See Celine Dion Sing On The Eiffel Tower In Tearjerker Video From Paris Olympics
Though the Olympics have only just begun, fans around the world are already showering praise on one performance that did not come from an athlete. Celine Dion closed out the opening ceremony at the Olympics this year with a performance of the song “Hymne a L’Amou” from the Eiffel Tower, and it is getting widespread praise for the powerful, emotional rendition that she gave.
Stiff-person syndrome is an incredibly rare progressive neurological disorder with no cure currently known.
However, it is not just the power of the song itself that has people praising the singer. One of the details that makes Celine Dion performing at the Olympics so meaningful is that it is her first performance since announcing that she had been diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome.
“I’m going to go back onstage, even if I have to crawl.”
-Celine Dion on TODAY
Dion first shared her diagnosis with the world in 2022 when she announced that she would have to stop touring as a result of the illness, as it was making her life too difficult to maintain that type of schedule.
Stiff-person syndrome is an incredibly rare progressive neurological disorder with no cure currently known. It is a chronic illness that can cause spasms anywhere in the body, making it difficult for individuals to even do simple tasks like walking.
As the name suggests, it also causes intense stiffness in certain areas of the body, making general mobility a challenge. These factors are what make Celine Dion’s performance at the Olympics so remarkable.
There are treatments available that can help alleviate some of the symptoms of stiff-person syndrome. Though Celine Dion’s condition has gotten to the point that she does have seizures now from her illness, she does feel that overall she is gaining more control of her life, which prompted her return at the Olympics.
[“L’Hymne a L’Amour”] was released in 1950 by Edith Piaf following the death of Piaf’s romantic partner Marcel Cerdan.
She has made it clear that she does not want that performance to be a one-off and that she intends to return to the stage again.
In a TV interview with TODAY’s Hoda Kotb from back in June, Celine Dion may have hinted at her Olympics performance with some of the statements she gave.
“I’m going to go back onstage, even if I have to crawl,” she said. “Even if I have to talk with my hands, I will … not just because I have to, or because I need to. It’s because I want to and I miss it.”
It makes it easy to understand why Celine Dion did “L’Hymne a L’Amour” as her Olympics performance. The song was released in 1950 by Edith Piaf following the death of Piaf’s romantic partner Marcel Cerdan.
For Dion, losing her ability to perform and sing and enjoy her career must have felt similar to a death in her own world. Many commenters remarked that they were surprised that Dion was able to maintain her composure through her entire performance and not start crying from her return.
The symptoms of stiff-person syndrome are said to also be very painful. With it being a progressive condition that cannot be cured, it is unclear what level of a return Celine Dion could have following her Olympics performance.
She only had to do one song on that night, but doing an entire concert might be another matter entirely for what she is able to do currently.
Regardless, after Celine Dion’s moving performance at the Olympics, the world is rooting for her success. If she truly is able to come back in a larger capacity, many fans will no doubt be there to welcome and support her.
