Singer Shania Twain kicked off her new, two-year residency at Caesars Palace with a sold-out performance of “Shania: Still the One” on Dec. 1, 2012.

The much-anticipated show is a true multi-sensory experience from one of the world’s best-selling artists. From a dramatic entrance atop a flying motorcycle, to massive sets and original videos filmed just for the show, “Shania: Still the One” is a crowd-pleasing spectacle with a personal feel, taking audiences on a journey through Twain’s life and career.

Thanks to Denise Truscello for the photos from the show.

Prior to the show opening, Shania Twain, the show’s director Raj Kapoor and costume designer Marc Bouwer gave this blog an exclusive interview, as long as you use the term “exclusive” very, very loosely. (Oh, all right, it was a new conference. But it was a very exclusive press conference.)

Director Raj Kapoor says of the production, “We’ve been working on the show since the beginning of the year, and in rehearsals here at The Colosseum since November 9. Shania has spearheaded the entire vision. I think she had the whole show mapped out before we even started. We’ve been trying very hard to bring her vision to life.”

Kapoor continued, “We think the show feels very contemporary and modern. We brought a little Vegas style to it. Everything is a little bigger and better. Yet, then, we have these beautiful moments that are very intimate, where Shania is the only person on stage, because she is the centerpiece of this creation.”

Among the more personal aspects of the show is the fact Twain is singing onstage with her sister, Carrie-Ann Brown (pictured below), for the first time.

“My baby sister is a doll, and she has not been on the stage since she was eight. She sounds identical to me, so if there are any bad notes, it’s her,” Twain joked. “But she does sound very much like me, and I’ve always appreciated our blend together. This is a moment we’re both cherishing.”

One of this blog’s favorite parts of the show are when Shania brings fans onstage with her, in one sequence, around a campfire. Just hanging out with Shania and 4,300 of her closest friends. (One of the great things about The Colosseum, by the way, is no seat is more than 120 feet from the stage, which helps with the intimate feel.)

Shania says, “The show is a story, and the structure is based around the hits. That’s the spine of the show. There are many things that I love, that I wanted to be surrounded by, to get back onstage again.” Her show at Caesars Palace marks the singer’s return to the stage after an eight-year hiatus. Oh, just watch her “Oprah” episode, already. You start to get a sense of why “Still the One” is such a personal show for Shania Twain.

The show features many of Twain’s most-celebrated hits, including “Man! I Feel Like A Woman!,” “You’re Still The One,” and “That Don’t Impress Me Much.”

Another highlight of the show is the appearance of two live horses. One, Molesso, is the same black horse Twain rode when The Strip shut down to welcome her to Caesars Palace. See some pics. The other, Alacazar, is a free-roaming, white horse which Twain interacts with during a rendition of “Still the One.”

On the costume front, Twain credits costume designer Marc Bouwer (below) with whom she has worked for 15 years, including seven of her now-iconic videos.

Shania says, “The idea was to bring the videos to life, and that’s what we’re doing. And we’re making them bigger than life, I think.”

And the costumes are definitely some of the biggest stars of the show. Costume designer Marc Bouwer says, “The idea was to take these iconic images, and take them to another level. I’m delighted with this collaboration. Shania is a designer’s dream. She brings these costumes to life. I think people are going to love it.”

The critics appear to agree! Read more from Billboard, People, the Toronto Sun and Canadian Press.

This blog, a big fan of Shania Twain for many years, is thrilled to not only have her as a new headliner at Caesars Palace, but we were also honored to be a part of Vegas history. At her inaugural preview performance, we were the first person to get beaned by Shania Twain with a glowing ball she throws into the audience to open her show. We’re not washing our forehead, ever.

Ticket prices range from $55 to $250, and may be purchased online at ShaniainVegas.com or TheColosseum.com and in person at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace Box Office. Learn more.