Celine Dion shocked viewers all over the world on Friday night time by closing the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Video games with a surprising efficiency.
The 56-year-old Canadian star made an unbelievable public comeback together with her first reside efficiency since revealing she has Stiff Individual Syndrome nearly two years in the past.
She canceled her 2021 Las Vegas residency as a consequence of well being issues, earlier than saying her SPS analysis in December 2022 and canceling her Braveness World Tour.
Dion has not carried out in public since then.
Because the bold opening ceremony drew to a detailed after the Olympic flame was lit and the official begin of the Video games was introduced, Dion stepped onto the particular stage beneath the enduring Eiffel Tower.
The chart-topping Canadian singer, carrying a glittering silver gown and singing flawlessly regardless of the pouring rain, gave a stirring efficiency that garnered rapid admiration.
The star sang a stirring model of French singer Edith Piaf's L'Hymne à l'amour.
As she reached the climax of the tune, Dion appeared to change into emotional.
A type of who expressed their admiration was Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
“A proud Quebecer from Charlemagne takes the stage on the Opening Ceremony!” he tweeted from his official X account, including: “@celinedion is a Canadian icon, an unbelievable expertise, and she or he has overcome so much to be right here tonight.
'Celine, good to see you singing once more.'
Others raved about Dion on social media after the opening ceremony. Nevertheless, some viewers weren’t proud of the choice to increase the venture throughout the Seine and a number of other Parisian landmarks.
“@celinedion I didn't have chopping onions on my bingo card right this moment. It provides me the chills. That was unbelievable,” Joey Vogt posted.
“The achievement of a lifetime of a woman who sadly suffers unimaginably. That is your legacy,” mentioned Paul Bavister.
“Is it simply me or was seeing and listening to @celinedion absolutely the spotlight of the #Olympics2024 #openingceremony,” Julie Forester instructed.
Others praised the star as “superb”, “unbeatable” and “an inspiration”.
“After every little thing she's been by way of, that is such a lovely, stunning factor to see. Celine Dion. An inspiration,” shared TV critic Scott Bryan.
Dion beforehand carried out on the 1996 Summer time Olympics in Atlanta, performing a tune known as The Energy of the Dream, which he wrote particularly for the event.
Her efficiency was eagerly anticipated, particularly after she was noticed within the French capital earlier this week and met with enthusiastic followers.
However given her well being struggles in recent times, detailed in her new Prime Video documentary, I Am: Celine Dion, there have been fears that she would retreat if she struggled with them.
The opposite foremost efficiency got here from American singer Girl Gaga, who shocked viewers by singing in French throughout her efficiency of the traditional tune Mon Truc En Plume.
There have been rumors that they might type a duet collectively for La Vie en Rose, however nothing got here of it.
What’s stiff particular person syndrome?
Stiff particular person syndrome (SPS) is a uncommon autoimmune motion dysfunction that impacts the central nervous system (the mind and spinal twine).
SPS is characterised by fluctuating muscle stiffness within the trunk and limbs and elevated sensitivity to stimuli comparable to noise, contact, and emotional stress, which might trigger muscle spasms. Stiff-person syndrome is extraordinarily uncommon.
Solely about one in 1,000,000 folks have been recognized with this syndrome. Twice as many ladies have stiff particular person syndrome as males. Signs can happen at any age, however most frequently develop between the ages of 30 and 60.
After her efficiency, she mentioned it was her “biggest honor” to carry out on the occasion.
On X she wrote: 'I’m extraordinarily grateful to have the ability to open the Olympic Video games in Paris 2024 this 12 months.
'I additionally really feel honoured that the organising committee of the Olympic Video games requested me to sing such a particular French tune – a tune in honour of the French folks and their nice historical past of artwork, music and theatre.
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'This tune was sung by Zizi Jeanmaire, a French ballerina born in Paris. She sang her well-known tune Mon Truc En Plumes in 1961.
'The title means My Factor With Feathers. And this isn’t the primary time our paths have crossed.
'Zizi performed the lead function in Cole Porter's musical Something Goes, my first jazz launch. Though I’m not a French artist, I’ve all the time felt a really particular reference to the French and singing French music.'
The Oscar and Grammy winner added that she “wished nothing greater than to create a efficiency that may heat the center of France, rejoice French artwork and music, and remind everybody on such an vital event of some of the magical cities on earth: Paris.”
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