Celine Dion was revealed as the top performer in Las Vegas throughout her years-long residency, and it seems that many fans are still waiting for a comeback. But the songstress, who has a well-publicized battle with a condition called Stiff Person Syndrome, is yet to sing her heart out once again. In fact, she is slated to perform in the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics, and if everything goes well, perhaps she can sneak in a Vegas residency, after all.

The path is clearly set: Celine Dion's Las Vegas comeback and triumphant return to the stage will begin with a spectacular appearance at the Summer Olympics opening ceremony in Paris this Friday. This highly anticipated performance marks the Canadian singing icon's first public concert since her show at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on the 9th of March, 2020. Dion was seen waving and smiling on Monday as she signed autographs at the Royal Monceau Hotel, and she is said to be sharing the spotlight with Lady Gaga, who is another reported headliner for the opening ceremony.

As TMZ stated, Dion will receive $2 million to perform a single song at the event. This announcement has generated significant buzz, especially among fans who have been eagerly awaiting her return to the stage.

A long-fought battle

Dion's upcoming performance is particularly surprising to those who watched the documentary, "I Am: Celine Dion." The Amazon Prime documentary depicted the award-winning artist, who had headlined shows at Caesars Palace in the past, struggling with an intensely painful seizure caused by overexertion while recording a song for the soundtrack of the documentary. The footage showed Dion in a vulnerable state, grappling with the debilitating effects of Stiff Person's Syndrome (SPS), a rare neurological disorder.

In a tearful video released on Instagram in December of 2022, Dion disclosed her diagnosis of SPS, a condition that affects fewer than one in every one million people. The syndrome is characterized by inflexible muscles that painfully spasm when the person is exposed to distress and noise. Dion's message was heart-wrenching as she explained how the spasms impacted her daily life, sometimes making it difficult to walk and preventing her from using her vocal cords as she was accustomed.

But despite these challenges, the singer has made a series of appearances in public, suggesting she is determined to fight back against the disease, which is incurable. One of the most hopeful moments occurred at the Grammys in February, where Dion presented Taylor Swift with the Album of the Year award. An Instagram video by singer Sonyae Elise showed Dion backstage, harmonizing and vamping, offering a glimmer of hope to her many fans.

A future filled with hope

Last May, Dion nearly revealed her Olympics performance during an interview with Hoda Kotb for an hour-long special. After the cameras were turned off, Kotb asked Dion when she would perform next. Dion turned to her manager asking, "Can I tell her?" but was advised against it.

And again, in an April interview with Vogue France, the singer expressed her desire to return to Paris as a particular goal. "I've chosen to work with all my body and soul, from head to toe, with a medical team," she said. Dion added that she wants to be the best she can be, and her goal is to see the Eiffel Tower again. Dion's upcoming performance will allow her to achieve this dream, as the ceremony will be held on the banks of the River Seine, with the iconic tower as a backdrop.

Meanwhile, reps for AEG Live, a concert promoter, hope that Dion will eventually return to Las Vegas. She had canceled a residency at Resorts World that was set to begin last November of 2021. However, there is no formalized plan yet for a return to Vegas, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Contrary to popular belief, this appearance won't be Dion's only Olympic performance. She previously sang "The Power of the Dream" at the 1996 opening ceremony in Atlanta. Significantly, her return to the Olympic stage in Paris symbolizes not only a personal triumph over her health challenges but a strong beacon of hope for her devoted fans around the world.