Spectacular comeback at the Olympics Shortly before midnight, Céline Dion finds her voice again

Céline Dion closed the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games with a spectacular performance on the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The 56-year-old sang the song "L'Hymne à l'amour" by Édith Piaf.

Canadian singer Céline Dion performed "L'Hymne à l'amour" by French chanson icon Édith Piaf and got the audience cheering.

Not even the incessant rain in Paris could affect the Grande Dame during her moving performance.

There had been speculation for days about an appearance by the 56-year-old singer, who is highly revered in France. Dion had announced in 2022 that she had been diagnosed with stiff person syndrome, a rare neurological disorder. She subsequently canceled all appearances.

Céline Dion's illness is not noticeable

The 56-year-old performed the three-minute love song with a powerful voice at the grand finale of the opening ceremony. It was a strong performance. There were no signs of her serious illness.

US singer Kelly Clarkson, who commented on the ceremony for NBC, was visibly moved by Dion's performance. It left her speechless, said Clarkson with tears in her eyes. Dion was simply incredible - she was the gold medal winner as a "singing athlete".

Olympic performance was not liveLady Gaga gives Paris the cold shoulder

The artistic director of the opening ceremony, Thomas Jolly, summed up that they wanted to crown the opening show with this iconic Piaf song and that Dion was the best singer for it.

It was not an Olympic premiere for Dion. In July 1996, the Canadian had already performed the song "The Power of the Dream" at the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics in Atlanta in the US state of Georgia.

A few days earlier, French President Emmanuel Macron had already declared that he would be delighted to have Dion as a star guest at the show. After the ceremony, he thanked those involved for a great and magical show.

People would still be talking about it in 100 years' time, Macron wrote on the X platform. Numerous artists, including Lady Gaga, took part in the spectacular ceremony with a variety of show acts along the Paris landmarks.

Superstar Lady Gaga's performance did not take place live

Superstar Lady G aga's performance was shown shortly after the start of the Olympic opening ceremony. The 38-year-old performed "Mon truc en plumes" by Zizi Jeanmaire on a golden staircase.

The singer began her show with the words "Good evening and welcome to Paris". At the beginning, dancers covered Lady Gaga's face with pink feather fans. The backdrop was reminiscent of a picture-book Paris.

However, according to the German news agency DPA, the performance did not take place live. When the show was shown during the opening ceremony, the stage was deserted. Apparently the act was recorded beforehand.

The original dance number of the song, which is called "Mein Federzeug" in German, also with a large feather fan, was once the trademark of dancer and singer Jeanmaire. It was not the US-American's first performance in French; she had already sung in the language in the film "A star is born".

320,000 onlookers on the Seine

The opening ceremony, with 320,000 people on the Seine, turned into a brightly colored show with fireworks, a laser show and spectacular images along the landmarks of Paris - and also sent a message of peace to the world.

Bötschi asks Hanspeter "Düsi" Künzler"Almost all superstars are insanely nice, newcomers are often idiots"

Prior to this, around 6800 athletes presented themselves to the world at an impressive boat parade on the Seine. Shooter Nina Christen and mountain biker Nino Schurter carried the Swiss flag down the Seine.

At 10.54 pm, France's head of state Emmanuel Macron declared the Games open.

More videos from the department

SDA