Paris cheers on Celine Dion as 16-concert residency starts

NANTERRE, France- Celine Dion made an emotional return to the stage after a six-year absence on Saturday, overcoming high-profile health woes to thrill fans in the first of a series of concerts in Paris.

“I’m standing on stage in this city I love so much thanks to your support and your love,” she told the crowd. “The path was rocky, the road was longer than planned but I held on.”

The star announced in 2022 she had been diagnosed with stiff person syndrome, a rare neurological condition which causes muscle spasms and left her unable to perform.

Dion seemed overwhelmed at times and broke down in tears during her opening number, holding out a microphone to the audience to help her through the bridge.

“I promised I wouldn’t cry - but they’re tears of joy,” she said, speaking mostly French throughout.

The staging was muted and Dion mainly wore a series of black gowns, leaving little to distract from her obvious emotion at being back in front of a crowd.

“She didn’t shy away from what she suffered and she shared it with her audience,” British fan Catherine Rushforth said as she left the arena in Nanterre on the outskirts of Paris.

Dion strutted confidently through her familiar on-stage theatrics, pulling faces and playing air guitar, and belting out ballads including “My Heart Will Go On” and “All By Myself” which made her one of the best-selling recording artists of all time.

But she opened with one of her biggest French-language hits “On Ne Change Pas” (“We Don’t Change”) - an apparent reference to her extended absence.

Her 16-concert residency, with a further 10 dates in 2027, has caused a frenzy in the French capital where crowds gather outside her swanky hotel until the early hours hoping to catch a glimpse of her.

“Her fight is an example for all of us, it’s wonderful,” said fan Julien Faruch, a chef.

Reporting by Johnny Cotton, Michaela Cabrera and Clotaire Achi; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama/Reuters