Paris Olympics: Celine Dion wows at opening ceremony 18 years on from Atlanta performance

While the opening ceremony received criticism from several social media users, Dion’s performance was met with praise: both for her output and for her courage.

The 56-year-old was diagnosed with neurological disorder Stiff Person Syndrome which causes muscles to spasm and even led her to undergo therapy to rebuild her voice.

But there were no issues evident whatsoever as the “queen of the power ballads” brought the four-hour event to a fitting crescendo.

Her appearance drew praise from Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau, who wrote on X: “A performance we’ll never forget. Thank you, Celine.”

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Paris 2024: Summer Games opening ceremony held on Seine River in Olympic first

Paris 2024: Summer Games opening ceremony held on Seine River in Olympic first

Incredibly, this was her second performance at an opening ceremony.

Dion was wowing crowds back in 1996 when the Summer Games were held in Atlanta.

Hit single My Heart Will Go On was not performed on that occasion because it was still a year away from being released, along with its feature film Titanic.

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