Céline Dion closed out the opening ceremony with her first performance since she announced her diagnosis with stiff-person syndrome in 2022.
Dion performed “L’Hymne à l’amour” by the French singer Édith Piaf, from a stage at the base of the Eiffel Tower.
Lady Gaga kicked off the Olympics opening ceremony performances with a rendition of Zizi Jeanmaire’s “Mon Truc En Plumes” on a set of stairs along the Seine River.
Surrounded by pink feathers, Gaga’s brief set was reminiscent of her Jazz and Piano residency in Las Vegas. It also appeared to pay tribute to Jeanmaire’s performance of the song on the Ed Sullivan Show. After descending the stairs, Gaga kicked on a chorus line and played on a piano.
The opening ceremony is among the most ambitious to date. Headed by artistic director Thomas Jolly, the event runs along the Seine River. Olympics officials largely kept the performers under wraps ahead of the ceremony.
In an Instagram post, Gaga expressed gratitude for the opportunity and celebrated Jeanmaire. She also shared her love for France and the country’s culture.
“Although I am not a French artist, I have always felt a very special connection with French people and singing French music—I wanted nothing more than to create a performance that would warm the heart of France, celebrate French art and music, and on such a momentous occasion remind everyone of one of the most magical cities on earth—Paris,” she wrote in her caption.
French-Malian pop star Aya Nakamura, one of the most popular contemporary French artists, also performed Friday.
Dion and Gaga sparked a social media frenzy after they were spotted in Paris this week.
Dion has been open about how stiff-person syndrome has affected her ability to control her vocal cords and sing.
The neurological disorder causes rigidity in the torso and limbs and can induce severe muscle spasms. She released a documentary in June called “I Am: Céline Dion” that shows her experiencing a debilitating muscle spasm.
Dion performed at the Olympic opening ceremony during the 1996 Atlanta Games, singing “The Power of the Dream” alongside composer David Foster and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.
