be booed by her audience that it brings back memories [dans la biographie de Georges-Hébert Germain]emphasizes Diane Chaperon-Lor.
She had to stop. She said something like: “Whether I sing in English or in Spanish, my heart will always remain French,” says Gabriel Dubé.
Representatives of the record company CBS Records had traveled from the USA to hear the young singer with whom they had just signed a contract. She came to a predominantly English-speaking town to sing in the language of Shakespeare.
Claude Deschênes explains that the people from CBS Records, who sat in the first reserved rows, weren’t appreciated because it was a free show.
Radio-Canada issued a press release in English to highlight Celine Dion’s debut performance in Toronto just weeks after winning the Eurovision Song Contest. (archive photo)
Photo: Courtesy: Claude Deschênes
Gabriel Dubé explains that people complained to Radio Canada because she sang in English. At the time it was the only major Francophone event in the Queen City.
Saint-Jean, organized by Radio-Canada, was like Christmas for francophones, recalls Gabriel Dubé.
A turning point in Celine Dion’s career
This Saint-Jean show was for me – it’s my own vision – the starting signal for Celine Dion’s career in English, bizarre as it may sound, Claude Deschênes analyzes today, because she sang in English in front of important people in the industry.
Diane Chaperon-Lor believes that Toronto was a stepping stone to English Canada, America and the world for Celine Dion.
What a privilege to host this evening! assures Claude Deschênes. I was 30 years old, Celine was 20 years old! Thirty-five years later, he’s convinced that nobody is very angry with Radio-Canada, let alone Celine.
Josee Chouinard, Celine Dion and Diane Chaperon-Lor in 1988.
Photo: Tom Sandler
“We have to applaud her ambitions, applaud her dreams that she has realized,” says Diane Chaperon-Lor.
According to Sony Music, Celine Dion was not available for questions from Radio-Canada.
Other Saint Jean Baptiste shows have attracted big names in music to Toronto, including Daniel Lavoie, Richard Séguin, Pauline Julien and Robert Paquette.
Today, there is no longer a great Saint Jean spectacle in the country’s largest city.