The Director of the Eurovision Song Contest, Martin Green, stated that fans will have to “wait and see” regarding the potential appearance of singer Céline Dion at this Saturday’s final in Basel, Switzerland. Green neither confirmed nor denied her presence.
Speculation has been rife over recent days about the possibility of the artist, who won Eurovision in 1988 representing Switzerland with “Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi,” returning to the stage despite having stepped back from performing due to health issues.
Rumors intensified following the first semi-final of the competition on Tuesday, during which Céline Dion sent a video message expressing her wish to be in Basel. She reflected on her victory 37 years ago as a “life-changing moment.”
On Saturday, a few hours prior to the final, Martin Green was asked about Dion’s presence during a press conference. “My response will be: Santa Claus exists, you’ll have to wait and see,” he replied, as reported by the news agency France-Presse (AFP).
The BBC reported that Céline Dion’s private jet landed in Basel, although it is unclear whether the artist was on board.
Before achieving worldwide fame, Céline Dion was invited by Switzerland to represent the nation at the 33rd Eurovision Song Contest in Ireland. “They wanted a Canadian, living in the French-speaking part of the country, to represent Switzerland in Ireland,” the singer explained in 2013.
She performed “Ne partez pas sans moi,” ultimately securing first place, marking Switzerland’s second of three Eurovision victories. In that year, 1988, Portugal was represented by Dora with “Voltarei,” finishing in 18th place out of 21 participating countries.
Céline Dion retired from performing after announcing that she suffers from Moersch-Woltmann syndrome, also known as stiff person syndrome. It is a rare neurological condition characterized by fluctuating muscle rigidity, causing spasms that can lead to convulsions, and affecting her vocal performance.
The singer made her return to the stage at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics on July 26, where she performed “L’Hymne à l’amour” by Édith Piaf from the first floor of the Eiffel Tower.
It is noteworthy that Portugal is among the 26 finalists for Eurovision, after the band NAPA qualified with “Deslocado” in the first semi-final on Tuesday.
