Willo Perron Designs Monumental Set for Céline Dion's Paris Comeback at Plenitude Arena
On Saturday, Céline Dion took the stage at the Plenitude Arena in Paris, which accommodates 45,000 spectators, marking her first performance since the Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics. This show followed a break due to Stiff-Person Syndrome. Grammy-winning designer Willo Perron creatively directed the event, which included three large 'stone' monoliths and featured a live rhythm section alongside a gospel choir. A memorable moment occurred when Dion performed 'La Wally' amidst falling snow. The set was illuminated by Emmy-winning lighting designer Rob Sinclair, while video imagery by Thibaut Grevet shifted from sand dunes to musicians. The performance concluded with Dion's powerful singing and enthusiastic applause, embodying her essence through monumental design.
Key facts
- Céline Dion performed at the 45,000-capacity Plenitude Arena in Paris on Saturday, her first show since the 2024 Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony.
- Dion took time away from the stage due to Stiff-Person Syndrome, a rare neurological condition detailed in her documentary I AM: Céline Dion.
- Willo Perron, a Grammy award-winning multidisciplinary designer, led the creative direction of the comeback show.
- Perron's design featured three massive tactile 'stone' monoliths that glided across the stage to reveal and obscure musicians, including a live rhythm section and gospel choir.
- A standout moment saw a jagged rock formation rise from the stage center, where Dion sang 'La Wally' by composer Alfredo Catalani as snow fell.
- Emmy award-winning lighting designer Rob Sinclair illuminated the monoliths from within and without, and a custom chandelier resembling chunky quartz crystals descended and later spun into a disco ball.
- Across four acts, expansive video imagery shot and directed by French creative Thibaut Grevet unfolded on massive LED screens flanking the stage.
- In the final act, the LED screens wheeled away to reveal the show's rigging, bathing the monoliths in raw light as Dion closed the performance.
Entities
Artists
- Céline Dion
- Willo Perron
- Rob Sinclair
- Thibaut Grevet
- Alfredo Catalani
- Rihanna
- Jay-Z
- Drake
- Lady Gaga
- Luke Neve
Institutions
- Plenitude Arena
- Paris Olympics
- Wallpaper*
- Adidas
- Stussy
- Super Bowl Halftime Show
- Wales at the Venice Biennale
- New Practice
- Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland
Locations
- Paris
- France
- Eiffel Tower