CBS News
Behind-the-scenes video shows moments leading up to Celine Dion’s stunning Olympics performance
Céline Dion shared an inside look at the preparations for her stunning performance at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics on Instagram.
The performance of French singer Édith Piaf’s “Hymne A L’Amour” was the first time Dion, 56, had performed publicly since announcing her diagnosis with stiff-person syndrome in December 2022. The rare, incurable condition has impacted Dion’s ability to sing and walk, and her sister told a French publication in December 2023 that Dion no longer has full control of her muscles.
In a previous social media post, Dion said “trying to overcome” the condition was “one of the hardest experiences” of her life.
In the clip shared on Friday, Dion showed the work that went into making her return to the stage. The video started with footage of Dion entering a hotel and blowing kisses to a crowd of cheering fans.
The next clips showed Dion’s hair and makeup being done, and the star being dressed in a glamorous Dior gown. She completed some stretches before the performance, and then her team added accessories including Dior pumps and sparkling silver earrings.
Finally, the video shows Dion walking to the stage. After leaving her dressing room, she exchanged fist bumps with her team before sharing a sweet moment with her oldest son, 23-year-old René-Charles Angélil. The two embraced, and Angelil looked visibly emotional as Dion made her return to the stage.
Dion ended the clip with a moment of herself in a white bathrobe, emblazoned with “Céline 2024,” celebrating to the sounds of applause.
“Under the Paris sky, a song soars,” Dion wrote in the video’s caption.
Screengrab by IOC via Getty Images
Dion’s performance capped off a memorable opening ceremony that saw Olympic athletes progress down Paris’ River Seine by boat. Despite sheeting rain, the parade of athletes was accompanied by multiple musical acts, including a pre-taped music number by Lady Gaga.
The Paris organizing committee’s director of design and costume for ceremonies said Dion was enthusiastic about performing in the event, CBS News previously reported.
“When we called Celine Dion one year ago she said yes straight away,” Daphné Bürki said.
Tupperware and some of its subsidiaries filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, the once-iconic food container maker said in a statement late Tuesday.
The company has suffered from dwindling sales following a surprise surge during the COVID-19 pandemic, when legions of people stuck at home tried their hands at cooking, which increased demand for Tupperware’s colorful plastic containers with flexible airtight seals.
A post-pandemic rise in costs of raw materials and shipping, along with higher wages, also hurt Tupperware’s bottom line.
Last year, it warned of “substantial doubt” about its ability to keep operating in light of its poor financial position.
“Over the last several years, the Company’s financial position has been severely impacted by the challenging macroeconomic environment,” president and CEO Laurie Ann Goldman said in a statement announcing the bankruptcy filing.
“As a result, we explored numerous strategic options and determined this is the best path forward,” Goldman said.
The company said it would seek court approval for a sale process for the business to protect its brand and “further advance Tupperware’s transformation into a digital-first, technology-led company.”
The Orlando, Florida-based firm said it would also seek approval to continue operating during the bankruptcy proceedings and would continue to pay its employees and suppliers.
“We plan to continue serving our valued customers with the high-quality products they love and trust throughout this process,” Goldman said.
The firm’s shares were trading at $0.5099 Monday, well down from $2.55 in December last year.
Tupperware said it had implemented a strategic plan to modernize its operations and drive efficiencies to ignite growth following the appointment of a new management team last year.
“The Company has made significant progress and intends to continue this important transformation work.”
In its filing with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, Tupperware listed assets of between $500 million and $1 billion and liabilities of between $1 billion and $10 billion.
The filing also said it had between 50,000 and 100,000 creditors.
Tupperware lost popularity with consumers in recent years and an initiative to gain distribution through big-box chain Target failed to reverse its fortunes.
The company’s roots date to 1946, when chemist Earl Tupper “had a spark of inspiration while creating molds at a plastics factory shortly after the Great Depression,” according to Tupperware’s website.
“If he could design an airtight seal for plastic storage containers, like those on a paint can, he could help war-weary families save money on costly food waste.”
Over time, Tupper’s containers became popular that many people referred to any plastic food container as Tupperware. And people even threw “Tupperware parties” in their homes to sell the containers to friends and neighbors.
Watch CBS News
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.
Watch CBS News
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.
