"I made a promise to come back…": Celine Dion returns to live concerts after a six-year hiatus following her stiff-person syndrome diagnosis

Washington [US], September 13 (ANI): Celine Dion became emotional seconds into her first full concert in more than six years on Saturday (local time), as she returned to the stage to begin her 26-show Paris residency.

The 58-year-old singer opened the concert at Plenitude Arena in Nanterre, France, with her 1998 song “On Ne Change Pas”.

As reported by People magazine, moments after beginning the track, Dion appeared overwhelmed with emotion, stopped briefly and wiped tears from her eyes.

She also placed a hand on her chest and brought her hands together in a gesture of gratitude toward the audience.

Dion eventually completed the song before performing another 1990s track, “Destin”. She then addressed the crowd in French and English, acknowledging fans who had travelled from around the world to see her return to the stage.

“There are many of you here tonight from all over the world. Thank you so very much for coming. If it’s your first time in Paris. I hope you fall in love with it, just like I did. Finally, it’s amazing we are all together,” she said, as reported by People magazine.

Dion then spoke about her determination to return to live performance following her 2022 diagnosis with stiff-person syndrome.

“I made a promise. I made a promise to come back, to be back on stage,” Dion said, adding, “So here I am, singing for you and singing for me, singing life!”

She followed that with another message of gratitude, “Thank you so very much for your support, your patience, and if I may say so… I am everything I am because you loved me,” quoting her 1996 hit “Because You Loved Me” before moving into the song.

Dion’s last full concert was in March 2020 at New Jersey’s Prudential Center. The remainder of her tour was halted after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and rescheduled performances were subsequently cancelled following health complications connected to her stiff-person syndrome diagnosis.

Dion was diagnosed with the rare and progressive autoimmune and neurological disorder in 2022. The condition can cause muscle rigidity, mobility problems, painful spasms and shortness of breath.

Although she has performed publicly since her diagnosis, including at the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony at the base of the Eiffel Tower and later that year at the 1001 Seasons of Elie Saab fashion show in Saudi Arabia, Saturday’s performance marked her first full concert since her health struggles forced her away from regular live shows. (ANI)

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