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PARIS: Grammy-winning Canadian singer Celine Dion has returned to Paris ahead of her highly anticipated comeback to live performance, marking a major milestone following years away from the stage after revealing her diagnosis with stiff-person syndrome.
Dion arrived in the French capital on Friday to prepare for a 16-show residency at the Plenitude Arena, with the first concert scheduled for September 12. The performances will continue through September and October, followed by 10 additional shows planned for May 2027.
Welcomed by enthusiastic fans and members of the media outside her hotel, Dion said she was ready for the performances but acknowledged feeling nervous because of the long absence from live concerts. She also described Paris as her “second home.”
The 58-year-old singer disclosed in 2022 that she had been diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome, a rare neurological disorder, which forced her to cancel her Courage World Tour and significantly reduce her public performances.
Her upcoming Paris residency, titled “Celine Dion Paris 2026-2027,” will feature songs from her extensive catalogue in both English and French. Despite her prolonged absence, Dion remains one of the world’s most successful and decorated recording artists, having sold nearly 260 million albums worldwide.
Dion briefly returned to the international spotlight during the 2024 Paris Olympics, delivering an acclaimed performance of Hymne à l’amour from the Eiffel Tower. Her forthcoming residency, however, represents a much more substantial return to live performance.
The Plenitude Arena, which can accommodate around 40,000 spectators, was also among the venues used during the Paris Olympic Games. The scale of the upcoming concerts underlines the significance of Dion’s return and the enduring global appeal of her music.
Dion has kept details of her opening performance closely guarded. When asked which song she would sing first, she declined to reveal it, calling it “a big secret.”
