Celine Dion announces six extra dates for Paris comeback concerts
By Carla Feric, Press Association Entertainment Reporter
Celine Dion has added six more dates to her concerts in Paris later this year, which mark her first full-length gigs in almost six years.
The French-Canadian singer previously revealed she would be returning to the stage for a run of 10 concerts in Paris later this year, in a post on Instagram on her 58th birthday last week.
The upcoming concerts will now include a total of 16 shows at Paris’s La Defense Arena this autumn, and will take place from September 12th to October 14th.
Tickets for the upcoming gigs in the French capital were available in pre-sales at 10am CEST on Tuesday and are due to go on general sale at 10am CEST on Friday.
Due to popular demand, the singer’s highly-anticipated return to performing has been extended for a further six nights – with additional concerts on September 18th and September 25th.
Other dates added to the upcoming performances, which will run for five weeks this autumn, include October 2nd, October 9th, October 16th and October 17th.
When Dion takes the stage later this year, it will mark her first full-length concerts in almost six years after taking a break following her stiff person syndrome (SPS) diagnosis.
The five-time Grammy winner cancelled her Las Vegas residency due to health concerns in 2021, before revealing her SPS diagnosis in December 2022 and cancelling her Courage world tour.
The autoimmune disease is a rare neurological disorder that causes progressive muscular stiffness and spasms – and there is currently no cure for the disease, according to the NHS.
After revealing her diagnosis, Dion took a break from performing until 2024, when she made a brief public appearance to sing at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony.
During this time, the singer repeatedly expressed her desire to return to the stage.
Dion announced her upcoming gigs with a post to her 11 million followers on Instagram, and said she “cannot wait” to see her fans again.
She added that she is “so ready to do this”, and in the video she told her followers she is “feeling good, strong, excited” and “a little nervous”.
Dion’s return to performing was also announced with a series of videos displayed under the lights of the Eiffel Tower in Paris on her birthday on March 30th.
A screen projected on to the landmark read: “Paris, I’m ready. Celine Dion.”
The singer – who is best known for hits including My Heart Will Go On, Think Twice and It’s All Coming Back To Me Now – will perform her most popular songs in both French and English during the upcoming gigs.
