Céline in Paris

By Fátima Masse

The Paris Olympics opened with an impressive opening that I would summarize as an "ode to inclusion". Of the many memorable moments of the more than four-hour event, what struck me the most was the spectacular return of Céline Dion. 

Near the end, Céline sang on the Eiffel Tower the song Hymne À L'Amour by Édith Piaf. Impressive! Her voice, her tones, the strength with which she sings. I am not a music critic, but I felt my skin crawl every second. Not only because of the emotional performance, but also because of what it meant to see her on stage after being diagnosed with the stiff person syndrome in 2022. 

On the one hand, I think the fact that Céline closed the opening, given her illness, was part of the message the Paris 2024 organizers wanted to send about diversity and inclusion. They could have chosen any other singer, one who would not be at risk of cancellation due to a crisis. However, they did not and gave her the opportunity to go out and give the best of herself.