PARIS. Celine Dion made a spectacular comeback on Friday night, closing the Paris Olympics’ opening ceremony with a breathtaking performance from the Eiffel Tower. This marked her return to the stage nearly two years after revealing her diagnosis of stiff person syndrome, a rare neurological disorder.
Dion delivered a moving rendition of Edith Piaf’s classic “Hymne à l’amour” (“Hymn to Love”) as the grand finale of the four-hour event. Her performance had been widely anticipated but shrouded in secrecy, with both the organizers and Dion’s representatives remaining tight-lipped about her involvement.
The media guide for the ceremony, sponsored by Dior, had hinted at a “world star” for the “purely grandiose, superbly scintillating finale,” without confirming Dion’s participation.
The Canadian singer had been absent from the stage since 2020 due to the pandemic and the subsequent postponement of her tour, which was ultimately canceled following her diagnosis. The condition, which causes severe muscle rigidity and spasms, affected her ability to walk and sing. In June, Dion spoke to The Associated Press about the extensive therapy required for her return, stating, “So that’s why it takes a while. But absolutely why we’re doing this because I’m already a little bit back.”
In February, Dion made a surprise appearance at the Grammy Awards, where she presented the final award of the night to a standing ovation, signaling her gradual return to the limelight.
For her Paris performance, Dion wore a pearl outfit designed by Dior. Daphné Bürki, the Paris Olympics’ director of design and costume for ceremonies, noted Dion’s eagerness to participate. “When we called Celine Dion one year ago she said yes straight away,” Bürki said.
Although Dion is French Canadian and hails from Quebec, she has a deep connection to France and the Olympics. Her French-language music has been hugely popular in France and other French-speaking regions. Additionally, Dion represented Switzerland in the 1988 Eurovision Song Contest with a French-language song and performed “The Power of The Dream,” the theme song for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
Her choice of song for the Paris Olympics also carried a poignant sports connection: Piaf wrote “Hymne à l’amour” about her lover, boxer Marcel Cerdan, who tragically died in a plane crash shortly after the song’s creation.
Paraluman P. Funtanilla
Paraluman P. Funtanilla is Tutubi News Magazine's Marketing Specialist and is a Contributing Editor. She finished her degree in Communication Arts in De La Salle Lipa. She has worked as a Digital Marketer for start-up businesses and small business spaces for the past two years. She has earned certificates from Coursera on Brand Management: Aligning Business Brand and Behavior and Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content. She also worked with Asia Express Romania TV Show.
