Céline Dion made an emotional return to the stage for the first time in six years amid her stiff person syndrome diagnosis.
In the first of a series of concerts at Paris La Défense Arena in the city's Nanterre suburb, the 58-year-old singer tearfully celebrated being in front of a crowd once more.
"I’m standing on stage in this city I love so much thanks to your support and your love," she told the audience. "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. The Grammy winner laid bare what life with the condition is like in her 2024 documentary "I Am: Celine Dion."
Dion, who mostly spoke French for the duration of the show, 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.
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.
Dion strutted confidently through her familiar on-stage theatrics, pulling faces and playing air guitar, and belting out the ballads that made her one of the best-selling recording artists of all time, including "My Heart Will Go On" and "All By Myself."
She opened the night with one of her biggest French-language hits," On Ne Change Pas" ("We Don’t Change"), in what seemed to be a reference to her extended absence.
Her 16-concert residency, which involves 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 the singer.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Céline Dion tearfully returns to the stage after 6 years
