Celine Dion set to perform in Paris two years after triumphant Olympics appearance

PARIS (AP) — Near, far, wherever she is … Celine Dion is heading back to Paris.

Confirming clues that have been popping up, tantalizingly, on posters around the French capital, a person involved in the planning told The Associated Press that Dion will play autumn concerts at the La Defense Arena.

The person spoke on condition anonymity to discuss the closely guarded preparations, and did not give details.

Representatives for Dion in the United States did not immediately respond to questions.

The concerts in the City of Light will come after Dion electrified the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games where she performed Edith Piaf’s “Hymne à L’Amour” (“Hymn to Love”) from the Eiffel Tower — beside a rain-soaked piano.

Mysterious posters recently affixed to lampposts around the city were emblazoned with the titles of some of her iconic songs: “Pour Que Tu M’aimes Encore” (“So That You Love Me Again”), and, in English, “Power of Love.” And the French-Canadian pop star posted a series of photos on Instagram of her in Paris at various times in her life — as a youngster and more recent high-fashion shots.

The La Defense Arena has a capacity of 40,000 spectators and was one of the venues used for the Olympics.

In 2022, Dion was diagnosed with stiff person syndrome, a rare disorder that causes muscle rigidity and spasms, affecting her ability to walk and sing. She had been absent from the stage since 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic forced the postponement of her tour, which was then suspended in the wake of her neurological disorder diagnosis.

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Noveck contributed from London.