Céline Dion makes emotional return to stage for Paris residency amid health battle

It’s all coming back to her now.

Céline Dion fought back tears as she kicked off her Paris residency Saturday, marking a long-awaited return to the stage amid her ongoing battle with stiff person syndrome.

In a video shared to Instagram by a concertgoer, Dion — sporting a black gown with her hair in a slicked-back bun — became visibly emotional, singing through tears as the crowd showered her with applause.

Dion, 58, also belted out her iconic 1997 ballad “My Heart Will Go On” after changing into a glittery black jacket and black pants for the performance, according to another video shared to Instagram by the Plenitude Arena (Paris La Défense Arena), where she is performing throughout her 26-date run.

The Grammy winner took a moment to address the crowd, telling them, according to CBC News, “I promised not to cry. Tonight I want to sing for you, for me, for life.”

“Finally,” she continued. “It’s amazing we’re all together. I made a promise. I made a promise to come back and be back on stage.”

Dion then thanked her fans for their “support” and “patience” before delivering a heartfelt nod to her 1996 hit “Because You Loved Me,” telling the audience, “If I may say so, I am everything I am because you loved me.”

The “Power of Love” singer first announced the residency in March via YouTube while celebrating her birthday, which falls on March 30, describing the return “the best gift of [her] life.”

“I’m so ready to do this,” she said in part. “I’m feeling good. I’m strong. I’m feeling excited, obviously, of course a little nervous, but most of all I am grateful to all of you. I can’t wait to see you again.”

Dion, who was diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome in December 2022, recently revealed to Harper’s Bazaar that her preparation for the Paris stage included 90-minute Pilates sessions up to three times a week and two ballet classes.

She also said she had undergone physical therapy, vocal therapy and immunotherapy and was prescribed new medications, which helped her make a rare appearance at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Her diagnosis forced Dion to cancel her “Courage” world tour in May 2023, putting her career on hold as she focused on her health.

Still, Dion said she was “determined” to return to the stage and “live as normal of a life as possible,” calling her battle with the neurological disorder “one of the hardest experiences of [her] life.”