Legendary singer Celine Dion’s grand return to the stage at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony is looking more and more likely.
The chart-topping artist, 56, announced she had been diagnosed with the rare autoimmune movement disorder Stiff-person syndrome (SPS) in December 2022 after cancelling all her tour dates for 2023 and 2024.
Since then Celine has been candid about her difficult health journey, with symptoms including debilitating spasms and stiffness which have prevented her from performing.
She opened up further in her powerful Prime Video documentary I Am: Celine Dion. But a common thread throughout her health battle has been her determination to sing live once again.
And now that dream may be coming true.
Celine was spotted arriving in Paris on Monday at the Royal Monceau hotel, the same location Lady Gaga (another rumoured performer) is staying at, according to Variety.
The timing perfectly aligns with the lead-up to this year’s Olympics with the opening ceremony taking place on Saturday, July 26.
It comes after a source told the Sun that she had been asked to perform one song.
‘Celine has made no secret of her desire to make it back to the stage, and Paris would be the perfect opportunity for her to do that,’ the source said.
They added that she was ‘working around the clock’ to make the performance happen but that she is ‘not out of the woods yet’.
The opening ceremony is set to be one to remember with plans for it to happen outside the stadium, as the parade travels down the river Seine, arriving at the Trocadero which is home to Paris’ most iconic landmark, the Eiffel Tower.
Alongside potential appearances from Celine and Gaga, there will be a further 3,000 performers.
In a recent interview with Vogue France, the Grammy winner opened up about her motivation to recover.
‘The way I see it, I have two choices. Either I train like an athlete and work super hard, or I switch off and it’s over, I stay at home, listen to my songs, stand in front of my mirror and sing to myself.
What is stiff-person syndrome?
Stiff-person syndrome (SPS) is a rare autoimmune movement disorder that affects the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord).
SPS is characterised by fluctuating muscle rigidity in the trunk and limbs and a heightened sensitivity to stimuli such as noise, touch, and emotional distress, which can set off muscle spasms. Stiff-person syndrome is extremely rare.
Only about one out of every one million people have been diagnosed with this syndrome. Twice as many women have stiff person syndrome as men. Symptoms can occur at any age but usually develop between ages 30 and 60.
‘I’ve chosen to work with all my body and soul, from head to toe, with a medical team. I want to be the best I can be. My goal is to see the Eiffel Tower again!
When pushed about whether she would ever tour again, she added: ‘For four years I’ve been saying to myself that I’m not going back, that I’m ready, that I’m not ready…
‘As things stand, I can’t stand here and say to you: “Yes, in four months,”. I don’t know… My body will tell me.’
Detailing what it was like to sing with the condition, she has previously said: ‘It’s like somebody is strangling you. It’s like someone is pushing your larynx pharynx backwards. It gets into a spasm
‘It can also be in the abdominal, in the spine, in the ribs. If I point my feet, they will stay in it [a stuck position],’ she continued.
Metro.co.uk has reached out to Celine Dion’s representatives for comment.
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