File photo. (Photo courtesy: IANS)
Los Angeles:
Legendary singer-songwriter Celine Dion, who is battling a rare neurological disease called stiff-person syndrome, is expected to return to the stage at the Olympic Games. The singer is rumoured to take the Paris Olympics stage during the opening ceremony on Friday, reports Variety.
This will be the pop legend’s first performance since pausing her tour schedule and stepping away from the spotlight after suffering from stiff person syndrome in December 2022.
According to Variety, the singer arrived at the Royal Monceau Hotel near the Champs-Elysees in Paris, where Lady Gaga, another potential opening ceremony headliner, is also staying. Specific details about Celine Dion’s performance are being kept secret.
The Canadian singer revealed in an interview with Vogue France in April that her return could be imminent, saying: “I have decided to work with my whole body and soul, from head to toe, with a medical team. I want to be as good as I can be. My goal is to see the Eiffel Tower again.”
She also said she is working to get stronger every day. She told Vogue France: “For four years I’ve been telling 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’,” she said. “I don’t know… My body will tell me.”
It appears she will indeed be performing in front of the famous Paris landmark, as the opening ceremony will take the form of a nautical parade along the Seine River, culminating near the Trocadero in front of the Eiffel Tower.
The ceremony will be held outside a stadium for the first time in history, showcasing iconic locations in Paris and bringing together 3,500 actors, dancers and musicians.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)