Céline Dion is preparing to make her long-awaited return to the stage, two years after she was forced to suspend her tour following her diagnosis with Stiff Person Syndrome.
The singer, 58, is set to perform a 10-date residency in Paris, which has since been extended due to demand.
The shows will mark her first full concert performances since 2020, following years away from the stage as she has managed the rare neurological condition.
Dion has spoken openly about the impact of Stiff Person Syndrome, including in her 2024 documentary I Am: Celine Dion, which documented her physical struggles and determination to perform again.
Now, she has revealed how she has been preparing for her return.
The singer told Harper's Bazaar that she has been completing 90-minute Pilates sessions three times a week, as well as taking part in ballet classes twice a week with a local company.
Despite her physical preparation, Dion admitted that she has also had to overcome insecurities after spending years away from performing.
Stiff Person Syndrome is a rare condition affecting the central nervous system which can cause muscle stiffness and painful spasms. Symptoms can also be triggered by stimuli including noise, touch and emotional stress.
Dion has previously described the condition as “progressive”, although she prefers not to call it a disease.
"It is a progressive condition. I don’t like to say 'disease.' Disease makes you go like this," she told Harper's Bazaar, scrunching up her nose before joking, “Kevin, you’re such a disease.”
The singer also revealed that she spent around three years largely isolated from her fans, partly because she feared they believed she was living a normal life while continuing to cancel shows.
Céline Dion. Photo credit: Featureflash Photo Agency, Shutterstock
During that time, Dion said she developed a deeper appreciation for nature.
She recalled imagining herself disappearing among the leaves of trees.
"I love trees so much, and I had this vision of myself trying to disappear through the leaves," she said.
Dion described imagining herself apologising to the trees because she had no apples to give them anymore.
"I was trying to tell them, I'm sorry, I don't have any apples to give you anymore," she explained.
She then recalled hearing a voice tell her: “But we did not come for the apples; we came for the tree.”
Céline Dion. Photo credit: Featureflash Photo Agency, Shutterstock
The singer's return follows an extremely difficult period in her career.
Dion last performed a full concert in Newark in March 2020 as part of her Courage World Tour. The tour was initially halted because of the COVID-19 pandemic before plans to resume it were ultimately abandoned following her worsening health.
In December 2022, Dion announced that she had been diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome and revealed that the condition was affecting her ability to sing and perform.
She subsequently cancelled the remaining dates of her Courage World Tour.
Céline Dion Drops New Song 'Dansons.' Pic, Céline Dion Instagram
Her Paris residency therefore represents a significant return to live performance, particularly after Dion spent years uncertain about whether she would be able to perform again.
The singer first announced her comeback in March, with the initial run of shows later extended.
