Celine Dion, Battling Stiff Person Syndrome, Conquers Paris Olympics Stage

Celine Dion made an emotional return to the stage on Friday at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony, amid her struggles with stiff person syndrome. Following Lady Gaga and other European singers, Dion closed the ceremony with a memorable performance atop the Eiffel Tower. She returned to perform at the Olympics nearly three decades after enthralling everyone at the Atlanta Summer Games in 1996.

What kept Celine Dion away from the stage?

Nearly two years after revealing her stiff person syndrome diagnosis, Dion belted Edith Piaf’s Hymne à l’amour (Hymn to Love) as the finale of the roughly four-hour spectacle. Dion had been absent from the stage since 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic forced the postponement of her tour to 2022. That tour was eventually suspended in the wake of her diagnosis.

The rare neurological disorder causes rigid muscles and painful muscle spasms, which were affecting Dion’s ability to walk and sing. In June, at the premiere of the documentary “I Am: Celine Dion,” she told The Associated Press that returning required therapy, “physically, mentally, emotionally, vocally.”

In February this year, she made another surprise appearance at the Grammy Awards, where she presented the final award of the night to a standing ovation.

What Celine Dion said about her health in her documentary I Am: Celine Dion

Released in June earlier this year, I Am: Celine Dion gives a raw look at Dion as she battles stiff person syndrome. According to rnz.com, Dion's diagnosis was the culmination of about 17 years of unexplained health issues which started with spasming in her vocal chords and eventually affected her ability to belt out high notes.

In the documentary, Dion is shown to suffer spasms on camera and her body stiffens. The scene is on air because Dion and the makers wanted “to really show and really validate her suffering.”

Dion narrates in the documentary that she “needed medicine to function.” She recalled consuming 80-90 mg of Valium daily to perform without experiencing her symptoms.

Netizens label Celine Dion's act as 'mesmerising'

Dion sang Edith Piaf's Hymne A L'Amour while standing at the base of the Eiffel Tower. The Canadian singer wore a sparkling, bead-adorned dress and performed next to a piano in the rain. Her emotion was visible as she concluded the song, touching the hearts of many.

Reacting to her a social media user wrote, "There will NEVER be anyone like her again in our lifetimes." Another one wrote, " Magnifique."

(With inputs from agencies)