Additional Coverage:
- Celine Dion leaves fans teary-eyed with comeback performance at Olympic opening ceremony (newsbreak.com)
Céline Dion has made a captivating return to the stage. She concluded the over four-hour-long opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics with a deeply emotional performance of Edith Piaf’s “L’Hymne à l’amour” atop the Eiffel Tower on Friday, July 26. This marked Dion’s first live appearance since revealing her battle with the rare and incurable Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS) in 2022.
Fans were moved by her performance, with one tweeting about being brought to tears and another praising it as “totally worth the wait.” A third fan remarked on the beauty of the performance given Dion’s recent health struggles.
Dion expressed her joy on Twitter, saying, “I’m so happy to be here with you this week! I’d like to also extend a warm thank thank you to the local Gendarmes for keeping us safe.” Accompanied by images of her interacting with fans, her message underscored her gratitude.
The ceremony began with an engaging performance by Lady Gaga, who donned a black leotard and delivered Zizi Jeanmaire’s “Mon Truc en Plumes” with the help of dancers and pink fans. Speculation had been rife that Dion and Gaga would perform together after they were both seen at the Royal Monceau Hotel. Rumors had suggested a possible duet on Piaf’s “La Vie en Rose,” which did not materialize.
The night also featured performances by French-Malian singer Aya Nakamura and French metal band Gojira. Notable athletes like Serena Williams, Rafael Nadal, Tony Parker, and Charles Coste participated in the Olympic torch relay, with Teddy Riner and Marie-José Pérec lighting the cauldron.
Straying from the traditional stadium setting, the organizers chose to highlight Paris’ landmarks with a parade of athletes along the Seine River. Despite the weather, thousands of spectators lined up to witness the spectacle.
For more real-time updates on the Paris 2024 Olympics, follow the live blog provided by The Independent.