Celine Dion makes emotional return to stage in Paris after 6 years amid stiff person syndrome battle

Celine Dion has returned to the stage in Paris, marking her first major concert performance in six years after stepping away from live shows following her diagnosis with stiff person syndrome.

The 58-year-old Canadian singer began a 26-show residency at Paris La Defense Arena on Saturday, performing before an audience of around 30,000 people.

Dion returns to live performance

Dion has not performed a full concert since a 2020 show in New Jersey. Her return comes after years of dealing with the rare neurological condition, which she was diagnosed with in 2022.

She made a brief return to the spotlight in 2024, when she performed one song at the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympics. Saturday's concert, however, marked a much bigger comeback.

"I made a promise," she told the Paris audience.

"I made a promise to come back, to be back on stage. And here I am. Singing for you, and singing for me," she said.

The singer also expressed her gratitude to the fans who supported her through her time away from the stage.

"I am everything I am because you loved me," she told the crowd.

Singer breaks down in tears

The emotional moment continued after Dion finished one of her songs. She became tearful while addressing the audience and acknowledged how difficult it was to hold back her emotions.

"I had promised myself not to cry."

"But I'm so happy to see you all. I missed you."

Dion is scheduled to perform in Paris throughout September and October and into the New Year as part of her residency.

Stiff person syndrome affected her voice

Dion has previously spoken about how stiff person syndrome affected her ability to sing. In an interaction with NBC News, she described the impact the condition had on her voice.

"It's like somebody is strangling you. It's like somebody is pushing your larynx/pharynx," she said in a preview from the conversation that aired on the Today show raising her voice to demonstrate the effect. "It was like talking like that, and you cannot go high or lower."

Her Paris return now marks a significant return to live performance after years away from the concert stage.