Paris, France - Fans of Canadian superstar Celine Dion are gearing up for an onstage comeback many feared might never happen, with just a day to go until her opening concert in Paris following a years-long battle with a rare neurological disorder.
The 58-year-old will on Saturday perform her first full concert since revealing she was suffering from Stiff Person Syndrome, an incurable condition that forced her to cancel shows and left her struggling to sing.
Some 30,000 fans of the My Heart Will Go On singer are expected to see her reclaim the spotlight each night of her 26-date run in the French capital.
"I'm really, really, really looking forward to it – and the closer it gets, the more excited I am," said fan Elsa, who is going to one of the October shows with her sister and friends.
"We're always singing her songs at karaoke, and so many of them bring back those memories," said the 39-year-old, who preferred not to give her full last name.
She said she had been due to see Dion once before only for the concert to be canceled after the singer fell ill – making her all the more determined not to miss out this time.
"She's one of those artists – one of the very few – I really wanted to fight to get a ticket for," Elsa said.
Celine Dion delights fans in France
Dion – whose hits include It's All Coming Back to Me Now and Because You Loved Me – has sold around 260 million albums in English and French over a four-decade career.
She kicks off her residency at the Plenitude Arena outside Paris on Saturday evening, with 16 sold-out shows in September and October before returning for another 10 next May.
Resale tickets are scarce, with one site showing just two seats available for her September 26 show listed at an eye-watering 1,035 euros ($1,202) and another at 862 euros.
Hotel prices are also seeing a boost, with holiday booking site Kayak showing a 50% bump on some of her concert dates.
Florence Monsellier, a 36-year-old French IT project manager, was "absolutely delighted" to have secured six seats.
"I'll be going with my mum, my sister and my three cousins," said the self-described "lifelong fan," who last saw Dion perform in 2007.
Even those without tickets may still get a chance to see the global superstar.
Admirers have gathered outside the Royal Monceau hotel each day, where Dion has regularly emerged for impromptu exchanges with fans.
Videos posted on social media show Dion singing and dancing with fans, even seemingly taking the phone number of one after being impressed by his rendition of her new single Bonjour, Pardon, Merci (Hello, Excuse Me, Thank you).
Stephanie, who works near the Royal Monceau, told AFP she left work early one day last week to make sure she saw the singer after narrowly missing her the night before.
"She put on a show... I got goosebumps," said Stephanie, who declined to give her last name.
Celine Dion's return far from certain
Dion's return to the stage caps a comeback that, for years, was far from certain.
The singer revealed in December 2022 that she had been diagnosed with a rare and incurable autoimmune disorder that can cause severe muscle stiffness and agonizing spasms.
The illness forced Dion to cancel concerts, but she repeatedly vowed to fight her way back to the stage.
"I'm going to come onstage because I'm ready. And my vocal cords will not scare me, because I'm going to be ready, and I'm going to hit those notes," she told NBC two years ago.
She stunned fans with a surprise appearance at the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony, belting out the Edith Piaf classic Hymn to Love from the Eiffel Tower.
For Elsa, watching Dion retake the stage, however briefly, was emotional. "By the end of her song, I was crying like a baby," she said.
Now, with her return to a full-length concert just days away, Dion has kept much of the show – including its setlist – under wraps, while teasing fans with a few hints and some practical advice.
"Usually I do a one-hour-40-minute show, but this one's longer," she told the crowd one night.
Her tip for those lucky enough to have tickets: "Make sure you wear good shoes."