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(NewsNation) — Come hell or high water, stiff-person syndrome or not, Celine Dion will get back on stage in Las Vegas … and talks are already underway with Resorts World for her to take back her Vegas throne as Queen of the Strip.
“Celine has a deal with AEG at Resorts World — they essentially built that theater for her,” my Vegas source said. “They say 90% of (her SPS attacks) is mental. So if she can overcome that…”
“She is considering doing some dates at Resorts World under her deal, which would make sense,” my source added. “With today’s technology, she could easily do a show that has limited movement and enough vocal support to make it through a 75-to-90-minute show.”
Dion’s rep didn’t return emails.
Dion had been set to rule the roost at Resorts World three years ago, but in October 2021, the residence was canceled, with the casino saying at the time: “As Celine Dion has been preparing for the November 5 opening of her brand-new show in the beautiful, new Resorts World Theatre in Las Vegas, unforeseen medical symptoms have forced the singer to delay the opening and cancel the performances scheduled November 5 to 20, 2021 and January 19 to February 5, 2022.”
This was the beginning of Dion’s battle with severe SPS.
I, for one, will be first in line if this Herculean feat takes place.
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Celine Dion performs on the opening night of her Courage World Tour on Sept. 18, 2019, in Quebec City, Quebec. (Alice Chiche/AFP via Getty Images) -
WATCH WHAT HAPPENS LIVE WITH ANDY COHEN — Episode 16187 — Pictured: Celine Dion — (Photo by: Charles Sykes/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images) -
Celine Dion announced Thursday she will have to delay her upcoming tour dates following a diagnosis of stiff-person syndrome, a rare neurological disorder. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
The legendary singer took to the stage at NYC’s Alice Tully Hall in New York on Monday for the premiere of her Amazon/MGM documentary “I am Celine Dion” and, fighting back tears, told the crowd: “This is by far the biggest crowd I’ve had in a few years. … I hope to see you all again very, very soon.”
The documentary is set to debut on Amazon June 25.
Monday was Dion’s first public appearance on stage in front of an audience in more than three years as a packed crowd, including Kelly Clarkson, Gayle King and Laverne Cox, fought back their own tears after watching the movie, which chronicled Dion’s journey from world-famous singer with sold-out shows for years … to a recluse whose body has turned against her.
“All I have ever wanted to do is sing,” she said in the doc. “I love being on stage. It is my life.”
In one scene, she is finally able to record a new song, despite having almost no control over her throat and vocal muscles … and immediately her body seizes up into horrific, painful cramps that paralyze her (she told Hoda Kotb of “Today” that the seizures get so bad they have broken ribs).
After the seizure, she is told the cramps started because she was so “stimulated” by joy.
But despite the pain, Dion wants to return to performing, saying in the movie, “(I will go back on stage), if I can’t run, I will walk. If I can’t walk, I will crawl.”
Dion’s rep didn’t return calls or emails.