Pop icon Celine Dion has cancelled all her remaining tour dates for 2023 and 2024 as she continues her battle with a rare neurological disorder known as Stiff-Person Syndrome. The 55-year-old Canadian singer, renowned for her powerful voice, took to social media on Friday to express her deep regret for the cancellations. Dion revealed last year that her condition, which affects muscle control, had been interfering with her ability to perform.
“I’m so sorry to disappoint all of you once again,” Dion tweeted. “Even though it breaks my heart, it’s best that we cancel everything until I’m really ready to be back on stage.” She reassured fans, saying, “I’m not giving up… and I can’t wait to see you again!”
The official statement from her tour added, “With a sense of tremendous disappointment, Celine Dion’s Courage World Tour today announced the cancellation of all remaining dates currently on sale for 2023 and 2024.”
Dion has been working diligently to regain her strength but admitted that touring, even at full health, can be physically demanding. The cancelled dates included a 16-country European tour, which was set to begin in August in Amsterdam and conclude at London’s O2 Arena in April 2024. Ticket holders will receive refunds through the original point of purchase.
In December 2022, Dion revealed in a tearful Instagram video that her diagnosis was causing severe muscle spasms that affected her vocal abilities, preventing her from singing the way she was accustomed to. Stiff-Person Syndrome, a rare condition, causes stiffness and muscle spasms, often triggered by noise or emotional stress.
Her Courage World Tour, which began in 2019, saw Dion complete 52 shows before the COVID-19 pandemic forced a halt. She had already cancelled the North American leg of the tour due to her health struggles. The European tour was expected to mark her return to the global stage after a decade, and her first without her late husband-manager Rene Angelil, who passed away in 2016.
Despite her health issues, Dion recently released a new album, Love Again, the soundtrack for a film of the same name, which included five new songs.
Fans expressed their disappointment but sent well wishes, with one commenting, “Courage to you Celine, we are with you,” and another adding, “Take care of yourself. Your health should take number one priority.”
Celine Dion, who gained international fame with the 1997 hit My Heart Will Go On from the movie Titanic, continues to inspire her fans with her resilience as she navigates this challenging period in her life.
