Celine Dion made her triumphant return at the 2024 Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony – watch footage below.
Viewers around the world were moved by Dion’s performance of of Edith Piaf’s ‘L’Hymne A L’Amour’, notably her first live performance since she revealed she suffers from stiff person syndrome (SPS).
Reflecting on the moment, the ‘My Heart Will Go On’ singer took to X/Twitter to write: “I’m honored to have performed tonight, for the Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony, and so full of joy to be back in one of my very favorite cities! Most of all, I’m so happy to be celebrating these amazing athletes, with all their stories of sacrifice and determination, pain and perseverance.
“All of you have been so focused on your dream, and whether or not you take home a medal, I hope that being here means that it has come true for you! You should all be so proud, we know how hard you have worked to be the best of the best. Stay focused, keep going, my heart is with you! – Celine xx…”
Celine Dion #Paris2024 #Olympics #Olympic2024 pic.twitter.com/3f8Pm0qqrE
— Celine Dion Icon (@celinedionlcon) July 26, 2024
Dion last took to the stage in 2020 in New York, and was set to embark on a world tour last year, but was forced to axe all scheduled dates due to her condition, which affects the brain and spinal cord, causing muscle stiffness, posture problems, sensory issues, as well as painful spasms.
Dion has been unflinching open about its affect on her voice in her documentary, I Am: Celine Dion, telling documentarians: “I can’t use my voice yet,” crying as she admitted: “Music… I miss it a lot. But also, the people. I miss them.”
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Now, her fans have reacted to her return to the stage, with one writing: “Even the sky was crying listening to Celine Dion sing again.”
Check out more reactions to her performance below:
even the sky was crying listening to Celine Dion sing again #OpeningCeremony #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/vynl1fdt8d
— T (@teewatterss) July 26, 2024
The look on Celine Dion’s face here says it all. There’s little way to describe the grief and fear she must have battled these past years – but you see it. Right here. What a moment. #Olympics #CelineDion pic.twitter.com/CqEbAhPv1i
— Lindsay Kusiak (@lindsay_kusiak) July 26, 2024
the world watching celine dion with her voice back pic.twitter.com/xlCgzfrAIt
— 2000s (@PopCulture2000s) July 26, 2024
CÉLINE DION YOU WILL ALWAYS BE FAMOUS pic.twitter.com/BP4RXd7eDV
— 2000s (@PopCulture2000s) July 26, 2024
Céline Dion opening the Olympics by singing under the Eiffel Tower, life is complete pic.twitter.com/Li7YSccnRu
— celine vocals (@CelineOracle) July 26, 2024
It was widely speculated by the French media and that Dion and Lady Gaga would perform a duet of ‘La Vie En Rose’, but they each performed separately, with Gaga singing ‘Mon truc en plumes’ during the Opening Ceremony before Dion.