Céline Dion has returned to the stage in Paris, six years after health problems forced the Canadian singer to step away from touring.
The 58-year-old Grammy-winning star opened her 26-show residency at Paris La Défense Arena on Saturday, performing before about 30,000 fans at Europe’s largest covered concert venue.
Dion was diagnosed with stiff person syndrome, a rare neurological disorder, in 2022. The condition forced her to cancel performances and withdraw from touring.
Her last full concert was in New Jersey in 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted her tour. She made a brief return to live performance in 2024 when she sang at the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympics.
Addressing the Paris crowd during her comeback, Dion recalled her promise to return to the stage. “I made a promise to come back, to be back on stage. And here I am. Singing for you, and singing for me.”
She also thanked her fans for standing by her.
“I am everything I am because you loved me,” Dion told the audience.
The emotional weight of the night became clear after she finished one of her songs and broke down in tears. “I had promised myself not to cry,” she told the crowd. “But I’m so happy to see you all. I missed you.”
Dion appeared emotional several times during the performance as the audience responded with loud cheers.
Reviews of the comeback highlighted both the emotion surrounding her return and the vulnerability in her voice.
The Mirror’s Lucy Needham reported that Dion started the show about 50 minutes late and appeared to need time to compose herself before the performance.
Needham wrote that Dion’s eyes were filled with tears and that she gave herself small nods of approval after each line before breaking down at the end of the song.
Dion began the concert in a black gown before changing into a trouser suit and showing off some of her trademark dance moves.
The Telegraph’s Neil McCormick described the comeback as a high-risk return because of Dion’s health condition.
He said her voice initially sounded vulnerable, with some vocals appearing close to breaking, but added that she gained confidence as the show continued.
McCormick praised the less polished quality of Dion’s voice, describing it as more raw and real while retaining its distinctive character.
The singer also spoke to the audience in both French and English and at one point asked to stop and restart a song, further endearing herself to the crowd.
The Times’ Will Hodgkinson described the performance as overwhelming and praised Dion for giving her fans the same affection they showed her.
Variety’s Elsa Keslassy highlighted the concert’s cinematic staging, which included a large staircase, a giant moon and visual sequences with biblical imagery.
Dion has previously insisted that she will not allow stiff person syndrome to determine the course of her life.
“I’ve chosen to work with all my body and soul, from head to toe, with a medical team,” she told Vogue France in 2024.
The demand for Dion’s return has been huge. About nine million fans reportedly signed up for early access tickets when her Paris residency was announced in March.
The shows sold out rapidly, prompting her management to add another 10 performances for May 2027. Those shows have also sold out.
Fans without tickets have still found ways to celebrate Dion’s return across Paris.
The city has hosted karaoke events, Dion-themed nightlife and boat cruises on the Seine featuring sing-alongs, DJ sets and costume contests.
Thousands also attended a karaoke event organised by Paris City Hall on Friday ahead of Dion’s opening night.
Fans gathered outside her Paris hotel from early morning on Saturday, hoping to catch a glimpse of the singer.
Dion’s Paris residency will continue through September and October and into the New Year.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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