Celine Dion makes long-awaited return to stage in Paris

Celine Dion wept tears of joy on Saturday as she fulfilled her dream of returning to the stage after years battling a rare neurological disorder, with a sell-out concert in Paris.

The 58-year-old French-Canadian singer appeared visibly moved as she opened her first full concert in six years with her 1990s French-language ballad “On ne change pas” (“One Doesn’t Change”), singing to a crowd of 30,000 enthralled fans that one newspaper said included US former first lady Michelle Obama.

“These are, of course, tears of joy. I’m so delighted to see you,” Dion said, blowing kisses to the audience at the packed Plenitude Arena on the western edge of Paris.

Her return to the stage underscored a remarkable comeback after Stiff Person Syndrome, an incurable condition that causes stiffness and cramps, forced her to cancel shows and cast years of uncertainty over whether she would ever perform again.

“The path was rockier than expected,” she said, speaking in French and English. “But I held on to a faint ray of light in the distance, deep in the mountains.”

“Tonight, I want to sing for you, sing for myself, sing for life,” she added.