Céline Dion is performing live at Paris's Plenitude Arena tonight, marking her return to the concert stage for the first time in six years.
The five-time Grammy winner's comeback follows her diagnosis with Stiff Person Syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that causes progressive muscular stiffness and spasms. There is currently no cure, and sufferers can feel locked inside their own bodies and struggle with simple tasks like walking or swallowing.
A challenging road back
Dion cancelled her Las Vegas residency in 2021 due to health concerns, before revealing her diagnosis in December 2022 and cancelling her Courage world tour. After taking a break from performing, she made a brief public appearance to sing at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony in 2024.
The singer has repeatedly expressed her desire to return to the stage, and tonight she performs in front of 40,000 people at the Plenitude Arena.
Fans gather in Paris
Hours before she was whisked to the arena in a convoy of Mercedes-Benz Vans, Dion spent time with die-hard fans who had been camped outside her hotel for days hoping to catch a glimpse of the superstar. Hundreds of fans lined the streets, many with bouquets of flowers, cards and letters to gift her.
Dion made time to speak to as many people as possible and looked overwhelmed by the size of the crowd. At one point, the star held a toffee apple aloft and led her fans in a series of chants before being led off by police on motorbikes to the arena.
Setlist speculation
The songs the Canadian diva will sing are a closely-guarded secret, though she teased fans this week in Paris that the opener is a 'big surprise.' Fans can expect classics including My Heart Will Go On, Think Twice and It's All Coming Back To Me Now.
She will likely perform her most popular songs in both French and English, with fans from around the world jetting in to Paris to see her in action.
