Celine Dion is back! A spectacular Olympic performance marks her return to the stage
Celine Dion certainly knows how to make a comeback.
The Quebec singer returned to the stage for the first time in nearly four years on Friday, but it wasn’t just any stage – of course, the pop diva chose the Paris 2024 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony, at the Eiffel Tower, as the venue for her first performance since announcing to the world that she was diagnosed with stiff person syndrome (SPS) and cancelled his world tour.
Wearing a stunning beaded gown with fringe details and a long cape, Dion took the first stage of the Eiffel Tower to perform a Parisian staple: the song by Edith Piaf. The Hymn to Love.
Dion appeared, at times, overcome with emotion as the crowd cheered. But she played as forcefully as ever, her voice clear and unwavering, hitting every note with conviction.
Canadian singer Celine Dion performs on the Eiffel Tower following the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on July 26, 2024 in Paris, France.
Jamie Squire / Getty Images
Before the opening ceremony, Dion’s highly anticipated performance was a poorly kept secret, often teased and ironic.
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French President Emmanuel Macron hinted on France 2 television that the singer would make an appearance at the Olympic Games.
“I will not reveal anything about what (opening ceremony director) Thomas Jolly and all his teams have prepared,” Macron said, while acknowledging that the singer had arrived in his city earlier this week and that Olympic fans were in for a “surprise.”
Celine Dion is seen leaving a hotel on July 23, 2024 in Paris, France.
Photo by MEGA/GC Images
Dion herself has not hesitated to publish articles about her return to the City of Lights. Since she arrived in ParisShe has been keeping her fans updated on social media and has been spotted out and about in the city.
“Every time I come back to Paris, I remember that there is so much beauty and joy “There is still a lot to discover in the world,” she shared with X on Wednesday.
Following the release of his documentary last month, I am CelineShe told TVA’s Jean-Philippe Dion that a spasm in her throat during her Taking Chances tour in 2008 triggered what she called “17 years of panic” as she tried to figure out what was happening to her body and the voice that made her world famous.
She lost the ability to play her notes properly as the spasms persisted and had to try everything from steam to asthma treatments to powerful medications. She even learned to adapt her songs by changing the way she sang, but the stress of trying to sing made her tense and made her symptoms worse. After years of “lying,” she says she made the decision to confront her illness.
— with reporting from Sean Previl of Global News
© 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
