Music icon Céline Dion broke down in tears on stage in Paris as she made her long-awaited return to live performance, appearing before an audience for the first time in more than six years after stepping away from the spotlight to focus on her health.
Speaking to the sold-out crowd on September 12, an emotional Dion said it was “amazing we are all together,” Caliber.Az reports via The Guardian.
“I made a promise. I made a promise to come back and to be back on stage. Here I am singing for you, and singing for me. Thank you so very much for your support, your patience. I am everything I am because you love me,” she added.
Dion last performed a full concert in 2020 as part of her Courage Tour. However, she was forced to cancel the planned 2022 North American leg after being diagnosed that year with stiff person syndrome (SPS).
SPS is a rare autoimmune neurological disorder that can cause muscle stiffness and painful spasms of varying severity, as the body mistakenly attacks healthy nerve cells. There is currently no known cure for the condition.
Following her diagnosis, Dion withdrew from the public eye and has performed only three times on a limited basis since then.
September 12’s performance in Paris marked the first of 26 shows Dion is scheduled to perform at the arena, with the initial run of 10 concerts expanded because of overwhelming ticket demand. The singer announced her comeback on March 30, her birthday, and all tickets for the shows – estimated at around 1.17 million – sold out within hours of going on sale. More than 9 million fans reportedly attempted to purchase tickets.
By Jeyhun Aghazada
