Celine Dion made a triumphant return to the stage on Friday, closing out the Paris Olympics’ opening ceremony with a breathtaking performance from
the Eiffel Tower. This marked her first public performance in nearly two years, following her diagnosis with stiff person syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that causes rigid muscles and painful spasms.
Dion captivated the audience by singing Edith Piaf’s “Hymne à l’amour” (“Hymn to Love”) during the finale of the four-hour spectacle. Her
appearance, which had been teased for weeks, was kept a secret until the last moment by both organizers and Dion’s representatives.
The media guide, in a section dedicated to Dior's contributions to the opening ceremony, hinted at the presence of a "world star" for a "grandiose,
superbly scintillating finale." Dion, dressed in a stunning pearl outfit designed by Dior, delivered a performance that left the audience in awe.
Since 2020, Dion had been absent from the stage due to the coronavirus pandemic, which forced the postponement of her tour to 2022. That tour was
eventually suspended after her diagnosis with stiff person syndrome. In the documentary “I Am: Celine Dion,” which premiered in June, Dion
shared the challenges she faced due to the disorder and the extensive therapy required to make her return to the stage. “Physically, mentally,
emotionally, vocally,” Dion described the comprehensive nature of her recovery process.
Even before the documentary's release, Dion had begun her journey toward a comeback. In February, she surprised everyone with an appearance at the
Grammy Awards, where she presented the final award of the night to a standing ovation.
Daphné Bürki, the Paris organizing committee’s director of design and costume for ceremonies, recalled Dion’s immediate enthusiasm for the
opportunity to perform. “When we called Celine Dion one year ago, she said yes straight away,” Bürki said on French television.
Though Dion is French Canadian from Quebec, she has a strong connection to France and the Olympics. Her first language is French, and she has
dominated the charts in France and other French-speaking countries. She also won the 1988 Eurovision Song Contest with a French-language
song representing Switzerland. Early in her English-language career, even before “My Heart Will Go On” from “Titanic,” she performed “The
Power of The Dream,” the theme song for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
Dion’s choice to perform Piaf’s “Hymne à l’amour” carried a poignant sports connection, as Piaf wrote the song about her lover, boxer Marcel Cerdan, who tragically died in a plane crash soon after.
Celine Dion's return to the stage at the Paris Olympics’ opening ceremony not only marked a significant moment in her career but also
showcased her resilience and dedication to her art, proving that her heart and voice will indeed go on.