Celine Dion was overcome with emotion during her first full concert in six years, marking the opening night of her 26-show residency at Plenitude Arena in Nanterre, France.
An emotional return to the stage
The 58-year-old singer became visibly choked up just moments into opening the show with her 1998 song "On Ne Change Pas," pausing afterward to wipe away tears before placing her hand over her heart in a gesture of gratitude to fans. Speaking to the audience in both French and English, she said: "There are many of you here tonight from all over the world. 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. I made a promise to come back, to be back on stage. So here I am, singing for you and singing for me, singing life!"
She went on to reference her 1996 hit "Because You Loved Me," telling the crowd: "Thank you so very much for your support, your patience and if I may say so: I am everything I am because you loved me," before performing the track.
What kept her off stage
Dion's last full concert prior to this residency was in March 2020 at New Jersey's Prudential Center. The remainder of that tour was halted by the Covid-19 pandemic, and her rescheduled shows were later cancelled entirely following her diagnosis with stiff-person syndrome in 2022. Stiff-person syndrome is a rare, progressive autoimmune and neurological disorder that affects the brain and spinal cord, causing muscle rigidity, painful spasms, mobility difficulties, and shortness of breath. Since her diagnosis, Dion has made a small number of shorter public performances, including at the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony and later that year at a fashion show in Saudi Arabia, but this marks her first full concert since being diagnosed.
How she prepared for her return
Speaking to Harper's Bazaar in August, Dion revealed she followed a strict regimen to prepare for the residency, including new medication, physical and vocal therapy, and immunotherapy. She also said she practises Pilates three times a week and takes ballet classes to help maintain her fitness. Reflecting on the return, she said the shows were her way of expressing gratitude to her fans, explaining: "It's been so long, I would like to offer them something to show how I've missed them."
