Celine Dion made an emotional return to the stage on Saturday, delivering her first full concert in more than six years despite the challenges posed by stiff person syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that has affected her muscles, including those in her throat. The 58-year-old Canadian singer performed 25 songs over two hours and 15 minutes at the Plénitude Arena in Nanterre, west of Paris, telling an audience of about 30, 000 people: “Je vais bien” (“I’m doing fine”). Dion saved All By Myself for the encore and hit the song’s demanding high note before turning towards her musical director in apparent disbelief as the crowd erupted. The performance was her first full concert since March 2020 and marked a major test of her ability to perform live after being diagnosed with stiff person syndrome in 2022. The condition affects roughly one or two people in every million and can cause severe muscle stiffness and spasms triggered by factors including loud sounds, physical contact and emotional stress. Dion has previously described singing while suffering from the condition as feeling like being strangled. She cancelled her world tour after her diagnosis and largely withdrew from public performances. Her appearance at the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony, where she sang from the Eiffel Tower, was her first major live performance since her illness became public. Saturday’s sold-out concert was the first of 16 shows Dion is scheduled to perform in five weeks. Another 10 concerts have been booked for May 2027, bringing the current run to 26 performances. Dion became emotional shortly after beginning the concert, crying before finishing the opening song. Wearing a Dior gown and Boucheron necklace, she later told the audience she had promised herself she would not cry. The singer acknowledged the fragility of her condition but said it had become a reason to keep going before continuing with the show. Although her voice has lost some of its former upper range, Dion tackled 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 famously associated with opera legend Maria Callas. An 18-member gospel choir joined her on stage, while the production featured towering grey structures and artificial snow during the operatic performance. Former US first lady Michelle Obama was among those watching from the audience. Fans outside the arena travelled from across France and Canada to see Dion return to a full concert. For Montreal teacher Isabelle Gagnon, 52, the performance was a chance to share songs she had grown up with alongside her daughter. “I thought: you see? This is why we came, ” she said. Graphic designer Antoine Beaulieu, 31, said he had once pretended to be too cool for Dion’s music but knew every word of her songs during the concert. “I used to pretend I was too cool for Celine. Tonight I knew every word, so clearly that was a lie, ” he said. Pharmacist Camille Morel, 38, from Lyon, said she had put her phone away because she wanted to experience the concert rather than record it. The emotional night culminated with All By Myself, as Dion delivered the final part of the song a cappella before the orchestra joined in. She then closed the concert with two songs by French songwriter Jean-Jacques Goldman and told the audience she loved them and urged them to take care of themselves. Dion’s return came 2, 379 days after her last full concert. She now has 25 more performances scheduled in the current run.
Celine Dion makes emotional return to stage after six-year absence
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