Despite Rare Muscle-Stiffening Disease, 'The Returned Diva'... Celine Dion's Chilling Performance [Paris Olympics]

Singing Edith Piaf Songs Passionately on Top of the Eiffel Tower
Foreign Media: "A Stunning Comeback... It Gave Us Goosebumps"

Global pop star Celine Dion closed the 2024 Paris Olympic opening ceremony. It was her first official stage appearance in about 1 year and 7 months since she suspended activities due to a rare disease in 2022.

On the day, Dion appeared in a white dress and performed atop the Eiffel Tower, which was adorned with the Olympic rings. The song she sang was the French national singer Edith Piaf’s classic “Hymne ? l'amour.” The audience, listening to the song in the rain, cheered loudly as the performance ended.

In December 2022, Dion revealed that she was suffering from a rare disease called Stiff-Person Syndrome (SPS) and canceled all scheduled performances. This disease is known to cause muscle stiffness and spasms triggered by sounds, touch, or emotional stimuli.

Speculation that Dion would make a comeback through the Paris Olympics opening ceremony had been circulating for several weeks. Earlier, the American entertainment media Variety reported, “Rumors are circulating that Dion will make a comeback at the Olympic opening ceremony.” French President Emmanuel Macron also expressed anticipation, saying, “If Dion performs at the Olympic opening ceremony, it will be fantastic news.”

Celine Dion passionately singing at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics [Photo by Yonhap News]

British broadcaster BBC also reported, “Dion met and greeted fans in Paris the day before the opening ceremony,” further fueling rumors that she would perform her comeback at the Olympic opening ceremony.

Foreign media reported that Dion successfully returned through this performance. The New York Times (NYT) said, “‘Hymne ? l'amour’ is a song that requires long breath control,” adding, “Perhaps Dion’s voice had a raspier sound than before she fell ill.” Nevertheless, it evaluated the performance by saying, “The drama of the moment matched the dynamism of the performance, reaching a climax in the a cappella section before the final phrase.”

CNN also reported, “Dion returned in great form. Her beautiful voice echoed along the Seine River. The performance gave goosebumps as if she had gone back a few years.”

Dion has reigned as the “world’s greatest diva” for over 40 years since the 1980s. In 1998, she reached the peak of her career by singing the theme song “My Heart Will Go On” for the movie Titanic, and in 2008, she received France’s highest honor, the Legion of Honour. She also performed at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic opening ceremony during her prime.

Born in Quebec, Canada, Dion grew up speaking French and released several albums in French, building a strong fan base in France. In an interview with Vogue last April, she said, “My goal is to see the Eiffel Tower again.”