In December 2022 the 58-year-old revealed she had been diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome, a progressive neurological condition which causes increasingly severe muscle stiffness and spasms, including in the vocal cords
Celine Dion, pictured performing on the runway during the Le Defile L’Oreal Paris Express Your Worth show as part of Paris Fashion Week on September 28, 2026(Image: Laurent VU/SIPA/Shutterstock)
Music superstar Celine Dion has made her long-awaited return to the stage after six years away, delighting her legions of fans. The Canadian singer is in the midst of a 26-show residency at Paris’ Plenitude Arena, which began last month, and will continue until May next year.
Celine, who is among the top-selling musical artists in history, wowed fans with renditions of hits including Because You Loved Me, It’s All Coming Back To Me Now, and 1997 megahit My Heart Will Go On. But some have expressed concern after the 58-year-old, who revealed in December 2022 she had been diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome, slipped and fell on stage, and appeared to forget her own lyrics.
Clips from Wednesday’s performance show the singer kicking her left foot in the air while performing 1998’s Dans Un Autre Monde – or In Another World – when her right trouser leg appears to get caught on the front of her shoe, causing her to slip and fall. Ever the professional, she gives the crowd a thumbs-up and stands right back up again, continuing the song without missing a beat.
Another clip shows the moment Celine appears to forget the words to 1995 song Pour Que Tu M’aimes Encore – or So That You Love Me Again. The clip shared on social media shows the singer pausing and putting her hands to her head, saying: “I’m forgetting my words,” according to MailOnline. Fans continue to sing the lyrics, and she picks it back up again a few lines later, saying: “Thank goodness you’re here, I’m sorry.”
This has prompted some to express concerns for the singer, who took a lengthy absence from the stage following her health diagnosis. Reacting to a clip of her fall, one person said: “Celine it’s not worth it, poor lady she is gonna wake up tomorrow feeling it all.”
Another said: “I love Celine Dion but she needs to stop doing these kind of concerts. Focus on your physical and mental health and live comfortably. You don’t actually need to do this.”
But others were impressed with how quickly she recovered. One person said: “She’s in great shape and that was a very elegant ‘fall.” Another wrote: “She handled it gracefully. Good for her!”
In a five-star review of Celine’s first show in the long-awaited comeback tour, The Mirror called it: “One of the stand out performances of her life”.
What is Stiff Person Syndrome?
Stiff Person Syndrome is a progressive neurological condition affecting between one and two people in every million. It causes increasingly severe muscle stiffness and spasms, including in the vocal cords.
The condition is often misdiagnosed as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, or fibromyalgia as the symptoms can be similar. Celine has said she suffered with symptoms for 17 years before finally being diagnosed.
The singer spoke to NBC News about her battle with the condition in 2024, saying: “It’s like somebody is strangling you. It’s like somebody is pushing your larynx/pharynx.”
Describing how it has affected her day-to-day life, she said: “If I cook – because I love to cook – my fingers, my hands, will get in position.” She added: “It’s cramping, but it’s like in a position where you cannot unlock them.”
She said one muscle spasm had been so strong she broke one of her ribs. “Unfortunately, these spasms affect every aspect of my daily life,” she said. “Sometimes causing difficulties when I walk and not allowing me to use my vocal cords to sing the way I’m used to.”
She added: “All I know is singing. It’s what I’ve done all my life. And it’s what I love to do the most.”
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: mirror.co.uk
