Céline Dion took a big risk with her spectacular performance at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games. How the seriously ill singer got fit for her comeback.
It was the determination in her eyes as she began to sing the last notes that made it clear how much effort this performance had entailed: Céline Dion touched millions of viewers around the world with her performance at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games. She sang a chanson by Edith Piaf from the first platform of the Eiffel Tower, taking a big risk. Because no one knew whether the seriously ill singer would be able to withstand the pressure – not even herself.
Dion suffers from stiff person syndrome, a rare neurological disease that causes seizures. As a result, she had not sung in public for four years. The fact that she has now managed this spectacular comeback was only possible through hard work. Back in April, the singer spoke to French “Vogue” about her strict training and explained how she wants to fight her way back bit by bit. “I do physio and voice training five times a week. I work on my toes, my knees, my ankles, my fingers, my singing, my voice,” said Dion.
“Train like an athlete”: Céline Dion on her personal Olympia
She only has two options. “Either I train like an athlete and work very hard or I stop and it’s over. Then I stay at home, listen to my songs and sing them to myself in front of the mirror,” said Dion. She decided to work with a medical team from head to toe, with all her body and soul.
Olympics 2024
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And then she said something that in retrospect could be read as a hint at her then-secret goal: “I want to get the best out of myself. My goal is to see the Eiffel Tower again!” Nobody suspected at the time that she didn’t just mean concerts in Paris, but actually a song on the Eiffel Tower. She also dropped a hidden message elsewhere. When asked whether she was considered the best in the team in her large musical family, she replied: “No, no, we didn’t make it into the Olympics!”
However, Céline Dion has now impressively demonstrated that she has the fighting spirit of a top athlete. “I have this strength within me. I know that nothing can stop me,” she said in an interview with “Vogue”.
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Source: Stern
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
