Celine Dion has canceled all 2023 and 2024 dates on her “Courage” world tour due to her ongoing struggle with a rare neurological disorder called Stiff-Person Syndrome. The dates had been rescheduled from 2022.
“It is with tremendous disappointment that we have to announce today the cancellation of the Courage World Tour,” she wrote in a social media post Friday. “I’m so sorry to disappoint all of you once again. I’m working really hard to build back my strength, but touring can be very difficult even when you’re 100%. It’s not fair to you to keep postponing the shows, and even though it breaks my heart, it’s best that we cancel everything now until I’m really ready to be back on stage again. I want you all to know, I’m not giving up… and I can’t wait to see you again! – Celine xx…”
Tickets purchased for the forty-two cancelled dates will be refunded via the original point of sale. For further ticket inquiries or options, ticketholders should reach out to their original point of purchase.
Dion had completed 52 dates of the “Courage” tour, which launched in September of 2019, before it was postponed due to the pandemic. She has not performed a concert since then, due to her condition. Stiff Person Syndrome is a progressive neurological and autoimmune disorder that affects the brain and the spinal cord. Symptoms include muscle rigidity or spasming, which can affect one area or the entire body, enlargement of the muscles and difficulties walking or moving. There is no cure.
In a 2022 announcement postponing the rescheduled dates, Dion described her battle with the rare ailment, which affects approximately one in a million people.
In a video message posted on Instagram, Dion said the disorder was causing spasms that affect her ability to walk and sing. “While we’re still learning about this rare condition, we now know this is what’s been causing all of the spasms that I’ve been having. Unfortunately, the spasms affect every aspect of my daily life, sometimes causing difficulties when I walk and not allowing me to use my vocal cords to sing the way I’m used to.”
Earlier this year the U.K. and Europe legs of the tour were postponed for the third time, to February 2023, while the U.S. leg of the tour was cut short. At the time, Dion cited health issues but did not disclose a diagnosis.
