Céline Dion on stage in Paris on Saturday night Céline Dion made a triumphant return to the stage over the weekend with the first show in her new residency in Paris. The Canadian star took a step back from the limelight in 2023, after disclosing that she’d been diagnosed with stiff person syndrome, a rare neurological condition which affects mobility, causes painful spasms and, in Céline’s case, has massively affected her ability to sing. However, in her candid 2024 documentary I Am, the Grammy winner made it clear that she fully intended to return to live performing at some point. “If I can’t run, I’ll walk,” she insisted. “If I can’t walk, I’ll crawl. But I won’t stop.” Earlier this year, she announced a new run of shows at Paris’ Plenitude Arena, which was originally scheduled to be a string of 10 concerts, before being bumped up to 16 (after completing this run at the end of October, Céline will return to the same venue in May 2027 for another run of 10 performances). The first of these shows – dubbed simply Céline Dion Paris – took place on Saturday night, with the My Heart Will Go On singer receiving unanimous praise from critics. Céline Dion Paris incorporated hits like My Heart Will Go On, It’s All Coming Back To Me Now and I’m Alive as well as her French-language songs In a four-star review, The Guardian noted that Céline’s voice has changed since her diagnosis, but hailed her efforts as “astounding”. “When she realises she hit the big notes, it’s relief – then triumph – that spreads across her face,” they enthused. “Given where she has come from, and her performance on stage tonight, it’s a feeling that is clearly well deserved.” The Times and The Telegraph gave the show the same score, with the former writing: “It was heartfelt, good natured, unfailingly professional and, given the fact that she was dancing, singing and generally socking it to ’em like she never had a rare neurological condition at all, nothing short of miraculous.” Meanwhile, the latter said: “At first, she was clearly struggling to hold herself together. Her vocals wobbled dangerously, as if about to crack or collapse. But she was gaining confidence with every moment back on stage. “When she ripped through a melismatic cascade of notes on Everything I Am, a sense of relief settled on performer and audience. Soon she was roaring through the long notes at the end of The Power of Love and My Heart Will Go On as if she had never been away. The relief on her face during the high outro to All By Myself spoke volumes.” Rolling Stone’s review also recalled: “Then came All By Myself. Dion reached for its formidable high note and landed it. “For an instant, she looked almost astonished herself. She wasn’t only proving it to the audience. For a moment, she appeared to be proving it to herself.” Céline Dion’s first Paris show received rave reviews from critics A reporter for The Mirror gave Céline’s show a five-star rating, calling it “a show-stopping comeback against all the odds”. “While the voice is no longer quite as piercing as it was at the height of her powers, the astonishing control remains. Céline hit all the notes – even the big, punishing ones,” they wrote, adding: “After what once seemed impossible, tonight was also the culmination of one of the hardest battles of her life.” “The concert had a spiritual feel, with visual interludes that seemed steeped in biblical imagery, alluding to a pilgrimage,” wrote Variety, before noting: “The set design was highly cinematic, with a monumental staircase sweeping up one side and a moon dominating the stage, while the backdrop appeared to have a stark, almost brutalist grey texture.” For her comeback show, Céline primarily performed a mix of her French- and English-language hits, including The Power Of Love, It’s All Coming Back To Me Now and My Heart Will Go On. She also performed some covers, including a disco medley that mixed her songs I’m Alive and That’s The Way It Is with new renditions of I Feel Love and Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This), as well as a surprise rendition of the Italian aria Ebben? Ne Andrò Lontana. READ MORE: Céline Dion Sinks Trump's Use Of Iconic Song With 4-Word Question Céline Dion's Rep Hits Back At 'Entirely False And Potentially Damaging' Eurovision Claims Director Reveals Céline Dion's Reaction To Graphic Seizure Scene In New Documentary