Celine Dion Made a Triumphant Return at the Olympic Opening Ceremony

She sparkled on the Eiffel Tower for her performance—her first since revealing her Stiff Person Syndrome diagnosis.

Celine Dion just made her official comeback on the world’s largest stage: the Olympics. On July 26, the global superstar made her return to performing at the Paris 2024 Olympics, where she sang “Hymne à l’amour,” originally sung by Édith Piaf, during the Opening Ceremony.

Dion graced the stage in a white long-sleeved Dior column gown that featured “thousands of pearls and more than 500 meters of fringing.”

Dion’s performance of “L’Hymne à L’amour” marks the second time that she has performed at an Olympic Games. She performed at the 1996 Olympic Opening Ceremony in Atlanta, and sang “The Power of the Dream” accompanied by David Foster and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. The pop star’s performance of “Hymne à l’amour” notably marks her first live performance since revealing her Stiff Person Syndrome diagnosis in 2022.

Friday’s appearance marks her first live performance since announcing her diagnosis with Stiff Person Syndrome in 2022. In June, Dion released her documentary, I Am: Celine Dion, which depicts her health battles and how her rare condition has affected her life and career. Dion has stayed out of the spotlight since announcing her diagnosis, though the star has made occasional appearances at NHL games (as a Canadian, she is a huge hockey fan) and the 2024 Grammy Awards.

Earlier this month, Hoda Kotb revealed to fans that Dion could be making a comeback sooner than expected. The broadcaster shared a bit of behind-the-scenes scoop from her TV interview with the star, saying that Dion dropped a hint off camera about her next performance.

“Her manager was off-camera, and I go, ‘So what’s going on? When are you performing again?,'” Kotb explained. “And she goes, ‘Can I tell her?’ And her manager goes, ‘No!’ He screams, ‘No.’ I was like, there’s something.”

Dion even shared an Easter egg about her Paris performance during an April interview with Vogue France, during which she said her goal is to see the Eiffel Tower again.

“I’ve chosen to work with all my body and soul, from head to toe, with a medical team,” she told the publication. “I want to be the best I can be. My goal is to see the Eiffel Tower again!”