Celine Dion returns to the stage in Paris after six-year break

Celine Dion returned to live performance on Saturday, opening a sold-out concert residency at Plenitude Arena in Paris before an audience of 35,000. It was her first full-length concert in six years.

The singer's career had been on hold after she was diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder. Her return to the stage came as part of a series of shows in the French capital, all of which have sold out.

Dion was visibly emotional at several points during the performance. Addressing the crowd, she said she had kept a promise to come back. "I made a promise to come back and to be back on stage. So here I am, singing for you and singing for me, singing life," she said, thanking fans for their support and patience.

Speaking in French, she added that the night fulfilled that promise and expressed her gratitude to the city she loves. "It was a promise. I'm standing on stage in this city that I love so much thanks to your support, your love," she said.

The set included "My Heart Will Go On", "All By Myself", "Pour que tu m'aimes encore" and "Power of Love".

Dion, among the best-selling recording artists in music history, is scheduled to perform 26 concerts over the next eight months. The shows at the arena in Nanterre, Paris, were announced on her 58th birthday in March and are expected to draw fans from around the world.