Celine Dion’s Emotional Closing Performance at Olympics Opening Ceremony

Celine Dion fans were left in tears as they watched her close the 2024 Olympics Opening Ceremony in Paris on Friday evening.

The Canadian singer, 56, who is battling the incurable stiff-person syndrome, looked incredible in a shimmering silver gown as she performed in front of the Eiffel Tower.

In 2022, Celine disclosed that she had been diagnosed with the neurological disorder stiff-person syndrome which causes muscles to stiffen and spasm .

Céline previously made a vow that she will return to the stage amid her suffering ‘even if she has to crawl’.

And sticking to her guns, Céline is gearing up to make her comeback performance in the French city.

Céline last performed live during her Courage world tour in Newark, New Jersey on March 8 2020. She then canceled her tour amid the Covid pandemic.

Variety reports that the singer is rumoured to be opening the ceremony on Friday, which will mark her first performance since stepping away from the spotlight.

She previously teased her anticipated comeback would be in Paris, in a recent interview with Vogue France.

She said: ‘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!

‘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.’ Céline’s heartbreaking documentary, I Am: Céline Dion has been lauded by critics after it was released last month.

The harrowing film captured over more than a year of filming – follows the star as she battles to continue her normal life and career amid her diagnosis – and has landed a perfect 100 per cent score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Céline announced in December 2022 that she had been diagnosed with the syndrome – an extremely rare disorder that makes the muscles in the torso and limbs alternate between spasming and being rigid.

Time critic Rich Juzwiak said the film is the ‘opposite of a vanity project’ and praised Dion for her openness – including recording a difficult moment where she struggles to sing Foreigner’s I Want To Know What Love Is due to the condition causing rigidness in the chest.

The review reads: ‘In a way, I Am: Celine Dion is a meditation on aging and what happens to stars whose abilities diminish with time, rare diagnosis or not. As tragic and debilitating as it is, Dion’s condition gives her a reason to externalize a lot of feelings that many stars never want to acknowledge.

‘Nobody wants to talk about what it means to be past their prime, but SPS has forced Dion to contemplate just that.’

New York Times ‘ Chris Azzopardi praised Dion for allowing ‘raw footage’ to make it into the film, as well as handling her condition with humor.

One such scene sees Dion suffering a 10-minute spasm as she wails in distress and is administered pain medication.

‘Dion’s spontaneously expressive personality already shines through her pain in raw footage that feels more connected to her healing journey, like when her physical therapist nags her about a cream she hasn’t been applying to her feet. “Give me a break,” she says with playful exasperation.

‘These awkward segments weaken the powerful emotional atmosphere of witnessing Dion transcend her circumstances. Especially when she lets the cameras stick around, showing some of the most grim health-related scenes I have ever seen of a superstar onscreen.’

A synopsis for the film reads: ‘From visiting her couture touring wardrobe and personal effects to spending time in the recording studio, the documentary captures a global megastar’s never-before-seen private life.

‘An emotional, energetic, and poetic love letter to music, I Am: Celine Dion captures more than a year of filming as the legendary singer navigates her journey toward living an open and authentic life amidst illness.’

Amazon MGM landed the worldwide rights to the documentary with the film streaming on Prime Video.

Irene Taylor directed the documentary made by Sony Music Vision, Sony Music Entertainment Canada and Vermilion Films.

‘I’ve been dealing with problems with my health for a long time and it’s been really difficult for
me to face these challenges and to talk about everything that I’ve been going through,’ she said in an emotional video first announcing her condition.

Although she initially postponed her Courage World Tour until the spring of 2024, the Golden Globe winner decided to cancel it in May.

‘Even though it breaks my heart, it’s best that we cancel everything now until I’m really ready to be back on stage again,’ she told her loyal fans.

The determined artist appears to have kept her promise she made to keep working on her health. ‘I want you all to know, I’m not giving up … and I can’t wait to see you again!’ she said at the time.

Celine’s sister recently revealed the singer had lost control of her muscles due to her condition.

‘Celine is a fighter,’ an insider told US Weekly. ‘She doesn’t have as much control over her muscles as she did before, but she’s working with doctors and physical therapists to get better.’

The source claimed, ‘Celine has been taking time to focus on her health but plans to take the stage again once she is given the go-ahead by her medical team .’

A second person in the know backed up the comments.

‘She’s staying positive and upbeat and doing her physical therapy every day,’ the insider said.

‘Getting back on stage in some form is her constant dream, even if she can no longer sing; she just wants to see those shining faces.’

Stiff-person syndrome is a ‘rare autoimmune neurological disorder that most commonly causes muscle stiffness and painful spasms that come and go and can worsen over time,’ according to John Hopkins Medicine.