Céline Dion completed her first full concert in more than six years on Saturday, September 12, opening her Paris residency with tears, a career-spanning 29-song set and a promise fulfilled.
The 58-year-old singer performed before a sold-out crowd at Plenitude Arena in Nanterre, France. Her four-act production combined French favorites, English-language hits, new material, an unexpected dance medley and an operatic performance staged beneath falling artificial snow.
Dion’s next concert remains scheduled for Wednesday, September 16, at the same venue. It will be the second of 26 performances currently planned through May 2027.
Céline Dion Cried During Her Opening Song
Dion opened with the French-language song “On ne change pas,” accompanied by musical director Scott Price on piano and four violinists.
Seconds into the performance, she became visibly emotional and briefly lost her place in the lyrics. After wiping away tears, Dion told the audience that she had promised herself she would not cry—but described them as tears of happiness.
The crowd responded by chanting her name before she completed the song and continued into “Destin.”
Dion then addressed fans in French and English, thanking those who had traveled from around the world. Her remarks acknowledged both the uncertainty surrounding her return and the support she received during her years away.
“I made a promise to come back and to be back on stage. So here I am, singing for you, singing for me, singing life,” she said, according to her official opening-night statement.
She thanked the audience for its patience before borrowing a line from one of her most recognizable songs: “I am everything I am because you loved me.” Dion then moved directly into “Because You Loved Me.”
Later in the concert, she offered another reassuring update. “There’s one thing I can tell you in three words: I’m doing well,” she told the audience, according to Billboard Canada.
Céline Dion’s Complete Paris Opening-Night Set List
Dion’s approximately two-and-a-half-hour show contained 29 musical selections when the four songs in her dance medley are counted individually. The following set list was reported by Billboard and documented by Setlist.fm.
Act I
- “On ne change pas”
- “Destin”
- “Because You Loved Me”
- “Encore un soir”
- “Les derniers seront les premiers”
- “Tout l’or des hommes”
- “The Power of Love”
Act II
- “My Heart Will Go On”
- “Beauty and the Beast” — with Barnev Valsaint
- “The Chase”
- “J’irai où tu iras” — with Jordan Lévesque
- “Ne bouge pas”
- “Dans un autre monde”
- “I Feel Love”
- “I’m Alive”
- “That’s the Way It Is”
- “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)”
Act III
- “Dansons”
- “Un garçon pas comme les autres”
- “Courage”
Act IV
- “Love Can Move Mountains”
- “The Prayer”
- “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now”
- “Je chanterai”
- “Ebben? Ne andrò lontana”
Encore
- “All by Myself”
- “Pour que tu m’aimes encore”
- “S’il suffisait d’aimer”
- “Des milliers de baisers” — a cappella excerpt
The show included the live debuts of “The Chase,” “Dansons” and “Je chanterai.” Dion also restored songs that had been absent from her concerts for years, including “Les derniers seront les premiers” and a complete version of “Ne bouge pas.”
The Biggest Musical Surprises of the Concert
Rather than limiting the production to familiar power ballads, Dion moved through several distinct musical styles.
A mirror ball introduced a dance section that combined Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love” with electronic arrangements of “I’m Alive,” “That’s the Way It Is” and Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams.”
Later, Dion performed the aria “Ebben? Ne andrò lontana” from Alfredo Catalani’s opera La Wally as artificial snow fell around her. She also reached the climactic note of “All by Myself” a cappella during the encore.
The production was designed by creative director Willo Perron around large structures that opened and transformed during the show. Video imagery directed by Thibaut Grevet appeared across massive screens, while Annie Horth worked with French fashion houses on Dion’s custom stage wardrobe.
Why This Was Her First Full Concert Since 2020
Dion’s previous full concert took place during her Courage World Tour in March 2020. The tour initially stopped because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and its remaining dates were eventually canceled as she experienced continuing health problems.
She disclosed in December 2022 that she had been diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome, a rare autoimmune neurological disorder commonly associated with muscle rigidity and painful spasms.
Dion had performed publicly since then, most notably singing “Hymne à l’amour” from the Eiffel Tower during the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony. She also appeared at an Elie Saab fashion event later that year.
Those appearances involved individual songs or short performances. Saturday’s production was her first complete headlining concert—and her first test of a sustained residency schedule.
What Happens Next for Céline Dion
Dion’s official schedule still lists her second concert for September 16, followed by performances on September 18 and 19.
The first residency block includes 15 more shows through October 17. After an extended break, Dion is scheduled to return on May 8, 2027, for another 10 concerts, ending May 29.
Her team has not announced any schedule changes following opening night. It also has not confirmed whether the set list will remain identical for every performance or whether songs will be rotated as the residency continues.
Dion described the first night in a post-concert message as “incredible” and said she was still taking in the experience. The opening performance established that her comeback is no longer limited to a single televised song. The next challenge is carrying that return through the remaining 25 concerts.
