The performance of the singer Celine Dion at the opening of the Olympic Games in Paris 2024 was pre-recorded, reports the French newspaper Libération.
Millions of people were moved emotionally when the 56-year-old performed French singer Edith Piaf's "L'Hymne à l'amour." President Emmanuel Macron even called the performance the "emotional highlight" of the ceremony. However, now the French newspaper has quoted music industry experts as claiming that the July 26 performance was "undoubtedly pre-recorded," calling it a "fake" performance.
"What we heard on television was a corrected reproduction," composer and performer Etienne Guéreau told Libération. Meanwhile, a sound engineer said: "It was 100% pre-recorded, you can hear it from the first notes." Others claim that Celine Dion's rehearsal was also pre-recorded.
A musician known as Wings of Pegasus commented on YouTube that the rehearsal and the actual performance sounded identical, which, according to him, is impossible. "There are always differences between two versions of a live song," he said. Representatives for the organizers of the Olympic Games have declined to comment on the claims about Celine Dion's performance. They previously insisted that the performance was entirely live.
This performance was billed as Celine Dion's big comeback after a hiatus due to health issues. The Canadian singer, one of the most famous in the French language, suffers from a rare autoimmune disease and has not performed in years.
Dion, best known for her hit "My Heart Will Go On," announced in December 2022 that she had been diagnosed with frozen shoulder syndrome. In an interview, she explained that the condition can cause muscle spasms anywhere in her body, causing her hands or feet to freeze. She has also had difficulty walking and singing.
Celine had previously performed at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, when she sang "The Power of Dreams." The ceremony was watched by 3.5 billion people worldwide.
After the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Paris, Celine Dion reacted on social networks.
"I am honored to perform at the Paris 2024 opening ceremony and incredibly happy to be back in one of my favorite cities! Above all, I am happy to support these incredible athletes, their sacrifice and determination, their pain and perseverance. You are all focused on your dream and, whether you will return home with a medal or not, I hope you are happy to be here and that your dream has already come true! You should all be very proud, we know how hard you have worked to be the best of the best. Stay focused, my heart is with you," she wrote on Instagram. /Telegraph/
