With her first performance since announcing her diagnosis of stiff-person syndrome in 2022, Céline Dion wrapped up the opening ceremony.
From a platform at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, Dion sang the French artist Édith Piaf’s song “L’Hymne à l’amour.”
Lady Gaga performed “Mon Truc En Plumes” by Zizi Jeanmaire on a set of steps beside the Seine River to begin the Olympic opening ceremony.
Gaga’s short performance, surrounded by pink feathers, was evocative of her Las Vegas Jazz and Piano residency. It seemed to honor Jeanmaire’s rendition of the song on the Ed Sullivan Show as well. Gaga played the piano and kicked on a chorus line after coming down the stairs.
One of the most grandiose opening ceremonies to date is this one. The event is organized by Thomas Jolly, artistic director, and it follows the Seine River. Before the ceremony, Olympic officials mainly kept the performances a secret.
Gaga thanked Jeanmaire and acknowledged the occasion in an Instagram post. She also talked about how much she loved France and its culture.
“Despite not being a native French speaker, I have always had a very special bond with the French people and the music they sing. My goal was to create a performance that would celebrate French music and art, cheer up the French people, and, on this historic occasion, remind everyone of one of the most magical cities on earth – Paris,” the caption read.
One of the most well-known French musicians of the modern era, pop sensation Aya Nakamura, performed on Friday as well.
When Dion and Gaga were photographed in Paris this week, it caused a social media frenzy.
Dion has been candid about how having stiff-person syndrome has made it difficult for her to sing and control her vocal cords.
The neurological condition can result in severe muscle spasms and causes rigidity in the limbs and torso. In the documentary “I Am: Céline Dion,” which was published in June, she is seen undergoing a crippling muscle spasm.
In 1996, Dion sang “The Power of the Dream” at the Olympic opening ceremony in Atlanta, Georgia, with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and composer David Foster.