Celine Dion slipped and fell on stage and appeared to forget her own lyrics during a performance at her Paris residency, prompting concern among fans about her health.
The 58-year-old Canadian singer is midway through a 26-show residency at Paris' Plenitude Arena, which began last month and runs until May next year. It marks her return to the stage after six years away.
Fall and forgotten lyrics
Clips from Wednesday's performance show Dion kicking her left foot in the air while performing 1998's Dans Un Autre Monde, when her right trouser leg appears to get caught on the front of her shoe, causing her to slip and fall. She gives the crowd a thumbs-up and stands back up, continuing the song without missing a beat.
Another clip shows Dion appearing to forget the words to 1995 song Pour Que Tu M'aimes Encore. The clip shows the singer pausing and putting her hands to her head, saying: "I'm forgetting my words," according to MailOnline. Fans continue to sing the lyrics, and she picks it back up a few lines later, saying: "Thank goodness you're here, I'm sorry."
Fan reactions
Some fans expressed concern. One person said: "Celine it’s not worth it, poor lady she is gonna wake up tomorrow feeling it all." Another said: "I love Celine Dion but she needs to stop doing these kind of concerts. Focus on your physical and mental health and live comfortably. You don't actually need to do this."
Others were impressed with how quickly she recovered. One person said: "She's in great shape and that was a very elegant 'fall." Another wrote: "She handled it gracefully. Good for her!"
Stiff Person Syndrome
Dion revealed in December 2022 that she had been diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome, a progressive neurological condition affecting between one and two people in every million. It causes increasingly severe muscle stiffness and spasms, including in the vocal cords.
The condition is often misdiagnosed as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, or fibromyalgia as the symptoms can be similar. Dion has said she suffered with symptoms for 17 years before finally being diagnosed.
Speaking to NBC News in 2024, she said: "It’s like somebody is strangling you. It’s like somebody is pushing your larynx/pharynx." Describing how it has affected her day-to-day life, she said: "If I cook - because I love to cook - my fingers, my hands, will get in position." She added: "It’s cramping, but it’s like in a position where you cannot unlock them."
She said one muscle spasm had been so strong she broke one of her ribs. "Unfortunately, these spasms affect every aspect of my daily life," she said. "Sometimes causing difficulties when I walk and not allowing me to use my vocal cords to sing the way I’m used to." She added: "All I know is singing. It’s what I’ve done all my life. And it’s what I love to do the most."
The Mirror gave a five-star review of Dion's first show in the comeback tour, calling it "One of the stand out performances of her life".
