Celine Dion says she is “so full of joy” after her triumphant return to live singing, as she closed the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics.
The Canadian singer, 56, belted out Edith Piaf’s L’Hymne A L’Amour from the middle of the Eiffel Tower on Friday, amid her battle with stiff person syndrome (SPS).
In 2021, she cancelled her Las Vegas residency because of health concerns, before disclosing her SPS diagnosis in December 2022 and cancelling her Courage World Tour.
Dion has not performed in public since.
She wrote on Instagram: “I’m honoured to have performed tonight, for the Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony, and so full of joy to be back in one of my very favourite cities!
“Most of all, I’m so happy to be celebrating these amazing athletes, with all their stories of sacrifice and determination, pain and perseverance.
“All of you have been so focused on your dream, and whether or not you take home a medal, I hope that being here means that it has come true for you!
“You should all be so proud, we know how hard you have worked to be the best of the best. Stay focused, keep going, my heart is with you!”
The five-time Grammy winner also posted images of her making a heart sign, wearing the same beaded silver gown with a high neckline that she wore during her performance, with an image of fans carrying a flag, made in the Olympics-style with the “o” in her name written using the games’ rings.
She spoke about her rare condition, which causes progressive muscular inflexibility, during the 2024 documentary I Am: Celine Dion.
Dion discussed her desire to return to the stage and the programme showed extended footage of her having an SPS attack before singing.
The ceremony’s artistic director Thomas Jolly explained that she flatly rejected offers to accommodate the health challenges.
He said: “You know, she has a very strong link with France. She is a bridge between our two continents, and so immediately we decided to contact her management, but her health didn’t make it possible for us to make it a reality from the beginning.
“Her willingness was there. She wanted to be on the Eiffel Tower, she was very clear. We offered her other suggestions depending on her health and she said, “Nope, I’m going to do it on the Eiffel Tower because that is your idea, that is what you want.
“It’s a huge honour. She’s doing better, we’re happy about that, and she especially could perform yesterday, last night, on this wonderful song at the place she wanted to, at a moment of the Opening Ceremony that is the most emotional one, when the cauldron is being lit in the city of Paris and Celine Dion on the first floor of the Eiffel Tower.”
Towards the beginning of the Paris opening ceremony, US singer Lady Gaga surprised viewers by singing in French the classic Mon Truc En Plumes, after emerging from pink feathered pom poms, wearing a black bodice with a detachable black and pink ruffled skirt.
On X, formerly Twitter, she said: “I feel so completely grateful to have been asked to open the Paris @Olympics 2024 this year.
“I am also humbled to be asked by the Olympics organising committee to sing such a special French song – a song to honour the French people and their tremendous history of art, music, and theatre.
“This song was sung by Zizi Jeanmaire, born in Paris a French ballerina, she famously sang Mon Truc En Plumes in 1961.
“The title means My Thing With Feathers.”
I feel so completely grateful to have been asked to open the Paris @Olympics 2024 this year. I am also humbled to be asked by the Olympics organizing committee to sing such a special French song—a song to honor the French people and their tremendous history of art, music, and… pic.twitter.com/FMNyiosHUR
— Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) July 26, 2024
She explained that it is “not the first time we’ve crossed paths”, as Jeanmaire starred in Cole Porter’s musical Anything Goes, a jazz song Gaga released with Tony Bennett.
The singer added: “Although I am not a French artist, I have always felt a very special connection with French people and singing French music.
“I wanted nothing more than to create a performance that would warm the heart of France, celebrate French art and music, and on such a momentous occasion remind everyone of one of the most magical cities on earth – Paris.
“We rented pom poms from Le Lido archive – a real French cabaret theatre.
“We collaborated with Dior to create custom costumes, using naturally moulted feathers. I studied French choreography that put a modern twist on a French classic.
“I rehearsed tirelessly to study a joyful French dance, brushing up on some old skills – I bet you didn’t know I used to dance at a 60s French party on the lower east side when I was first starting out.
“I hope you love this performance as much as I do. And to everyone in France, thank you so much for welcoming me to your country to sing in honour of you – it’s a gift I’ll never forget.”
Gaga, real name Stefani Germanotta, who was accompanied by several dancers during her staircase show, congratulated the athletes, saying it was a “supreme honour” to sing for them.
Other highlights from the ceremony included extracts from the musical Les Miserables, based on the novel by Victor Hugo, and heavy metal band Gojira performing at the former prison Conciergerie, while headless Marie Antoinette appeared in the windows of the building where the executed French queen was held.
Many of the festivities were dampened by wet weather, including a performance by pianist Alexandre Kantorow, Sofiane Pamart and Juliette Armanet’s rendition of John Lennon’s Imagine, and a catwalk show featuring Drag Race France judge Nicky Doll.
