Celebrated Canadian singer Celine Dion made a grand return to the stage at the Paris Summer Olympics.
The superstar closed the ceremony on Friday, performing from the first stage of the Eiffel Tower right after the Olympic cauldron was lit. She sang the timeless classic, Edith Piaf’s “L’Hymne à l’amour.”
Dion delivered an exceptional performance, hitting soaring, clear notes while dressed in a stunning beaded white gown with tassels.
Immediately after the performance, Kelly Clarkson, who was commenting on the event for NBC, was initially speechless before calling Dion “a vocal athlete.”
This live performance marks Celine Dion’s first concert since revealing her battle with stiff person syndrome, “a rare, progressive disorder affecting the nervous system, specifically the brain and spinal cord,” according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
Dion, 56, announced in December 2022 that she was taking a break from her professional commitments to focus on her health after her diagnosis. She explained that the condition was affecting her ability to sing as she normally would.
Her last live performance was in March 2020 in New Jersey.
Lady Gaga launched the Olympic opening ceremony with a performance along the Seine River, featuring “Mon truc en plume” by Zizi Jeanmaire, a celebrated French Music Hall performer from the 1950s.
Last month, Dion provided more insight into the difficulties she faces with stiff person syndrome, a condition that causes involuntary spasms and muscle rigidity, while promoting her new Amazon documentary, “I Am: Celine Dion.”
In an interview with NBC’s Hoda Kotb, Dion described singing with her condition as feeling “like somebody is strangling you.” She explained that the spasms can affect various parts of her body, including her abdomen, spine, and ribs, and noted that severe episodes have even caused broken ribs.
Despite her diagnosis, Dion has remained active in the public eye, including presenting the final award at the Grammy Awards earlier this year.
In her documentary, Dion expressed her resolve to return to performing, stating, “If I can’t run, I’ll walk. If I can’t walk, I’ll crawl. And I won’t stop. I won’t stop.”
