Céline Dion returned to the stage in Paris, where she performed live for the first time in more than six years and held back tears during the performance. The Canadian singer had stayed away from musical activities for an extended period because of health problems.
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Addressing a packed hall, Dion spoke to the audience emotionally and said it was “amazing that we are all together.”
“I made a promise. I made a promise that I would come back and be on stage again. Here I am, singing for you and singing for myself. Thank you so much for your support and patience. I am everything I am because you love me,” the singer said.
The show in Paris is the first in a series of 26 concerts Dion is expected to hold at the “Plenitude Arena,” in a program that begins on September 12, 2026, and ends on May 29, 2027.
Initially, only 10 concerts were planned, but the number was increased to 26 because of the huge demand for tickets. Around 1.17 million tickets were reportedly sold within a few hours of sales opening, while more than 9 million fans tried to secure them.
During this concert series, the singer is expected to perform some of her best-known hits in English and French. The repertoire includes “My Heart Will Go On,” the Oscar- and Grammy-winning song, “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now,” “The Power of Love” and “Pour que tu m’aimes encore.”
Dion’s last full performance was in 2020, during the “Courage” tour. Part of the tour that was scheduled to take place in North America in 2022 was canceled after she was diagnosed with SPS (Stiff Person Syndrome).
SPS is a rare autoimmune neurological disease, often characterized by muscle stiffness and painful spasms, while the intensity of symptoms can vary. The condition is linked to an erroneous immune-system response that attacks healthy nerve cells. There is currently no known cure for the disease.
After her diagnosis, Dion stepped away from the stage and appeared only at a few special events in recent years. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, she sang at a virtual charity event for healthcare workers. In 2024, she performed at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games with Édith Piaf’s song “Hymne à l’amour,” while that same year she sang at the end of designer Elie Saab’s show in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
For the 58-year-old singer, returning to Paris represents an important milestone in her career as she continues to cope with a rare disease and one of the greatest health challenges of her life.
