Céline Dion launches 26-date Paris residency with emotional opening performance
Céline Dion began her first of 26 shows in Paris on Sept. 12, delivering a heartfelt opening set that included a new French single and attracted high-profile guests.
Céline Dion opened her long-awaited Paris residency on Saturday, Sept. 12, at the Plenitude Arena in Nanterre, the continent’s largest indoor venue. The concert, the first of 26 dates running through May 2027, began after a 47-minute delay when the house lights dimmed and the audience of roughly 30,000 fell silent. Dion appeared in a black gown, raised her hands in a prayer-like gesture, and started the evening with the opening notes of “On Ne Change Pas," accompanied by pianist Scott Price and four violinists.
The show marked Dion’s return to headlining performances after a six-year hiatus following the public disclosure of her stiff-person syndrome diagnosis. Within minutes, she became emotional, asking the crowd if they could hear her heart beating. Among the attendees were former U.S. first lady Michelle Obama, media mogul Oprah Winfrey, singer Aya Nakamura and astronaut Thomas Pesquet.
Dion’s set combined classic ballads, recent hits and a dance-floor segment, and featured the live debut of her 2026 French-language single “Dansons.” Ticket demand for the residency has been intense, with more than nine million entries in the lottery for the chance to purchase seats.