A vast arena sat in utter silence barely a mile from where Mariah Carey made her first Tampa appearance three years ago.

Then, attempting to revive her brilliant career after an emotional breakdown, the buyout of her huge contract with Virgin Records and a regrettable film debut in "Glitter," Carey was reduced to entertaining a pocket-sized audience of 2,261 at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center.

These days, the Long Island songbird is flying high again, as witnessed by a diverse crowd of 16,493 Monday night at the St. Pete Times Forum.

"If I mess up, I mess up," Carey told her adoring fans at one point, "but I love you anyway."

They loved her right back through a typically flawless program that included scores of ear-piercing C notes.

Carey vowed "The Adventures of Mimi," her first concert tour since 2003, would provide renewed excitement. Adorned in a sultry black sequined ensemble, she immediately began to deliver with "It's Like That," among the finishing touches on her 2005 Grammy Award-winning contemporary rhythm and blues album, "The Emancipation of Mimi."

The 36-year-old pop diva also sang Billboard chart busters "Don't Forget About Us" and "We Belong Together" from the same project, which expanded her collection of top singles to within three of the record 20 held by The Beatles.

Carey delighted longtime followers during the 90-plus-minute engagement with a string of other No. 1 hits, including "Dreamlover," "Always Be My Baby," "Hero" and "My All."

Other highlights from the singer, songwriter and record producer included performances with longtime duet partner Trey Lorenz of the romantic ballads "I'll Be There" - which lifted them atop the U.S. and Canadian charts in 1992 - and "One Sweet Day."

An hour into the show, replete with dazzling costumes, videos and other special effects, Carey suddenly broke into "Fantasy" on a small lighted stage halfway across the arena floor, then walked through the seating area back to the main stage.

Dancehall reggae artist Sean Paul opened the show.