Celine Dion returns to stage with sold-out Paris concert

Celine Dion wept onstage in Paris as she opened her first full concert in six years, marking a major return for one of pop music’s best-selling singers after a rare neurological disorder forced her away from touring and cast doubt on whether she would perform again.

The 58-year-old French Canadian singer began Saturday’s sold-out show at Plenitude Arena with her 1990s French-language ballad “On ne change pas,” singing before a crowd of 30,000 fans. After the song, she wiped away tears and addressed the audience in French and English.

“These are, of course, tears of joy. I’m so delighted to see you,” Dion said, blowing kisses to the crowd. “The path was rockier than expected. But I held on to a faint ray of light in the distance, deep in the mountains.”

She added: “Tonight, I want to sing for you, sing for myself, sing for life.”

NPR, citing Variety, reported that Dion also told the crowd: “I had promised myself not to cry. Thank you so very much for coming. If it’s your first time in Paris, I hope you fall in love with it just like I did. Finally, it’s amazing we are all together. I made a promise to come back, to be back on stage. So here I am, singing for you and singing for me, singing live!”

Videos posted online showed Dion wearing a black dress with her hair in a bun as she performed hits including “Because You Loved Me,” “Power of Love” and “My Heart Will Go On,” the signature song from the “Titanic” soundtrack.

The concert opened a 26-date Paris run, including 16 sold-out shows in September and October and 10 more in May. NPR reported the residency is expected to bring in millions of dollars for the region, while CBS News reported it is projected to generate hundreds of millions of euros in economic benefits.

Fans traveled from around the world for the opening night. The largely female crowd wore sequined dresses and tops, glittered cheeks and T-shirts featuring Dion’s image or references to her biggest songs. Elisabeth Landry, a 38-year-old Quebecer who lives near Dion’s hometown of Charlemagne, said: “It’s unreal to be here! I was convinced we’d never see her again, especially not embarking on a run of concerts like this.”

Albertina Cabral, who came from São Paulo, Brazil, said she had struggled to describe the experience. “It’s unbelievable to stay here and to go to the concert and to see Celine so close,” she said. “And she’s feeling good, she’s happy.”

Paris marked the occasion with costume contests, giant karaoke parties and tribute cruises on the Seine. The suburban train station serving the arena was temporarily renamed “Celine.” Le Parisien reported that former first lady Michelle Obama was “discreetly attending this first concert.”

Dion revealed in late 2022 that she had been diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome, an incurable condition that causes stiffness and severe muscle spasms. In a social media message at the time, NPR reported, she said the illness affected every part of her life, “sometimes causing difficulties when I walk and not allowing me to use my vocal cords to sing the way I’m used to.”

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke says the rare disorder is believed to be an autoimmune condition and can cause stiff muscles in the torso, arms and legs, along with heightened sensitivity to noise, touch and emotional distress that can trigger spasms. The NIH says it affects twice as many women as men and is believed to worsen over time. Johns Hopkins estimates it affects one to two people per million.

Dion has said the condition made her feel as though she was being strangled, with cramps so intense they caused broken ribs. She returned after what she has described as years of training “like an athlete,” including ballet, Pilates and voice therapy.

Her last concert tour was disrupted in 2020 by the Covid-19 pandemic. Before Saturday’s show, she had made a surprise appearance at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony in July 2024, performing Edith Piaf’s “Hymn to Love” from the Eiffel Tower.