The Queen of Power Ballads is BACK! Celine Dion made her return to the stage on Sept. 12 at the Plenitude Arena just outside Paris, France. It was the first concert in six years for the singer, who took a break after she publicly revealed her stiff person syndrome diagnosis. And the moment was an emotional one. Dion, 58, broke down in tears. “I had promised myself not to cry,” said Dion, whose hits include “My Heart Will Go On” and “Because You Loved Me.” “But I’m so happy to see you all. I missed you.” She added that she had promised to come back to the stage — a commitment she did, in fact, keep. “So here I am, singing for you,” Dion said. “Thank you so very much for your support, your patience and if I may say so, I am everything I am because you loved me.” Dion sang a number of songs in front of the crowd of an estimated 30,000. For days, people across Paris prepared for her arrival, with fans parked outside her hotel. Dion had even briefly stopped to sing with her admirers, who had long awaited her return. The concert is part of a 26-date residency in Paris, which she announced back in March on her birthday. In a video posted on social media, Dion had shared that she had started to sing and dance again. “Over these last few years, every day that’s come by I’ve felt your prayers and support, with kindness and love. You were there for me,” she said in the video. “You’ve helped me in ways that I can’t even describe, and I’m truly so fortunate to have your support.” She also told fans that she was giving herself “the best gift of my life.” “I’m getting the chance to see you, to perform for you once again, in Paris, beginning in September this year,” she said. Dion took a break after announcing in 2022 that she had been diagnosed with stiff person syndrome. Dion revealed her diagnosis in 2022, canceling a string of performances at the time to navigate the condition. Stiff person syndrome, a progressive, neurological disorder, causes stiff muscles in the torso, arms and legs, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Many people with the syndrome also experience greater sensitivity to noise, touch and emotional distress which can set off muscle spasms. “While we’re still learning about this rare condition, we now know this is what’s been causing all of the spasms that I’ve been having,” Dion said in a video shared on her social media accounts. “Unfortunately, these spasms affect every aspect of my daily life, sometimes causing difficulties when I walk and not allowing me to use my vocal chords to sing the way I’m used to.” Two years later, she sang for the first time at the 2024 Paris Olympics’ Opening Ceremony.  This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY: Our big question for Role Model: How’s his Saturn return going? Dolly Parton’s first posthumous song, ‘Bound to Ride,’ features her beloved sense of humor Harry Styles announces 2027 dates for ‘Together, Together’ tour in 12 new cities This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser. ...read more read less