The Celine Dion concert at The Mar-a-Lago Club, scheduled for Saturday night, has been canceled due to the sudden illness of Dion, according to the Trump Organization.

Dion has agreed to reschedule a new date next season. In addition to ticket holders receiving an immediate refund, Donald Trump is inviting all ticket holders to come, as his guest, to a “lavish party-to-have-a-party” Saturday night at the club.

Husband and manager Rene Angelil and Celine welcomed 150 of the well-heeled donors and the amazing doctors of Children’s Hospital Boston backstage at the Colosseum in Caesars Palace for a meet-and-greet and photo session. The couple then donated the entire proceeds of her special 4,200-seat performance to the fundraiser.

“As a mother, I was incredibly moved by the stories that were shared with me regarding the impact this disease has on children. This benefit is a way in which I can get involved to positively touch these children’s lives,” Celine said. “Your compassion and kindness could be the tipping point in helping researchers eradicate the disease and bring relief to millions across the globe. The funds we raise will allow these children to grow up pain free and lead longer, more productive lives. Our prayer is they grow up to play without pain.”

Celine Dion has recorded two songs of her first studio album in four-and-a-half years and hopes to release it in May.

Her husband/manager Rene Angelil, in weekend interviews with Vegas Confidential, said she is scheduled to resume her recording Jan. 31 in Florida and will likely put the finishing touches on the album at the Palms Recording Studios.

One of the songs will be a cover of Janis Ian ‘s “At 17,” which Dion sings in her show at Caesars Palace .

She started recording in November.

Angelil said it will be the 52nd album for the recording artist, who has sold more than 200 million albums. She has recorded 27 in French and 24 in English. A French album will be out at the end of the year, he said. Her “Taking Chances” album debuted in November 2007.

Babyface produced “At 17″ for Dion. Angelil declined to discuss specifics about the other recording. The album title has not been determined, he said.

Angelil has told other media outlets that the album will feature her take on Jacques Brel classic “Ne me quitte pas” (“If You Go Away”) and her version of Journey’s “Open Arms,” which she sings in the opener of her Las Vegas show.

It’s shaping up as an eventful year for the duo. A multiyear extension is rumored to be in the works with Caesars Palace and Angelil has a movie coming out.

He plays the godfather of a crime syndicate in the upcoming French movie “Omerta,” which is being released in July.

“It’s kind of like ‘The Sopranos,’ ” he said. “It was a big TV series on French TV and now they are making a movie .”

During a backstage interview with Celine on Saturday, I brought up the subject of his crime boss role.

She couldn’t resist teasing him.

She said the French show producers told him, “ ’Don’t change anything. We don’t want you to act. Just be yourself.’ So what does that mean?”

source: lvrj.com

Here’s a nice article from Yahoo.com about Celine’s upcoming projects. Looks like the whole world is waiting for her new CDs! :)

Celine Dion has been in the business for decades, with hits like “Because You Loved Me” in 1996 and “A New Day Has Come” in 2002. But will Dion be more popular than ever in 2012?

At 43 years old, Dion is not slowing down. With a lineup of exciting Dion-centric projects in the works, it seems the Canadian singer may have her hottest year yet. Here’s why: Dion will be releasing two new albums this year. The Canuck superstar is set to release an English album in April and a French album in October. Rene Angelil, Dion’s husband and manager, told the Montreal Gazette that the English album will include Dion’s take on Journey’s “Open Arms” and Janis Ian’s “At Seventeen.”

“Beauty and the Beast” and “Titanic” are returning to theatres in 3-D this year, and both feature the vocals of Ms. Dion. Dion sang the title track on the Disney flick, earning a Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. The song also won an Academy Award for Original Song. And, in the 1997 Leonardo DiCaprio/Kate Winslet picture, “Titanic,” Dion sang the tear-jerker “My Heart Will Go On,” which also won an Oscar for Original Song.

She’s in the press. Dion must have something up her sleeve to motivate her to do interviews. The star was featured in Vanity Fair magazine’s “Out to Lunch” section in January, discussing her Quebec upbringing and shoe obsession. While she’s always been famous, she’s not frequently featured in the press, which means some surprises must be in store for 2012.

The Las Vegas Sun reports that Dion is in negotiations to extend her contract at Caesars Palace. Dion has been performing in Vegas since 2003, and has no plans to leave the spotlight in the near future — which means more fans get a chance to see their idol up close!

She is worshipped by fans around the world. Dion has some hard-core fans, and there’s even a play about it! “Bliss,” which has run in Australia, Scotland, and Switzerland, will now play in Canada. It is about Walmart employees who are devoted to the diva, and who view her as a type of goddess. With a play about the obsession of her fans, how could Dion ever go out of style?

source: Yahoo

This year, the 54th GRAMMY Awards are offering a special 200-plus-page commemorative souvenir program book to fans for the first time. Celine, who has won many GRAMMY Awards herself, contributed to the book’s editorial along with other GRAMMY winning artists such as Common, Chris Isaak and Kid Rock. The book will be available in major U.S. bookstores and newsstands starting mid-January. Watch the 54th GRAMMY Awards on February 12, 2012 on the CBS network at 8pm (ET/PT).

Source: CelineDion.com

Superstar Celine Dion and her manager husband Rene Angelil confirmed to Vegas DeLuxe in an exclusive interview that negotiations are under way for their Caesars Palace contract to be extended. “We are in talks,” Rene said. “It’s not finalized yet, but soon. We love it here in Vegas.

“Celine does here what she loves to do. She loves the Colosseum. It has the best conditions for a performer. We couldn’t ask for better. We are close to lots of people in Vegas, and we are here to stay. You will probably be the first to know when it’s signed and extended.”

In April, I reported that although the 3-year deal called for 210 shows, no closing date was set. However, it’s definite now that not only will Celine perform more shows than originally planned, but also she’ll probably renew for an additional two years — similar to when she signed on the first time back in March 2003 for her “A New Day” run, which was for three years and extended to five. (Celine admits that five is her lucky number!)

John Meglen, head honcho at AEG Concerts West, which produces Celine’s shows, told me: “We’re very, very close with Celine and Rene. We don’t necessarily need to have options in the contract. If it’s working, we all trust each other, we’re all good to each other. The most important thing is she’s a mom now with three sons, and that comes first with Celine. We respect that, and we will follow that path.”

Celine confirmed that when we talked hours after the family returned to Las Vegas after four days of skiing in Utah and just before Wednesday night’s triumphant return to Caesars Palace: “We had a wonderful vacation there and great skiing — not so much for Rene but for me and Rene-Charles. You couldn’t get us off the slopes. Even the twins loved playing there for the very first time.

“It’s really all about family, love and the children for me. I work at that every day. Mothers know how intense, complicated and tiring it all is, but when they hug you hard at the end of a day, it’s the most incredible feeling.

“They are telling you they need you for comfort. It’s their way of telling me how precious I am in their lives. It’s mutual; their need for me is my need for them. What a wonderful way to end a day! Every day is new with them. They’re beginning to discover food. I can ask them something and get a response. I’m learning how they feel and react now when I talk with them.”

The twins, Nelson and Eddy, were born 1 minute apart Oct. 23 last year by Caesarean section at St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach, Fla., near the family’s mansion. Each boy weighed just over 5 pounds.

Rene joined in and revealed that Celine is still breastfeeding one of the 14-month-olds: “Any day now they will be walking — they’ve made their first steps. We hold their hands as they are a little afraid about walking, but they’re doing great.” Celine interjected: “At this moment, they seem to prefer crawling. They go faster, but in a few weeks, we’ll be running after them! Walking is going to happen on this stay.”

I had to ask for their comment about rumors that because of the success of the in-vitro birth of Nelson and Eddy that she was planning to add to the family. “I don’t think so,” Rene said. “We have no plans for any additions. We have three wonderful little boys who are all great. We don’t need to push our luck!”

He added that their oldest son Rene-Charles, who will celebrate his 12th birthday Jan. 25, will be continuing his Florida school classes online daily while they play the Colosseum through Jan. 22. Celine chimed in: “It’s hard to believe he was not even 2 when we first came to Vegas. He’s now almost 12, so we have lived in Vegas now for a decade. We’re all very comfortable here.

“Vegas will always be home to us, as is Florida. The vibe here is different, and I think it’s good to have difference. The two homes are both different. The one here is smaller, but as a family together we have both stability and the added dynamic of being in two different places. We have a real comfort zone in Vegas, and it’s important to me to be warm, comfortable and safe while here. The children have the same toys to play with and same things to do, but in a different home with different rooms to explore — and that’s good for all of us.

“It seems strange to say this, but it is true: Coming back to Vegas to work is like going on vacation for me. I can’t tell you how excited I am to perform again on the Strip. I really miss it when I am not here. It’s a real night out for me, and I get to put on makeup and dress up in fancy clothes. I haven’t done that for quite a while. I can’t think of the last time I put on makeup and dressed up — this is fun again!
3/15/11: Celine Dion’s Post-Show News Conference
Celine Dion’s post-show news conference at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace on March 15, 2011. Launch slideshow »
Celine Dion in Concert: 1/28/09
Celine Dion in concert in Tampa, Fla., on Jan. 28, 2009. Launch slideshow »

Rene explained: “In Florida, she still gets very little sleep at night. The babies keep waking her up, so when she comes back to work in Vegas, her sister sleeps with the kids and two young ladies help her, so she gets proper long sleep, then enjoys the boys before she goes off to perform at night. I can’t tell you how very happy she is to be back. It all becomes organized with the work, so it’s like a vacation! We’re really excited to get right back into it.”

Rene confirmed our Vegas DeLuxe reports of small changes to the show with the new run that began Wednesday night with record producer David Foster, singer Jackie Evancho, TV titan Dr. Phil McGraw and hair guru Michael Boychuck all in the audience. Said Rene: “Yes, we have the change starting tonight of the duet with Andrea Bocelli as they sing ‘The Prayer’ together. We have one new wardrobe addition, too, for Celine. We are making a few other small changes, but gradually. We’re working on some other costume changes, but not all at once. We have only done 54 shows so far, so it’s not necessary to make any big changes.

“All were sold out, and we are sold out for the rest of this year!” he laughed. “The box office is looking very strong for the rest of the New Year, too — 65 shows right through Aug. 19, so it is all very good. Celine’s new English-language album will be released in April. We have four or five tracks already recorded, so there are still some to record when we return to Florida. All the songs are chosen for the French-language album later in the fall, so it’s just a case of recording them.”

The couple celebrated Wednesday the extraordinary news that Celine, who only performed at Caesars Palace this year, ranked 10th in all global touring shows for 2011 but claimed the top ticket sales price. U2 hit 21 cities to reach No. 1, with Taylor Swift in 2nd in 59 cities and Kenny Chesney 3rd with 51 stops. Celine had an average nightly sale of 4,336 tickets for her 54 shows, whereas U2 had 81,000 a night and Taylor 23,000 at each stop. In the Pollstar year-end chart, Las Vegas favorite Katy Perry placed 22nd.

I’ll join Rene and Celine for their New Year’s Eve show at the Colosseum, so it was only natural I ask them for their New Year’s resolutions. “Once again, I’m going to try and lose weight,” Rene chuckled.” I’m not so much doing an organized diet, but I have promised to exercise and cut down the size of all portions. This time it will work.”

Celine, who says she will have a special New Year’s Eve greeting for her audience Saturday night, concluded: “I make one new resolution every day because it always involves wanting the babies to stay healthy. But being really honest, I just want them to sleep all night as soon as possible!

“I am thrilled and excited to be back in Vegas. I love to sing and perform. It is what I do and love. It completes my life.”

source: Las Vegas Sun

Celine Dion donated a private concert Friday, Dec. 16, to a sell-out audience to benefit the expansion of Baptist Cardiac & Vascular Institute in Miami.

Dion gave her performance in gratitude to the Institute for the life-saving procedure carried out on her husband, René Angélil, under the leadership of Dr. Barry Katzen, the Institute’s founder and medical director.

“It started a little over two and a half years ago. We had quite a scare. Our family doctors discovered that Rene had a critical narrowing of the artery to his brain, the carotid artery, putting him at a high risk for stroke,” Dion said in a video presented with her husband at the event.

Angélil said he wasn’t a candidate for surgery so his doctors looked for a less invasive approach. “They had heard about [Dr. Katzen’s] work with non-invasive treatments and they basically told me he was the best person to take care of me,” Angélil said.

The audience of 1,700 enjoyed a reception before the 8 p.m. concert at The Fillmore Miami Beach at the Jackie Gleason Theater. The presenting sponsor for the event, Audemars Piguet, official timekeeper of Baptist Hospital, hosted an exclusive dinner after the show.

The expansion will include the development of a national Center for Aneurysm Therapy, Center for Advanced Endovascular and Structural Heart Therapy and other specialty centers. The concert raised $6 million, including campaign-related contributions. Event benefactor Victor E. Clarke, an honorary board member of the Baptist Health Foundation, will match all contributions up to $5 million for the capital campaign.
“Baptist Cardiac & Vascular Institute has been ahead of its time for the past 25 years, and this expansion will allow its leadership team to take the Institute to the next level in cardiovascular excellence,” said Brian Keeley, CEO and President of Baptist Health South Florida.

The event’s chairs were Armando and Margarita Codina and James and Susan Carr, and co-chairs were Micky and Madeleine Arison. Honorary chairs were Dr. Barry and Judith Katzen.

source: prlog.org

It is shaping up as an action-packed 2012 for notre Celine nationale. Celine Dion has two new studio albums coming in 2012. The new English disc is coming in April and then there will be a French-language collection coming in October. She will also be headlining 70 shows in Las Vegas.

We don’t know many details about the records yet though her husband/manger Rene Angelil told me in September that the English album will definitely include Dion’s version of the old Janis Ian hit At Seventeen, a tune that is one of the highlights of Dion’s current Las Vegas show. He also said the English album will feature her take on the Jacques Brel classic Ne me quitte pas and her update of the old Journey anthem Open Arms.

Alain de Repentigny reports in La Presse that there are some changes coming to the Vegas show. The virtual duet with Stevie Wonder is going to be replaced by another virtual duet, this one with Andrea Bocelli, on the song The Prayer.

“We don’t want people who come to the show to say – ‘Oh it looks like she’s done this 422 times’,” Dion told de Repentigny. “There should always be a spark provided by a costume change in the Michael Jackson number or by the addition of a new song. That keeps it lively and make it fun every night.”

Dion also told the La Presse reporter that work has hardly begun on the two albums.

“We’re still receiving songs and we’re making beautiful discoveries. We always want to have the right songs at the right time. The recording will be done between two series of shows but given that the studio is ten minutes from our home, it shouldn’t be a problem.”

source: Montreal Gazette

Here are some highlights of this French article (thanks to Céline Dion Informatiepunt), which includes a new interview with Céline & René:

• At the moment, the English album is still due for release in April and the French album for October.
• Work on the English album has hardly begun, they’re still receiving songs. She wil most likely record in-between shows, when she starts a new run of shows on December 28.
• The virtual duet with Stevie Wonder, will be replaced for the holidays by a virtual duet with Andrea Bocelli on ‘The Prayer’.
• There may be a costume change for the Michael Jackson tribute.
• When the new album is released, they may be adding 3/4 news songs to the show.
• Besides the songs she currently performs in Vegas, Céline will also do “Treat Her Like A Lady” with Diana King, when she performs at the Jamaica Jazz & Blues festival late January.