The Canadian superstar returns to the stage in France after battling a rare neurological disorder, telling a crowd of 30,000 that she never stopped believing in “a tiny ray of light.”
Canadian superstar Celine Dion took to the stage again on Saturday evening after an absence of more than six years due to a rare neurological disorder. Addressing an audience from around the world gathered near Paris for the first of her 16 concerts in France, she said she had held on to “a tiny ray of light.”
The singer, whose albums have sold more than 260 million copies, opened her comeback concert with “On ne change pas,” written and composed by Jean-Jacques Goldman and released in 1998.
Celine Dion during her first concert in 6 years. (AFP)
The approximately 30,000 spectators chanted Dion’s name at the end of her opening song. Visibly overcome with emotion at seeing her audience again, the singer stopped singing for a moment.
“Of course, these are tears of joy. I’m so happy to see you,” the 58-year-old singer told the crowd.
The star, whose appearance on stage was delayed by 50 minutes, added: “Here we are! This was a promise. I am standing on this stage, in this city that I love so much, thanks to your support and your love. Thank you, thank you so much.”
“I have to admit that the road was more difficult than I expected, and the journey was longer than I thought, with some unexpected stops along the way. But I held on to a tiny ray of light in the distance, deep in the mountains. I believed in it. I believed in it,” she continued.
Celine Dion during her first concert in 6 years. (AFP)
“And here the sun is, the sun is right in front of me. So tonight, I want to sing for you, sing for myself, sing for life,” she said before continuing her concert at the Paris La Défense Arena in Nanterre, west of Paris.
Since Dion arrived in Paris on August 28, rehearsals at Europe’s largest indoor arena have been shrouded in secrecy. She gave away just one small clue about the concert program when she told fans outside the hotel where she was staying: “Wear comfortable shoes!”
The Quebec-born star is facing another major challenge after overcoming one in 2016 following the death of her manager and the father of her three children, René Angélil.
After the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of one of her concert tours, she was unable to return to the stage after being diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome, an incurable neurological disorder that has adversely affected her life for around 20 years but was only diagnosed in her case in 2022.
The star subsequently stepped away from the music scene after revealing her health condition, devoting herself to treatment following another severe bout of paralysis.
Celine Dion during her first concert in 6 years. (AFP)
She surprised the world with her appearance two years later at the Eiffel Tower, where she performed Edith Piaf’s “Hymne à l’amour” during the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games.
Last spring, she announced that she would perform 16 concerts through mid-October, followed by another 10 in May 2027. The shows are being produced by American entertainment giant AEG Presents, generating huge excitement among her fans.
“We never thought she would ever come back,” Chloe Redquist, who travelled from London, told AFP on Friday outside the concert venue.
Her friend Katie expected the star’s return to the stage to be “a very emotional moment.”
Chloe and Katie, both in their 30s, did not hesitate to spend around €1,700 on their tickets, in addition to paying for travel and hotel accommodation to attend the concert.
Like them, Celine Dion fans travelled from far and wide, including members of her largest global fan club, “Red Heads,” who wore red hats.
Among them was Melanie, 40, who did not wish to give her full name and was attending six of Dion’s concerts. Tamatiya, who also preferred not to disclose his surname, travelled around 22,000 kilometres from Tahiti to see the singer again, likening her to a “phoenix.”
Dion plans to perform over a five-week period, with shows on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, raising questions about her ability to maintain her performance level despite a schedule that could prove exhausting.
Among the songs Dion was expected to perform were “My Heart Will Go On” from the 1997 film Titanic and “I’m Alive.”
French-speaking fans, meanwhile, were eagerly awaiting “Pour que tu m’aimes encore” and “J’irai où tu iras,” from her 1995 album D’eux.
Many of those who had been eagerly looking forward to seeing Celine Dion back on stage were disappointed, however, as they were unable to buy tickets after prices soared to hundreds of euros.
“Paris is still as magical as ever,” the singer wrote on Instagram.
However, many eagerly waiting to see Celine Dion on stage again were disappointed, as they couldn't purchase tickets due to prices reaching hundreds of euros.
The artist wrote on the social network Instagram, "Paris is still as charming as ever."
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