Celine Dion launched a 26-show residency at the Plenitude Arena in Paris, France, marking her return to regular live concerts after six years.
The 58-year-old vocalist opened the performance with her French song On Ne Change Pas.
Dion addressed the crowd directly, stating that the opening night fulfilled her personal promise to return to the stage despite her health struggles.
After six years away from the stage, Canadian pop singer Celine Dion returned to Paris on September 12 and launched a 26-show residency at the Plenitude Arena in Paris, France, as she continues her battle with Stiff Person Syndrome. The 58-year-old singer opened with her French-language song "On Ne Change Pas" and teared up during the performance, according to multiple videos circulating online.
Dion has not performed a full show since a 2020 concert in New Jersey.
Celine Dion's emotional comeback concert
The comeback was special because Dion has spent the past few years away from regular live performance after revealing her diagnosis with Stiff Person Syndrome. Her opening night also gave fans an emotional first look at a comeback she had long promised. Dion addressed the crowd, reflected on her years away from the stage and pointed back to the health struggle that interrupted her touring plans.
"These are, of course, tears of joy. I’m so delighted to see you," Dion told the crowd, according to People.
She later spoke directly about the significance of the night. "I made a promise to come back, to be back on stage," she said. "So here I am, singing for you and singing for me, singing life!"
Expressed deep gratitude to the audience, the 5x Grammy winner said, "I am everything I am because you loved me," before singing "Because You Loved Me".
About Celine Dion's health and hiatus
Her break from touring began in 2020. The Covid-19 pandemic forced Dion to postpone the Courage World Tour and disrupted a career built around live performance.
Her tour faced fresh disruptions in January 2022. Dion called off the North American dates as severe muscle spasms prolonged her recovery. She adhered to medical treatments and planned to resume live shows once her physical condition improved, she added.
The singer broke her silence several months later. Dion posted a heartfelt video message to update supporters about her medical condition: "As you know, I've always been an open book. And I wasn't ready to say anything before — but I'm ready now. I've been dealing with problems with my health for a long time. And it's been really difficult for me to face these challenges and talk about everything that I've been going through."
She then disclosed that she had been diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome, or SPS, saying that the condition "affects something like one in a million people."
The disorder affected daily life and her voice. Dion said it sometimes made it difficult for her to walk and prevented her from using her vocal cords "to sing the way I’m used to."
"All I know is singing," Dion said at the time. "It’s what I’ve done all my life. And it’s what I love to do the most."
Dion made public appearance in 2024. A cheering crowd gave her a standing ovation at the Grammy Awards, where she presented album of the year. She later chronicled her recovery in the Prime Video documentary I Am: Celine Dion.
She sang live again in July 2024, when she crooned Edith Piaf’s "L’Hymne à l’amour" during the Paris Olympics opening ceremony, marking her first public performance since making her illness known and raising hopes for a full return.
