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Céline Dion returned to the stage in Paris on Saturday night, performing at the Plenitude Arena to an audience of 35,000 that included Oprah Winfrey, Gayle King and Michelle Obama. The concert marked a significant comeback for the singer, who has battled Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS), a rare neurological condition that at its worst caused spasms severe enough to break her ribs, leave her bedridden and require near-fatal doses of Valium to manage the pain. Six years after revealing her diagnosis, Dion delivered an emotional two-and-a-half-hour, 25-song set, telling the crowd "the path was rockier than expected" before performing hits including All By Myself, The Power of Love and My Heart Will Go On, though some critics noted her voice, now transposed to lower keys, has not fully regained its former power.
The performance was the first of 26 Paris shows running until May 2027, with more than nine million people worldwide applying for tickets ranging from £76 to £1,300 for hospitality packages. Ticket sales alone are expected to generate £62 million in revenue, while the residency's music tourism impact on the French economy is forecast at around £489 million, including an estimated £200 million boost to the local Paris economy from spending on transport, accommodation and merchandise, according to Choose Paris Region.
- Céline Dion returned to the stage in Paris after her Stiff Person Syndrome battle
- 35,000-strong crowd included Oprah Winfrey and Michelle Obama
- Paris residency of 26 shows expected to generate hundreds of millions in revenue
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Céline Dion is a Canadian singer known worldwide for songs including My Heart Will Go On, the theme from the film Titanic. In 2022 she revealed she had been diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that causes painful muscle spasms and had left her unable to perform, so her health and career had been in doubt for several years.
She has now returned to live performance with a residency of shows in Paris, her first major concerts since the diagnosis became public. The opening night drew a large crowd and figures including Oprah Winfrey and Michelle Obama, and demand for tickets has been very high internationally.
Beyond the personal comeback story, the residency also matters economically, since so many shows over an extended run are expected to bring significant tourist spending and revenue to Paris.