Celine Dion hosts emotional concert in Paris
PARIS, IDF —
Celine Dion returned to the stage Saturday nearly four years after announcing she had been diagnosed with a rare, painful condition.
Video above: Adele and Celine Dion share emotional hug
She opened her 16-show residency in Paris at the Plenitude Arena with the French song “On Ne Change Pas,” which means “we don’t change” in English.
“I had promised myself not to cry,” Dion told the crowd, according to Variety. “Thank you so very much for coming. If it’s your first time in Paris, I hope you fall in love with it just like I did. Finally, it’s amazing we are all together. I made a promise to come back, to be back on stage. So here I am, singing for you and singing for me, singing live!”
1. “On Ne Change Pas”
2. “Destin”
3. “Because You Loved Me”
4. “Encore un Soir”
5. “Les Derniers Seront les Premiers”
6. “Tout L’or des Hommes”
7. “The Power of Love”
8. “My Heart Will Go On”
9. “Beauty and the Beast”
10. “The Chase”
11. “J’irai Où Tu Iras”
12. “Ne Bouge Pas”
13. “Dans un Autre Monde”
14. “I Feel Love” (Donna Summer Cover)
15. “I’m Alive” (Electro-Disco Version)
16. “That’s the Way It Is”
17. “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” (Eurythmics Cover)
18. “Dansons”
19. “Ziggy (Un Garçon Pas Comme les Autres)”
20. “Courage”
21. “Love Can Move Mountains”
22. “The Prayer”
23. “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now”
24. “Je Chanterai”
25. “Ebben? Ne Andrò Lontana” (La Wally, Alfredo Catalani)
26. “All by Myself”
27. “Pour Que Ti M’aimes Encore”
28. “S’il Suffisait D’aimer”
29. “Des Milliers de Baisers”
The night before her show, fans shouted, “We’re so happy to see you” and “We love you” crowded with journalists outside a Paris hotel as the Grammy-winning star settled in to prepare for her residency of 16 shows in September and October at the Plenitude Arena in the French capital’s western suburbs. The first show opens on Sept. 12.
“I am ready and I’m a bit uptight of course because it’s been a long time,” she told French broadcaster BFMTV, wearing a beige trench coat, high heels and dark shades.
“I have always felt supported from the first day and because it’s a story that continues. It’s true that this is my second home,” the Canadian singer said.
Video below: Celine Dion meets man who made viral airport music video
The Paris concerts, to be followed by 10 more next May, mark a major milestone for 58-year-old Dion after years away from touring due to the rare neurological disorder she disclosed in 2022.
With nearly 260 million albums sold worldwide, Dion remains one of the bestselling and most decorated artists in pop music history, known for hits including “My Heart Will Go On” and “Because You Loved Me.”
The concert series, titled “Celine Dion Paris 2026-2027,” will feature her catalog of hits in English and French.
Dion has largely stepped back from performing since canceling her Courage World Tour as her condition progressed.
Her last concert tour was disrupted in 2020 by the COVID-19 pandemic. She performed in 2024 at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
