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To truly know Celine Dion, beyond the bombastic ballads and Vegas razzle dazzle, is to see her live onstage.

And to see her live onstage is to love her.

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It’s been more than a decade since Dion performed in Houston. She was last here in January 2009 at Toyota Center.

“That’s way too long. Hello, wake up people,” she said with a signature smirk. “Maybe it’s because they kind of locked me up in the Nevada desert.”

Dion’s pair of Las Vegas residencies were hugely successful and redefined both her career and what it means to play The Strip. She revitalized the idea of artist residencies and inspired others to follow her lead, including Lady Gaga, Britney Spears and Jennifer Lopez.

Saturday night’s show at Toyota Center, filled to the top with ecstatic fans, was a welcome return. It follows “Courage,” her first English-language album in six years. She was backed by a fantastic band and singers who seemed equally happy to be there.

She looks better than ever, still thin but showing off impressively toned arms and legs. Her movements were as graceful as a dancer’s.

Dion is really the perfect diva. She’s glamorous and untouchable and able to belt a note with astonishing power. She took the stage in a sparkling red gown and sleek blonde bob, emanating a regal energy as she sang “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now.” It was the first of several fashion-forward moments, including a play on a tuxedo with exaggerated bell sleeves and a breathtaking finale gown by Zac Posen.

But she’s alternately warm and relatable and never afraid to be goofy. She frequently chatted up the crowd during the two-hour show, poked fun at herself and pulled a series of goofy faces. She played more than once on the oft-used “Houston, we have a problem” phrase, and it was always endearing.

With a flick of the wrist or a nod of the head, she belted “If You Asked Me To” or “The Power of Love” or “To Love You More” – and moved much of the crowd to tears.

“All by Myself” and new song “Courage” were standouts among so many strong moments. She urged the crowd to sing along during “Because You Loved Me” and “My Heart Will Go On.” And she went for camp during a legends medley that included David Bowie, Queen, Prince, Tina Turner and “Lady Marmalade.”

Dion thanked the crowd for sticking by her through all the “difficult moments.” Her mother died less than a month ago. Husband Rene Angelil died in 2016. Tonight, she said, she was happy “singing about love, about hope, about courage.” She seemed to truly soak in the energy, pausing several times to look out into the crowd. Welcome back, indeed.

Joey Guerra is the music critic for the Houston Chronicle. Follow him on Twitter. Get experts’ picks for concerts, kids’ stuff, fine arts, movies and more by subscribing to the Preview entertainment newsletter.