CELINE DION 'SECRETLY PRACTICING FOR LAS VEGAS COMEBACK WITH 70 MINUTE SHOWS' - AMID HARROWING BATTLE WITH STIFF PERSON SYNDROME WHICH ROBBED HER OF HER VOICE
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Celine Dion is secretly practicing for a sensational Las Vegas comeback amid her battle with Stiff Person Syndrome which robbed her of her voice, a new report claims.
The iconic singer, 56, whose harrowing battle with the condition which causes severe spasms was documented on film I Am: Celine Dion, is said to be gearing up for 70 minute shows after four years break from the stage.
Sources told the US Sun that Dion will return to the stage this fall and is likely to perform the limited run of shows at the Resorts World Theatre - around the time of the Las Vegas Grand Prix in November 2024.
There are also reportedly plans in place to push the concerts to later dates if the star should encounter health issues.
The source said: 'Celine is coming back to perform. It is hush hush at the moment, but an announcement is imminent. Celine has signed off on singing again to audiences in November.
'She has worked incredibly hard to get back to a place where she can sing well and for some period of time. She believes that she is ready to perform for over an hour.
'Her desire to return and entertain has been a huge driving force in her health battles. She never gave up and has been working in secret for months on her vocal strength and control.
They added that she started off with small sessions with musicians at her home and is now able to sing 'a number of songs in a row' after eight months of therapy.
They added that the star has the 'full support' of concert promoter AEG,
DailyMail.com has contacted representatives for Celine Dion for comment.
Dion last performed live during her Courage world tour in Newark, New Jersey on March 8 20220.
She then canceled her tour amid the Covid pandemic.
She has previously performed two record-breaking Las Vegas residencies, A New Day from 2003-2007 and Celine from 2011-2019.
Celine's documentary - captured over more than a year of filming - follows the star as she battles to continue her normal life and career amid her diagnosis - and has landed a perfect 100 per cent score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Dion announced in December 2022 that she had been diagnosed with the syndrome - an extremely rare disorder that makes the muscles in the torso and limbs alternate between spasming and being rigid.
The no-holds-barred documentary showed Dion having a 10-minute long seizure and her struggling to sing Foreigner's I Want To Know What Love Is due to the condition causing rigidness in the chest.
A synopsis for the film reads: 'From visiting her couture touring wardrobe and personal effects to spending time in the recording studio, the documentary captures a global megastar’s never-before-seen private life.
'An emotional, energetic, and poetic love letter to music, I Am: Celine Dion captures more than a year of filming as the legendary singer navigates her journey toward living an open and authentic life amidst illness.'
Amazon MGM landed the worldwide rights to the documentary with the film streaming on Prime Video.
Irene Taylor directed the documentary made by Sony Music Vision, Sony Music Entertainment Canada and Vermilion Films.
I’ve been dealing with problems with my health for a long time and it’s been really difficult for me to face these challenges and to talk about everything that I’ve been going through,' she said in an emotional video first announcing her condition.
Although she initially postponed her Courage World Tour until the spring of 2024, the Golden Globe winner decided to cancel it in May.
'Even though it breaks my heart, it’s best that we cancel everything now until I’m really ready to be back on stage again,' she told her loyal fans.
The determined artist appears to have kept her promise she made to keep working on her health. 'I want you all to know, I’m not giving up … and I can’t wait to see you again!' she said at the time.
Celine's sister recently revealed the singer had lost control of her muscles due to her condition.
'Celine is a fighter,' an insider told US Weekly. 'She doesn’t have as much control over her muscles as she did before, but she’s working with doctors and physical therapists to get better.'
The source claimed, 'Celine has been taking time to focus on her health but plans to take the stage again once she is given the go-ahead by her medical team.'
A second person in the know backed up the comments.
'She’s staying positive and upbeat and doing her physical therapy every day,' the insider said.
'Getting back on stage in some form is her constant dream, even if she can no longer sing; she just wants to see those shining faces.'
Stiff-person syndrome is a 'rare autoimmune neurological disorder that most commonly causes muscle stiffness and painful spasms that come and go and can worsen over time,' according to John Hopkins Medicine.
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