Celine Dion has returned to full-time live performance, completing her first full concert in more than six years despite her battle with stiff person syndrome.
The 58-year-old Canadian singer performed 25 songs over two hours and 15 minutes at the Plenitude Arena in Nanterre, west of Paris, with the concert marking the beginning of a demanding five-week engagement following years away from the stage after her diagnosis in 2022.
Dion had not performed a full concert since March 8, 2020. Her diagnosis of stiff person syndrome, which causes muscle stiffness and painful spasms, forced her to cancel her world tour and step away from live performances.
Her return to the stage came in July 2024, when she performed a single song at the Olympic opening ceremony in Paris. Saturday’s concert, however, presented a far greater challenge, requiring her to perform an extended set and return for another show days later.
Stiff person syndrome affects an estimated one or two people in every million. The condition can cause severe muscle spasms triggered by factors including loud noises, physical contact and emotional stress. Dion has previously described singing while living with the condition as feeling like being strangled.
Before beginning her first song, Dion became emotional and told the audience she had promised herself she would not cry.
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When she briefly missed her cue during “On ne change pas,” the crowd responded by chanting the riff from “Seven Nation Army,” helping to ease the moment. Dion later told the audience, “Je vais bien,” meaning “I’m doing fine.”
She went on to perform several of her biggest hits, including “My Heart Will Go On” and “The Power of Love.” She also performed Catalani’s “Ebben? Ne andrò lontana,” an aria associated with opera legend Maria Callas, as artificial snow fell around the stage.
Although her voice has changed since her illness, Dion delivered many of the demanding vocal moments that have defined her career. The concert culminated in an encore performance of “All By Myself,” including the song’s famously difficult high note.
After hitting the note, Dion appeared relieved and laughed as she fanned herself, drawing a strong reaction from the audience.
The concert is part of a 16-show run in five weeks, with another 10 performances scheduled for May 2027. The engagement will bring Dion’s total scheduled performances to 26 nights.
Fans travelled from across France and Canada to attend the sold-out concert, with many describing the performance as an emotional return for an artist whose music has been part of their lives for decades.
Dion closed the show with two songs by French songwriter Jean-Jacques Goldman before telling the audience, “I love you, my loves. Take care of yourselves.”
The performance came 2,379 days after her last full concert and marked a significant step in Dion’s return to live music.
ABC News
