Viva la Celine Dion!

Canada's superstar diva made last night's sold-out crowd at the Canadian Airlines Saddledome all feel like her best friends.

Dion's personality is as charming as her voice is wondrous.

The international star started the evening by rising on a platform out of the middle of the stage and belting out three powerful hits -- Let's Talk About Love, Declaration of Love and Because You Love Me.

She even had a choir of young children encircle her during Let's Talk About Love.

After an opening like that, she could be forgiven for wallowing in a little arrogant diva behavior.

But not so.

Dion immediately let the crowd know she was the same ol' down-to-earth girl by poking fun at herself.

She admitted she had seen the Saturday Night Live skit in which she is viciously parodied, but joked that with the funny accent, she thought it was fellow Canadian Anne Murray who was being spoofed.

The slender Dion also confessed that she loved food, and when the audience snickered at the comment, she said: "Some people think I never eat ... and they call me Slim Dion."

She stressed that she did eat and confessed with a mischievous grin that she almost titled her last CD Let's Talk About Lunch instead of Let's Talk About Love.

Making a 'Dome jam-packed with 15,000 fans feel intimate isn't an easy task, but Dion managed to pull it off.

As she walked around the open stage at centre ice, she included everyone in the show.

The rather simple stage configuration was given some extra zip with a huge, heart-shaped screen on the stage floor that Dion and her backup singers could sing and dance upon.

Different images filled the heart, but the oddest were little aliens and fast-swimming sperm during Declaration of Love.

For Tell Him, the screens around the Jumbotron beamed out images of Barbra Streisand singing her part of the duet.

Dressed simply in black pants, black satin tuxedo shirt and a large red cummerbund, Dion alternated between winning the crowd over with her spunky charm and winning them over with her incredible voice.

Dion's talent cannot be denied.

Unlike some other artists, such as Mariah Carey, Dion never hesitates when going for those big notes. She attacks them with such vigor that she seems to be defying them not to soar.

Realizing that at a live show fans are looking for something more than just a rehashing of songs they have at home on CD, Dion gave them a special treat.

She performed songs by four of her favorite artists -- Roberta Flack, The Beatles, Eric Clapton and Frank Sinatra.

Later, in an attempt to turn the 'Dome into a disco, she sang and danced to Stayin' Alive, complete with a floor that lit up like it did in Saturday Night Fever.

During the encore, she endeared herself even more.

Railings were added to the tip of the heart, turning it into the bow of the Titanic.

But when she started singing the Titanic hit, My Heart Will Go On, the centre platform failed to raise her higher than chest level. She was left in the hole, with just her head and shoulders sticking out.

After a shrug of her shoulders, she flung herself up and out -- all while wearing a full-skirted period gown.

Her love of performing is obvious and the fans last night made it obvious their love for her is equally as powerful.

A man of a thousand faces and voices, Andre-Philippe Gagnon got the night started with a lot of laughs.

The French-Canadian delighted the crowd with musical impressions of everyone from Mick Jagger to Roger Whittaker.

Much of his 30-minute show was familiar to Calgarians, who have seen him come through town regularly, including a stop at the Stampede's Grandstand Show.

He closed his set with his piece d'resistance -- singing all the parts to We Are The World.

JAM! Rating: 5 out of 5