Celine Dion at the Olympics: Quebecer stages her comeback performance

Celine Dion staged the comeback of her career during the opening ceremony at the Olympic Games in Paris.

The Quebecois vocal powerhouse performed publicly for the first time since revealing she was diagnosed with stiff person syndrome, singing “L’Hymne à l’amour” originally performed by Édith Piaf.

Dion was the grand finale of a show that ran for more than three hours and featured performances by Lady Gaga and Aya Nakamura. About 6,800 athletes paraded down the Seine River to the Eiffel Tower on dozens of boats.

Dion has vowed in recent interviews that she would perform again after her devastating diagnosis led her to cancel a concert tour.

Stiff person syndrome is a progressive illness that can cause muscle rigidity and severe spasms as well as affect a person’s vocal cords.

In an April cover story for Vogue France, Dion told the magazine that her drive to sing live again pushed her to train like an athlete.

Dion performed at the 1996 Olympics opening ceremony in Atlanta, singing “The Power of the Dream” accompanied by Canadian producer David Foster on piano and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 26, 2024