Celine Dion is set to make her long-awaited return to the stage in Paris on Saturday evening after years battling a rare neurological disorder, with fans counting down the hours until showtime. The "My Heart Will Go On" singer will perform her first full concert in six years, marking a major milestone in her comeback after Stiff Person Syndrome forced her to cancel shows and left her struggling to sing.
Around 30,000 fans are expected to pile into the Plenitude Arena outside Paris for the sold-out opening night of the 58-year-old Canadian's 26-date run in the French capital. Some made the pilgrimage a day early, heading to the venue on Friday evening to soak up the atmosphere ahead of the Quebec-born hitmaker's return.
Over her four-decade career, Dion has sold around 260 million albums in English and French, with hits including "It's All Coming Back to Me Now" and "Because You Loved Me". She kicks off her 26-date residency with 16 sold-out shows in September and October, before returning for another 10 next May.
Dion's return caps a remarkable journey back to the stage after years of uncertainty over whether she would perform again. In December 2022, she revealed that she had been diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome, a rare and incurable autoimmune disorder that can cause severe muscle stiffness and agonising spasms.