Celine Dion surprises Paris –and world– by closing out opening ceremony of 2024 Summer Olympics

Last Updated on July 29, 2024

The opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris was filled with tons of memorable moments. Really, you can’t go wrong with your favorite pick, with everything from Lady Gaga opening the ceremony to the athletes’ arrival on the Seine to the metal beheaded Marie Antoinette (with Gojira!) all worthy answers. But perhaps nothing stood out more from the Olympics opener than Celine Dion’s return to singing, performing Édith Paif’s “L’Hymne à l’amour” two years after unveiling her stiff-person syndrome diagnosis.

Following the ceremonial lighting of the cauldron, Celine Dion – underneath a lit Eiffel Tower and the Olympics logo – broke into the Piaf classic (translating to “Hymn to Love”), surprising the thousands upon thousands in attendance. If you missed it live, do yourself a favor and watch it because it is a stunning performance. Everything is so perfectly aligned here: one of the finest singers of her generation under an iconic landmark, delivering a beautiful version of a song by the host city’s most beloved singer. Top that with Celine Dion battling a disorder that gave her poor odds on ever singing in public again, and you have what could rightfully be considered one of the greatest live performances ever.

Following the Olympics performance, Celine Dion took to social media to offer her thanks and some inspirational words: “I’m honored to have performed tonight, for the Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony, and so full of joy to be back in one of my very favorite cities! Most of all, I’m so happy to be celebrating these amazing athletes, with all their stories of sacrifice and determination, pain and perseverance. All of you have been so focused on your dream, and whether or not you take home a medal, I hope that being here means that it has come true for you!  You should all be so proud, we know how hard you have worked to be the best of the best. Stay focused, keep going, my heart is with you! – Celine xx…”

Celine Dion previously sang at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, performing “The Power of the Dream” soon after Muhammad Ali lit the cauldron. Dion’s home country of Canada has more than 300 competitors at the 2024 Games.

What did you think of Celine Dion closing the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics?