Celine Dion performed at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony on July 26, 2024
Dion had been absent from live performances since her diagnosis and treatment for stiff person syndrome in March 2020
During her performance, Dion wore a sparkly floor-length tasseled gown designed by Dior
She sang 'Hymne à l'amour' by Edith Piaf from atop the Eiffel Tower
Thomas Jolly chose Dion as the finale act due to her reputation for singing love anthems
PARIS (AP) - Celine Dion made a triumphant return to the stage on July 26, 2024, at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony. The Canadian singer closed out the event with a powerful performance of Edith Piaf's iconic song 'Hymne à l'amour' from atop the Eiffel Tower. Dion had been absent from live performances since March 2020 due to her diagnosis and treatment for stiff person syndrome, a neurological disorder causing muscle spasms, seizures, and difficulty speaking.
Despite the challenges she faced in her recovery process, Dion underwent athletic, physical, and vocal therapy five days a week to prepare for her comeback. Thomas Jolly chose Dion as the finale act due to her reputation for singing love anthems.
During the performance, Dion wore a sparkly floor-length tasseled gown designed by Dior. The audience was left in awe of her vocal prowess and emotional connection to the song. Following her performance, she expressed her joy and gratitude on Instagram.
Celine Dion's return to the stage marked nearly 30 years since she took to the Olympic stage for the first time at Atlanta in 1996 with her ballad 'The Power of The Dream.' Her song choice also paid homage to Marcel Cerdan, a boxer whose tragic love story inspired Piaf's original composition.
For more coverage of the Paris Olympics, visit https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games.
Celine Dion performed a surprise appearance at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony
Dion sang Edith Piaf’s ‘Hymne à l’amour’ as finale
Her outfit was designed by Dior for the occasion
Accuracy
]The opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics featured a scene that resembled Leonardo da Vinci’s painting of The Last Supper, but with an obese woman replacing Jesus and queer and trans figures as apostles.[
Celine Dion performed at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony.
Celine Dion sang Edith Piaf’s ‘Hymne à l’amour’ as finale.
The opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics featured a scene that resembled Leonardo da Vinci’s painting of The Last Supper, but with an obese woman replacing Jesus and queer and trans figures as apostles.
Critics, particularly those with conservative or Christian beliefs, were unhappy with this depiction and described it as containing ‘overt pagan and satanic symbolism’.
Thomas Jolly, the artistic director of the opening ceremony, defended the production by stating that they wanted to display ‘inclusion’ and that their subject was not intended to be subversive.
Bishop Emmanuel Gobillard, a spokesperson for the Holy See for the 2024 Paris Olympics, was deeply hurt by the depiction of The Last Supper and found it out of place in an event bringing together the population.
Marion Marechal-Le Pen, a far-right French politician, criticized the performance as not representative of France.
Accuracy
]The opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics featured a scene that resembled Leonardo da Vinci’s painting of The Last Supper, but with an obese woman replacing Jesus and queer and trans figures as apostles.[
Critics, particularly those with conservative or Christian beliefs, were unhappy with this depiction and described it as containing ‘overt pagan and satanic symbolism.’
Deception
(30%)
The article reports on the reactions of various individuals and political figures to a drag performance at the Olympic opening ceremony that was perceived as a modern re-creation of Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper. The author does not make any editorializing or pontification statements, but some of the individuals quoted in the article do. For example, Jenna Ellis makes several statements implying that the performance contained 'overt pagan and satanic symbolism' and that it was a 'mockery' of religion. These are opinions and not facts, making them examples of emotional manipulation and selective reporting. Additionally, Thomas Jolly, the artistic director of the opening ceremony, makes statements defending the production as an attempt to promote diversity. While this is not inherently deceptive on its own, it could be seen as an example of bias if taken out of context or if it were presented without any counter-arguments or opposing viewpoints. The article also references Bishop Emmanuel Gobillard's statement that the depiction left him 'deeply hurt,' but this is not a deceptive practice on the part of the author as it is a direct quote from an external source.
Jenna Ellis described the ceremony as containing 'overt pagan and satanic symbolism.'
Thomas Jolly wanted to display 'inclusion.'
Fallacies
(75%)
The author reports on the controversy surrounding a drag performance at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony that some perceive as a depiction of the Last Supper. The author quotes several individuals expressing their disapproval and offense towards this performance. No formal fallacies were found in the article itself, but there are instances of inflammatory rhetoric and appeals to authority from those quoted. These include Jenna Ellis's description of 'overt pagan and satanic symbolism' and Bishop Emmanuel Gobillard's statement that the depiction left him 'deeply hurt'. Additionally, there are examples of dichotomous depictions, as some people are described as loving the display while others are unhappy or offended. The score is reduced due to these instances.
Jenna Ellis: 'In this scene from the Olympic opening ceremony, the famous painting of The Last Supper is recreated, but Jesus is replaced with an obese woman, while queer and trans figures (including a child!) depict her apostles.'
Bishop Emmanuel Gobillard: 'The fact that our religion should be mocked is usual and we are used to blasphemy in France, but the context isn’t the same. In an event that brings together all or part of the population, I found this staging hurtful and out of place.'
