Celine Dion makes emotional return to stage for Paris residency years after stiff person syndrome diagnosis
Celine Dion made an emotional return to the stage in Paris for a five-week residency following a long hiatus due to stiff person syndrome. The singer performed live after years of intensive rehabilitation and health struggles.
Why it matters
Dion's return marks a significant milestone in her recovery from a rare, incurable neurological disorder that previously forced her to cancel all tour dates.
Celine Dion has made an emotional return to the stage for her first solo concert in years after a life-changing diagnosis forced her to step back.
The singer, 58, was visibly overcome as she kicked off the first show in her highly anticipated five-week residency at Paris’ La Plenitude Arena on Saturday night (local time).
Dion told Harper’s Bazaar she’s been undergoing an intense training regime to prepare for the back-to-back residency, consisting of thrice-weekly pilates sessions and ballet classes.
Until now, she has largely removed herself from public view to focus on rehabilitation since being diagnosed with stiff person syndrome (SPS) – a rare, incurable neurological disorder affecting about one in a million people – in 2022.
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