PARIS.– The Canadian singer, Céline Dion, returned to the stage after a six-year absence with a concert at the Plenitude Arena, in Nanterre, on the outskirts of Paris, where she performed the first of 26 recitals that are part of her new artistic residency.
The long-awaited return was marked by emotion. The 58-year-old singer broke into tears while performing “On ne change pas,” the song with which she opened the show before some 35,000 spectators. Dion explained that they were tears of joy and assured the audience that she had learned to live with the fragility caused by her illness.
The artist suffers from stiff-person syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that affects her nervous system and causes spasms. The condition has also affected her mobility and her vocal cords, so she must perform intense work to control her muscles and carry out daily activities.
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During the concert, Dion had some moments of difficulty, including a mistake while performing “The Chase,” for which she apologized before continuing. However, she also had moments of strength while performing hits such as “I’m Alive,” “My Heart Will Go On,” “The Power of Love,” “Love Can Move Mountains,” and “The Prayer.”
The show, which lasted for approximately two hours and 15 minutes, concluded with a tribute to Maria Callas and songs such as “All by Myself”, “Pour que tu m’aimes encore” and “S’il suffisait d’aimer”. “Thank you for responding to my invitation. I love you, see you soon,” Dion expressed as she said goodbye.
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The residency includes 16 concerts between September and October and another 10 in May 2027. The artist’s return has also generated significant tourism activity in Paris: according to estimates cited by the French press, her performances could generate between 500 million and 1 billion euros in economic activity for the city.
