In a thrilling evening, singer Céline Dion took over a stage again for the first time in more than six years. In front of a crowd of 30,000 spectators at the Paris La Défense Arena, the Canadian artist could not contain the tears in the few seconds of starting her performance.
With an impeccable black dress without strips and an elegant silver garlic, Dion broke in cry almost immediately during the first chords of his repertoire. Visibly shocked by the overwhelming ovation from the auditorium, the 58-year-old interpreter addressed a few words to the audience between whirls.
“I promised myself that I would not cry, but I don’t usually keep my promises,” he smiled at the euphoria of the attendees.
This concert marked the start of a special residence of 16 concerts in the French capital scheduled between September and October, with an extension scheduled for May 2027.
This weekend’s concert represents his first full concert since March 2020, when the pandemic suspended his “Courage World Tour”. Months later, the artist had to completely move away from live music when she was diagnosed in 2022 with the rigid person syndrome, a rare and incurable autoimmune neurological disorder that causes muscle rigidity and severe spasms, severely affecting her ability to walk and sing.
With the exception of her acclaimed star appearance at the 2024 Paris Olympic Opening Ceremony from the Eiffel Tower, the five-time Grammy Award winner hadined a strict retreat from major solo performances.
“I promised that I would return, that I would return to the stages. So here I am, singing for you and singing for me, totally alive,” Dion declared visibly grateful. “Thank you very much for your support and patience. If you allow me to say it, I’m all I am because you loved me,” he added, citing the title of one of his biggest hits, “Because You Loved Me.”
Thro the evening, Dion performed classics in both French and English, demonstrating that his vocal strength and charisma remain intact.
