Video: Céline Dion 'full of joy' after Paris Olympics performance
What's the story
Canadian singer Céline Dion made a surprise return to the stage during the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony on Friday, July 26. This marked her first live performance since announcing her stiff-person syndrome diagnosis in December 2022. The Quebec native performed in French, delivering a moving rendition of Hymne A L'Amour by Edith Piaf from a stage at the base of the Eiffel Tower.
Emotional post
'I'm so happy to be celebrating these amazing athletes...'
Following her performance, Dion took to X/Twitter to express her joy and gratitude. "I'm honored to have performed tonight, for the Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony, and so full of joy to be back in one of my very favorite cities!," she wrote, adding, "Most of all, I'm so happy to be celebrating these amazing athletes, with all their stories of sacrifice and determination, pain and perseverance." "Stay focused, keep going, my heart is with you!"
Twitter Post
Check out her post here
I’m honored to have performed tonight, for the
— Celine DionParis 2024 Opening Ceremony, and so fullof joy to be back in one ofmy very favorite cities! Most of all, I’m so happyto be celebrating these amazing athletes, with alltheir stories of sacrifice and determination, pain and… pic.twitter.com/Ak6iKfhgzX(@celinedion) July 27, 2024
History of performances
Dion's Olympic journey: A quarter century apart
The 2024 Paris Summer Games marked a triumphant return for Dion—a full circle moment from her iconic 1996 Atlanta performance. At just 28, the young sensation belted The Power of the Dream, a ballad synonymous with that era's Olympic spirit. Fast forward to 2024, a more mature and resilient Dion, battling a health challenge, stood tall in a Dior gown, defying the rain to deliver a powerful rendition.
Twitter Post
Have you checked out her performance video yet?
Céline Dion interprète l'Hymne à l’amour d'Édith Piaf#Paris2024pic.twitter.com/BvvCm6kfXj
— Info France 2 (@infofrance2) July 26, 2024
French Connection
Dion's deep connection to France and the Olympics
Despite not being French, Dion has a profound connection to France and the Olympics. Her first language is French, and she has enjoyed immense success in France and other French-speaking countries. The singer also won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1988 with a French-language song representing Switzerland. Her participation in the opening ceremony had been speculated about for weeks before the event but was kept secret by both organizers and Dion's team.
Star-Studded event
Lady Gaga joined Dion in the opening ceremony
In addition to Dion's performance, singer-songwriter and actor Lady Gaga also graced the stage at the opening ceremony. Gaga performed Zizi Jeanmaire's Mon Truc en Plumes alongside the Seine River in the French capital, donning a stylish black corset with feathers. The Paris Olympics, scheduled from July 26 to August 11, commenced with the Parade of Nations led by Greece—the founding nation of the modern Olympic Games.