At Last: Real Details @ Celine Dion's Upcoming English/French Albums

As Celine Dion returned to Las Vegas for her latest series of shows at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas June 9 through August 19 (following a throat infection that canceled a number of shows earlier in the spring) hubbie and manager Rene Angélil shared with the Montreal Gazette some precious details about her long-mysterious new English and French albums due later this year.

He tells the newspaper that recording took place for the sets in April and May in Florida... with the French album due in September and the English CD "probably" in November.

The French album is all original, thankfully, including compositions from Jean-Pierre Ferland and longtime contributor Luc Plamondon. “Ferland’s song, 'I Do Not Need Love' is a masterpiece,” Angelil told the Journal de Montreal.

Half of the English disc will comprise studio versions of songs from the Vegas show, including her stunning version of Janis Ian's "At Seventeen" (which, granted, any fan already has in HQ from her "Oprah" performance), as well as Journey's "Open Arms" (zzzz...) and her tear-jerking rendition of Jacques Brel’s "Ne Me Quitte Pas," one of the peak highlights of the Vegas show. Angélil says six original songs will round out the English set. There is also talk she has recorded a cover of James Ingram & Patti Austin's "How Do You Keep the Music Playing" from the show—which would be utterly stellar... just the kind of consummate ballad perfectly suited to Celine.

Meanwhile, according to the Journal, the English album will be titled "Water and a Flame," based on a collaboration on the album from British Producer Francis Eg White, who has worked with Adele, which, as we know, Celine is a huge fan of... given the addition of "Rolling In the Deep" to her Vegas show.

Comparing singing in English and French, Celine told the Journal: "It is like wearing jeans or an evening gown. You can not get a change of blood. French is my home, my roots. This is what I live first. French is a more domestic energy, more poetic. But when I sing in English, there are other emotions. As a singer I can not choose I need both. "