In the rainy skies of Paris, Celine Dion made a powerful return to her artistic career with a performance from the Eiffel Tower to inaugurate the Olympic Games.

The triumphant return confirmed weeks of speculation that the Quebec pop jewel would be part of the opening ceremony watched by millions around the world.

Even this anticipation could not predict the poignancy of the moment - as Dion bravely sang from the edge of the tower less than two years after announcing her diagnosis with the Stiff-Person Syndrome.

She wore a shimmering white dress from Dior and stood under the glowing Olympic rings while singing "L’Hymne à l’amour" by Édith Piaf with the same power that earned her a reputation as a unique performer.

She was accompanied by a pianist with the grand piano sparkling with light reflected from the accumulating rain.

As the song reached its climax, Dion appeared visibly emotional, yet she maintained her composure.

The performance was the grand finale of a four-hour show that saw around 6,800 athletes facing heavy rains as they traveled on the Seine River on dozens of boats.

The opening ceremony also featured musical performances by Lady Gaga and Aya Nakamura, along with countless dancers who walked across a wet stage to the upbeat pop songs.

But the image of Dion sitting on the first platform of the Eiffel Tower perhaps best embodied the spirit of the games - a symbol of overcoming adversity.

The Stiff-Person Syndrome is a progressive disease that can cause muscle stiffness and severe spasms, in addition to affecting a person’s vocal cords. It forced Dion to postpone then cancel all remaining dates of her world tour Courage for 2023 and 2024.

When she appeared on the April cover story of Vogue France, Dion spoke about her hopes of seeing the Eiffel Tower again one day. At that time, she did not provide any assurances that she would ever sing publicly again, but she insisted that she would not give up.

She told the magazine that her willpower drives her to work "extremely hard" to be able to perform live again one day and likened the experience to training like an athlete.

She said at that time, "I chose to work with my whole body and soul, from head to toe, with a medical team."

"I want to be the best I can be."

The Olympic return ended up having other aspects as well.

Earlier in her career, Dion performed "The Power of the Dream" at the opening ceremony of the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta with her Canadian colleague David Foster and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.

It was a pivotal moment in her rise to global stardom, a year before "My Heart Will Go On" became one of the best-selling songs of all time.

It is unclear whether Dion's recent performance at the Olympics means she is ready to return to the stage with bigger aspirations.

In recent interviews promoting her documentary "I Am: Celine Dion" on Prime Video, she expressed her confidence, determination, and caution about what her career might look like in the future.

But Dion has always tightly controlled her narrative, which is why some believe her decision to appear again may be a sign that the 56-year-old woman is plotting different plans.

Her performance in Paris received praise from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who described Dion as a Canadian icon and “incredible” talent.

Trudeau wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, "She has overcome so much to be there tonight."

"Celine, it’s wonderful to see you singing again."