[sojourner]

This thread is for the posting of press reviews and news about the Barbra Streisand/Il Divo concerts. Happy hunting and reading.

[sojourner]

Sayaka said:

Hi everyone,

I just found this review of tonight's concert:

http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/20...streisand_x.htm

The Il Divo interaction: The multinational, pseudo-classical boy band joined Streisand during Evergreen, singing parts of the song in various languages and flirting with her. There was a lot of fawning banter and mutual back-patting. ("People adore you," Streisand told the group. "Well, people worship you," the band responded.) Afterward, the group did a set on its own, singing songs such as Unchained Melody and Un-Break My Heart in various languages, and rejoined Streisand for Somewhere.

Here's the article in its entirety: :wink:

Happy days here again for Barbra
Posted 10/4/2006 10:41 PM ET

By Elysa Gardner, USA TODAY
Location: Wachovia Center, Philadelphia
Attendance: 17,000 — a sellout

MORE TOUR NEWS: Ken Barnes' Listen Up blog hits the highlights

The cause: Barbra Streisand launched a 20-date tour Monday night, supported by Il Divo, to raise money for her charitable foundation.

The crowd: Generally older and more staid than the average rock-concert crowd, with a strong undercurrent of dressing for a special occasion. Many were casually attired, since the weather was warm, but some women were definitely dressed to impress. They doted on Streisand's every word, delivering standing ovations on an average of every other song. "It pays not to tour for a while," she joked.

The music: Heavy on the standards. The highlight was a Funny Girl medley featuring My Man, Don't Rain on My Parade and People, admirable showcases for her still-creamy voice. Among her other selections: Evergreen, Come Rain or Come Shine, Down With Love and A Cockeyed Optimist.

The Il Divo interaction: The multinational, pseudo-classical boy band joined Streisand during Evergreen, singing parts of the song in various languages and flirting with her. There was a lot of fawning banter and mutual back-patting. ("People adore you," Streisand told the group. "Well, people worship you," the band responded.) Afterward, the group did a set on its own, singing songs such as Unchained Melody and Un-Break My Heart in various languages, and rejoined Streisand for Somewhere.

The politics: Relatively underplayed. The sometimes-outspoken Streisand was more inclined toward comedy shtick, talking about how her fans were there with "their kids and their grandkids — can you imagine?" and saying she had been sampling cheesesteaks and ice cream instead of sightseeing. "I never did get to see where they drafted the Constitution," she said, "but I definitely got a taste of Philadelphia." There was a political moment later on: a duet on Happy Days Are Here Again with a George W. Bush impersonator, Steve Bridges, which followed a question-and-answer session with the audience.

The merch: People were paying $20 to be photographed with the official tour poster, creating the visual illusion that they were standing behind Streisand onstage. Prices were flexible for multiple shots, though — the second photo cost just $10, and further shots were only $5 apiece. Or you could buy "giclees," described as "iconic images on canvas," some with hand-painted embellishments, for anywhere from $300 to $700. Less opulently, T-shirts went for $40-$50, programs cost $40, or you could go for a $15 mug or $5 keychain. Il Divo items ranged from a $10 calendar to a $375 leather jacket.

[anita_seb]

Sojourner said:

Sayaka said:

Hi everyone,

I just found this review of tonight's concert:

http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/20...streisand_x.htm

The Il Divo interaction: The multinational, pseudo-classical boy band joined Streisand during Evergreen, singing parts of the song in various languages and flirting with her. There was a lot of fawning banter and mutual back-patting. ("People adore you," Streisand told the group. "Well, people worship you," the band responded.) Afterward, the group did a set on its own, singing songs such as Unchained Melody and Un-Break My Heart in various languages, and rejoined Streisand for Somewhere.

Here's the article in its entirety: :wink:

Happy days here again for Barbra
Posted 10/4/2006 10:41 PM ET

By Elysa Gardner, USA TODAY
Location: Wachovia Center, Philadelphia
Attendance: 17,000 — a sellout

MORE TOUR NEWS: Ken Barnes' Listen Up blog hits the highlights

The cause: Barbra Streisand launched a 20-date tour Monday night, supported by Il Divo, to raise money for her charitable foundation.

The crowd: Generally older and more staid than the average rock-concert crowd, with a strong undercurrent of dressing for a special occasion. Many were casually attired, since the weather was warm, but some women were definitely dressed to impress. They doted on Streisand's every word, delivering standing ovations on an average of every other song. "It pays not to tour for a while," she joked.

The music: Heavy on the standards. The highlight was a Funny Girl medley featuring My Man, Don't Rain on My Parade and People, admirable showcases for her still-creamy voice. Among her other selections: Evergreen, Come Rain or Come Shine, Down With Love and A Cockeyed Optimist.

The Il Divo interaction: The multinational, pseudo-classical boy band joined Streisand during Evergreen, singing parts of the song in various languages and flirting with her. There was a lot of fawning banter and mutual back-patting. ("People adore you," Streisand told the group. "Well, people worship you," the band responded.) Afterward, the group did a set on its own, singing songs such as Unchained Melody and Un-Break My Heart in various languages, and rejoined Streisand for Somewhere.

The politics: Relatively underplayed. The sometimes-outspoken Streisand was more inclined toward comedy shtick, talking about how her fans were there with "their kids and their grandkids — can you imagine?" and saying she had been sampling cheesesteaks and ice cream instead of sightseeing. "I never did get to see where they drafted the Constitution," she said, "but I definitely got a taste of Philadelphia." There was a political moment later on: a duet on Happy Days Are Here Again with a George W. Bush impersonator, Steve Bridges, which followed a question-and-answer session with the audience.

The merch: People were paying $20 to be photographed with the official tour poster, creating the visual illusion that they were standing behind Streisand onstage. Prices were flexible for multiple shots, though — the second photo cost just $10, and further shots were only $5 apiece. Or you could buy "giclees," described as "iconic images on canvas," some with hand-painted embellishments, for anywhere from $300 to $700. Less opulently, T-shirts went for $40-$50, programs cost $40, or you could go for a $15 mug or $5 keychain. Il Divo items ranged from a $10 calendar to a $375 leather jacket.

hi friend Sojourner
thank you news article.
kisses from Peru friend

[lorearg]

apparently they are of the show of today but itself is not seen a lot, sorry

http://www.flickr.co...tt/tags/barbra/


kisses to all from Argentina, Lorraine

[jillybean]

Review from the Philadelphia Inquirer - 5th October

A very short mention of Il Divo :?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In Phila., a warm, open and elegant Streisand

By David Patrick Stearns
Inquirer Music Critic

Is this truly farewell?

The opening performance of what's likely to be Barbra Streisand's farewell, 16-city tour certainly felt that way: Much of last night's sold-out show at the Wachovia Center summed up her 40-plus years in show business, dipping as far back as her mid-1960s nightclub repertoire, progressing to her Broadway show Funny Girl and to movies such as The Way We Were. And then she went for broke.

In the second half, Streisand was fielding questions from the audience when, in a moment of faux spontaneity, she was visited by a particularly keen George W. Bush imitator (real name: Steve Bridges). A longtime Democrat, Streisand quizzed him on various hot-button issues such as global warming, only to have him give glib, breezy answers, like proposing to solve the national debt by selling Canada. "They don't use half of it!" he exclaimed.

Of course, they sang a duet - the one, in fact, that Streisand sang with Judy Garland years ago, blending "Happy Days Are Here Again" with "Get Happy" (the faux Bush filling in for Garland). Much of the audience that paid as much as $750 cheered, but there were also hecklers, one of whom seemed to yell, "Barbra, you stink!"

She took it in stride, reminding the audience that we live in a country where such fun freedom of speech is allowed, and returned to a reflective mood by singing "Have I Stayed Too Long at the Fair" from the TV special Color Me Barbra, which was partly filmed at the Art Museum.

And since she asked the question, has the 64-year-old singer stayed too long? To judge from ticket sales on the tour, cities like New York and Atlantic City can't get enough, while others, only days before the performances, have tickets available at all prices.

Vocally, the opening-night performance raised a red flag or two. Though she sounded splendid in the few bits of the dress rehearsal I caught Tuesday, the marathon of songs she laid out for herself last night sometimes left her voice thin and labored. That's not necessarily her usual vocal state (she was reportedly rehearsing until 11:30 p.m. Tuesday).

Yet at every turn last night, the voice accomplished what she was after, often with greater elegance than before. The older Streisand can make a tiny inflection carry far and say more than many of the great vocal flourishes of old.

Also, the vocal lustre mattered less here, partly because she has rarely generated such warmth and openness. She poked fun at her immoderate eating habits with a litany of area restaurants she had patronized, and admitted that the invention of teleprompters allowed her to return to the concert stage (an explanation that was, of course, scripted on the teleprompters).

Often, performers are only so open and unguarded when the end is truly in sight. And that - more than the luxurious 50-piece orchestra, the stage set (seemingly inspired by the Broadway show Chicago) with tables and platforms arranged around the musicians, plus various interludes by the vocal quartet Il Divo - gave the concert a sense of occasion.

There was a time when her feminist sensibilities would prompt her to avoid songs with retro sentiments such as "My Man." However, the song is indelibly associated with her character in Funny Girl, the comedienne Fanny Brice. And her rendition of the song last night was as compelling - maybe more so - as any she delivered 30-plus years ago.

At times in the past, she has been so classy, so dignified, she seemed like a singing CEO. Not here. She seemingly had nothing to hide and nothing to lose. How often with a major singer and cultural icon do you experience that?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Janey]

TORONTO STAR


Barbra brings her best
Oct. 5, 2006. 06:32 AM
RICHARD OUZOUNIAN


People who live in Philadelphia are the luckiest people in the world.
The 22,000 privileged souls who packed the Wachovia Center here last night for the opening of Barbra Streisand’s latest (and last) tour were part of a magical event.

They cheered till the roof shook, clapped till the sound echoed all the way up to New York and gave the star so many standing ovations that I lost count after a while.

“Don’t review the concert,” I was told. “Save that for Toronto. Just tell us what it was like to be there.”

Well, it was simply amazing.

I spent the two hours before showtime talking to the crowd and finding out who they were and where they had come from — some of them paying $3,500 (U.S.) for the VIP seats (where Rosie O’Donnell, by the way, was happily in evidence).

A lot of the people were from the area, naturally, but I encountered some folks from as far away as Rio de Janeiro, London and Cairo.

When I asked the Brazilian couple, the Buarques, why they had travelled such a great distance to hear Streisand sing on this particular evening, they said, “The first concert is always special with her and we wanted to be here for the first time of the last time.”

It’s always fascinating attending a Streisand concert and wondering what kind of space she’s in, what foot she’ll put forward. Will she be moody, aloof, preachy, self-indulgent? She’s been accused of all those modes in the past. Well, none of that was present last night. For want of a better term, what we had on display was Classic Barbra.

The tone was set by the orchestral prelude, which was the complete original overture to Funny Girl as it was heard on Broadway. Tonight would be about the past as much as the present or future.

When Streisand loomed into view on the last note, she instantly took command of the clean-lined set, made out of steps and ramps, and came boldly forward.

Her eyes were bright, her shoulders were back. If her legendary stage fright lurked underneath, she had done an Oscar-winning job of hiding it.

When she sang Maltby and Shire’s classic “Starting Here, Starting Now” her voice rang out clear and true, and when she sat down to chat the patter was friendly and real.

Suddenly the old school Barbra was back as she rattled off a lengthy and accurate list of the finest junk food locations in Philly that had kept her from viewing where the U.S. Constitution was signed.

“Because you all know,” she said with one of her patented sly smiles, “the only thing I love more than American politics is eating.”

When she sat down at the piano to play her own “Ma Premiere Chanson” she had to don a pair of glasses and promptly pronounced it “a senior moment.”

We were seeing Barbra at her best: real and warm and funny. Even her scripted patter with the four singing hunks from Il Divo centred on their age difference and made her the butt of the joke.

And when she returned after their songs to nail us all to the wall with a selection of hits from Funny Girl, ending with the back-to-back whammy of “My Man” and “People,” the question people were asking was “How can she top herself in Act II?”

Being a canny showman, she didn’t try. That’s not to say that her second act was free from thrills. Her rediscovery, after 40 years, of the haunting ballad “Have I Stayed Too Long At the Fair?” became a searing exploration of her life to date.

She even brought out a George Bush look-alike for a series of comedy quips, but they ended by harmonizing on the “Get Happy/Happy Days Are Here Again” duet that Streisand and Judy Garland once did together.

The rest of the evening was full of delicate thought and haunting vocalizing. In the first act, Streisand showed us why fans cheer her; in the second, it became clear why they adore her. “I’ll be coming to Canada soon,” she shouted to one Canuck questioner from the audience. “I love it there.”

I’m sure the feeling is going to be mutual.

[Janey]

Can't win them all I guess :?



Wachovia Center, Philadelphia - October 4, 2006

Streisand shows she's still got it

By JANE STEVENSON -- Toronto Sun



PHILADELPHIA - George Bush joined Barbra Streisand on stage for her long-awaited return to touring last night.

Well, actually, not the real U.S. president. It was just a lookalike impersonator who sang the duet Get Happy/Happy Days Are Here Again and traded barbs with the 64-year-old pop diva as she launched her first trek in 12 years at the Wachovia Center in front of some 16,000 ecstatic Philly fans.

The Bush sketch came well into the second half of Streisand's two-and-a-half-hour-plus show which also boasted a 58-piece orchestra, guest appearances by popera quartet Il Divo, written questions from the audience and an encore appearance by Babs' fluffy, white dog Sammie.

And while the Bush bit was clearly a good-natured poke at Dubya and his politics by the famous Democrat supporter, it did go on for just a little too long.

Maybe by the time Streisand arrives in Toronto for two sold-out shows on Oct. 17 and 20 at the Air Canada Centre (tickets for the first night were just released), she will have trimmed the number down.

To her credit, she does boast undeniable comic timing and even knows how to make fun of herself. She explained the presence of teleprompters because she forgot the words to three songs during her 1967 concert in Central Park in front of 150,000 people and "didn't tour again for another 27 years."


As it stands, Canada gets a major shout-out in the Bush skit as the impersonator threatens to sell our country into order to relieve the U.S. national debt.

"They aren't using half of it!" he insisted.

Otherwise, Streisand made a spectacular and glamourous entrance as only she knows how.

She first appeared coming out of the floor of her stripped-down, in-the-round stage dressed in a sailor-suit-inspired, two-piece, sequined black and white gown to sustained and loud applause.

"It pays not to tour for awhile," she responded with a smile before launching the evening with Starting Here, Starting Now.

What followed was a combination of crowd-pleasing hits (The Way We Were, Evergreen, Don't Rain On My Parade and People), more theatrical numbers (Down With Love, Come Rain Or Come Shine, What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life, and Somewhere) and more obscure songs like the first one she ever wrote at the age of 22, Ma Premiere Chanson, and The Star Is Born number The Woman In The Moon.

When Streisand wasn't belting out songs, she was downright chatty, wandering the stage from side to side, front to back, often eliciting huge cheers and applause from whatever section she engaged.

"You have binoculars? Oh my God," she remarked to one fan who was already sitting close to her.

At one point, she even kicked off her high heels and went barefoot.

Really, it helps to think of Streisand's new tour as her own variety show.

Too bad she can't lose 'special guests' - as opposed to opening acts - Il Divo, who tended to drown her vocals out whenever they joined her for such songs as Evergreen, The Music Of The Night and Somewhere.

The crowd also had to endure some painful banter about one of the four men, whose group is a Simon Cowell-creation, having a crush on her.

In the end, Il Divo's appearances sans Streisand on Italian versions of songs like Unchained Melody, Unbreak My Heart and My Way, really just came across as a time-killing measure so she could take a break from performing. Personally, I'd rather spend less time at the venue - there was also a 25-minute intermission - and more quality time with Babs who still sounds pretty incredible after 42 years as a performer.
More Concert Reviews

[E.Maria]

Rosie O'Donnell trashed Il Divo this morning on the View. :shock: Here's my unofficial transcript. I'm sure a video will appear soon.

The View Oct. 5, 2006

Rosie: The only problem with the show (Opening Night, Philadelphia) was Il Divo. (She makes funny face :?.)

Other co-hosts mumble support for Il Divo. (They are talking all at once, probably worried about a lawsuit!)

Rosie looks shocked and defends herself with: Okay, maybe, now listen, I felt they look like...

Joy and other hosts: Don't do that! That's a nice group! Leave Il Divo alone!

Rosie: I'm not saying how horr.. (Rosie, starting to feel the pressure of being attacked!!) I'm saying...I'm there to see Barbra and all of a sudden there were four guys who looked like they've been kicked off The Bachelor (no she didn't!! :shock:) And, their suits don't fit and they're singing and she's (Barbra) not on the stage. And, I'm sitting there like this... (arms crossed).

Elizabeth: Is this because you love her so much and you wanted her to get back on the stage?

Rosie: That maybe the truth.

Joy: Didn't you ever open for a big comic? You know what a nightmare that is?

Rosie: They don't open.

Joy: They close?

Rosie: She (Barbra) comes out first and they sing with her. With her is fabulous. They can sing with her whenever they want! When she's in the back, I didn't enjoy.....

(They move on to Barbra and something about Paris Hilton. Barbara (Walters) is not on today to remind them about lawsuits so the ladies are playing!!)

Joy: ...that and Il Divo, that's two things we did wrong. (To Rosie) Say you're sorry!

Rosie: Alright Il Divo. I'm sorry Il Divo. I love you. But, you have to get better suits boys.

I left out the background chatter but that's the gist until the video appears. Rosie will be following, stalking, Barbra along the East Coast so she'll come around :wink:.

[Janey]

Playbill - October 6th


DIVA TALK: A Sensational Streisand

By Andrew Gans
06 Oct 2006


Barbra Streisand in concert

photo by Firooz Zahedi (headshot)

News, views and reviews about the multi-talented women of the musical theatre and the concert/cabaret stage.

BARBRA STREISAND
Last Saturday I received an invitation that I will probably never be offered again: the chance to attend a Barbra Streisand dress rehearsal at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, PA. Not only would this be the first time I had ever seen the Academy Award-winning actress perform live, but I was also able to bring five people with me to the by-invitation-only event.

Knowing this would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, I wanted to share the day with some of the people I love most and those who I knew would truly appreciate the experience: my mom, my sister, my sister-in-law, my friend Tod and his mother Joyce. The six of us — some coming from New York, some from New Jersey and one in Pennsylvania — all headed to the 15,000-seat Wachovia Center on Tuesday for the afternoon concert.

The concert was primarily attended by friends and family members of the musicians in the 56-piece orchestra or those working on the concert tour as well as such celebrities as Rob Marshall, Liz Callaway, David Zippel and Donna Karan. And, as we all waited to be let into the theatre on the suitably sunny day, there was true excitement in the air, a feeling that continued to build as we took our seats in the mammoth stadium. Most of the 900 or so attending were seated in the floor section, and my family, friends and I could hardly believe that we were going to have the privilege of enjoying a Barbra Streisand concert from the fourth row.

The set design for the tour, it should be noted, is simple, yet elegant. A few raised pathways with lit handrails encompass the orchestra, and there are three areas where a modest bouquet of roses adorn a small round table and chair.

As the audience anxiously awaited the star's entrance, that aforementioned sense of excitement seemed to transform into a palpable sense of electricity that flowed throughout the arena. At 2 PM the lights dimmed and Richard Jay-Alexander, who, with Streisand, co-directed the concert, made his way onto the stage to welcome the audience. Jay-Alexander joked that Streisand had tired of her "audience of six" and was eager to try out her new show for today's crowd.

The original overture to Jule Styne's Funny Girl — the 1964 Broadway musical that garnered its star her second Tony nomination — began the concert and was greeted with an enthusiastic applause, but the sight of Streisand, who, at 64, remains a striking figure, brought the audience to its feet for the first of many times that day.

Streisand began her concert with Richard Maltby and David Shire's "Starting Here, Starting Now," and I have to admit hearing the sound of her voice live — those lush, rich, golden, rounded tones that seem to magically pour out of her — was surprisingly moving. There have been many singers throughout the years who, intentionally or not, have imitated her sound, but when hearing Streisand live, one quickly realizes there is no substitute for the real thing.

After welcoming the animated crowd, Streisand noted that she hadn't performed in Philadelphia for over four decades, not since she filmed her 1965 television special "Color Me Barbra."

"Down with Love" preceded one of the afternoon's highlights, the Academy Award-winning theme song from the 1973 Streisand-Redford film "The Way We Were." There was a gentle hush as Streisand delivered the opening lines, "Memories light the corners of my mind. . .," and I suspect there was nary a dry eye as she finished the Marvin Hamlisch-Alan and Marilyn Bergman tune on a beautiful sustained, almost ethereal high note.

Before belting out a terrific version of the Harold Arlen standard "Come Rain or Come Shine," Streisand explained why teleprompters are a must for her tours. During her monumental 1967 concert in Central Park, she forgot the lyrics to three songs, and that experience was so "frightening and embarrassing" that she was unable to sing in public for nearly 30 years. "When I performed my fundraising concert in 1986," she said, "by then they had invented the teleprompter. . . . Now I have them in case I have a senior moment!"

One of the many things that struck me during the generous, three-hour concert was the warmth that Streisand exudes onstage. And, not only is she tremendously intelligent — evidenced in both her spoken word and her lyrical interpretations —she is also extremely funny, joking throughout the show, often at her own expense. She drew laughs when detailing all the local food she had sampled in Philly, noting "The only thing I like more than American democracy is eating." When she played a wrong note on the piano — during "Ma Premiere Chanson" — her simple "Oh sh**!" was delightfully down-to-earth, and when a loud sneeze from the audience preceded the final note of a song, her quick "God bless you" drew laughs and applause.

"I Finally Found Someone," a song based on the love theme from "The Mirror Has Two Faces," preceded her best-known composition "Evergreen." As Streisand explained that one of the most enjoyable aspects of writing songs has been hearing other people interpret them, the tour's special guests — Il Divo — joined her for the remainder of that song, which explores "the meaning of one love."

The strong-voiced Il Divo — comprising David Miller, Sebastian Izambard, Urs Buhler and Carlos Marin — joked a bit with Streisand, before taking the stage with five solos: "Senza Catene" ("Unchained Melody"), "Passera," "Regresa A Mi" ("Unbreak My Heart"), "Si Tu Me Amas" and the Sinatra classic "My Way"; the latter was dedicated to Streisand.

As Il Divo began singing The Phantom of the Opera's "Music of the Night," Streisand returned to much applause, joining the four men for a gorgeous version of the Andrew Lloyd Webber tune. Whether she's singing solo or with a group, one can't help be impressed by Streisand's innate musicality. As opposed to today's "American Idol"-type singers who sing three notes for every one, Streisand's simple riff here or gentle lick there seem completely organic and add to rather than detract from the melody.

The first half of the evening concluded with several songs from Funny Girl: the extended, full show version of "Don't Rain On My Parade," the bittersweet title song, a powerful medley of "The Music That Makes Me Dance" and "My Man" (which was added to the film) and, of course, one of Streisand's many anthems, "People." The crowd again jumped to its feet as Streisand's voice soared on the song's climax: "People who need people are the luckiest people in the world!"

The concert's Entr'acte featured a portion of the "Funny Girl" movie score; "On a Clear Day You Can See Forever"; music from "The Prince of Tides"; and the "Yentl" ballad, "Papa, Can You Hear Me?" Streisand then reappeared, singing a glorious rendition of Rodgers and Hart's "Where or When."

The Grammy winner then had some fun with her audience, answering questions from the crowd [those attending the concerts will have the chance to fill out "Ask Barbra" cards prior to each show] and performing a version of the classic Judy Garland-Streisand duet "Get Happy"/"Happy Days Are Here Again" with a special guest star (I won't ruin the surprise).

Streisand then built Harold Arlen's "When the Sun Comes Out" to a thrilling, full-voiced finale. While discussing her "pride and joy," her son Jason, a piece of music he composed for his mother while she was making "Yentl" was played in the background. A wonderful, poignant medley of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "You've Got to Be Carefully Taught" and Sondheim's "Children Will Listen" followed.

One of the most welcome surprises of the afternoon was the inclusion of Maury Yeston's "Unusual Way." Streisand's voice was perfectly suited to the beautiful Nine ballad, and her acting of the song was also impeccable. In fact, it made one long to hear what she could do with some of the more current theatre scores.

"Like the Gentle Rain," performed as a bossa nova, was followed by the Bergmans "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?," and two early Streisand favorites, "Woman in the Moon" and "Have I Stayed Too Long at the Fair?" followed; the latter was particularly impressive.

Streisand offered the West Side Story anthem "Somewhere" as a "prayer for tolerance, compassion and peace," and was again joined by Il Divo. As the thrilling sound of the five voices and the orchestra swelled to dramatic effect on that Leonard Bernstein-Stephen Sondheim tune, the entire crowd spontaneously rose en masse.

"God, you're a great audience! Can you come back tomorrow?," Streisand quipped before delivering two more songs to the appreciative crowd: "My Shining Hour" and a terrific arrangement of "A Cockeyed Optimist." There was one final encore, but I'll leave that as a surprise.

If I were asked to sum up the afternoon in one word, it would have to be joy. There were tears of joy, joy in people's smiles, joy in watching a performer reclaim the concert stage, joy in sharing this day with my family and friends, and the simple joy of music superbly performed. And, now, Streisand has the chance to spread this joy throughout the U.S. and Canada as she embarks on a two-month tour that will visit such cities as New York, Washington, Toronto, Quebec, Boston, Atlanta, Chicago, Phoenix and Las Vegas.

[sweetiepie20]

Fri, October 6, 2006
Il Diva Babs

By JANE STEVENSON, TORONTO SUN




PHILADELPHIA -- Barbra, can you hear me? And all the other music critics out there?

Many seem to think that you, Barbra Streisand, were like "buttah" (to quote Canadian Mike Myers' Streisandworshipping SNL character ) on Wednesday night while launching your fi rst concert tour in 12 years, in front of a sold-out crowd o f 16 , 000 at the Wachovia Center .

The Philadelphia Inquirer praised Streisand's "warmth, openness and elegance" even if , vocally, "the opening-night performance raised a red flag or two ... the marathon of songs she laid out for herself sometimes left her voice thin and laboured. "

Still, the Inquirer pointed out that the 64 -year-old singer had been rehearsing until 11:30 p. m . on T uesday night .

Our review, posted yesterday morning on the Toronto Sun 's websites (torontosun.com and jam.canoe.ca) , gave Streisand 3.5 stars out of five . We liked her voice, demeanor and outfits, but didn't like special guests Il Divo, whose schmaltzy presence cheapened the proceedings .

Streisand will perform in Toronto for the first time ever later this month, with two sold-out shows at the Air Canada Centre on O ct . 1 7 and 20. More tickets were just released f or the first show .

Other thoughts on Streisand's comeback concert Wednesday :

AUDIENCE: You know it's a mature crowd when you start wondering if the elderly couple seated nex t to you are actually going to make it through the two-and-a-half hour show . Otherwise, it was middle-aged madness with lots o f bald spots, pot-bellies and grey hair . Imagine, I even witnessed a drunken brawl as people were exiting the venue ! Where did these people think they were? A Guns N ' Roses concert?

STAGE: Streisand's 58-piece orchestra, conducted by Bill R oss, was divided into two sunken pits on an in-the-round stage, providing 360 -degree sightlines . It worked f or the most part, as Babs wandered among vases of pale, pink roses and three chairs that enabled her to sit down whenever she felt like it, which wasn't often .

SONGS : No real complaints here, although the undisputed highlight was the material from Funny Girl -- including Don't Rain On My Parade, Funny Girl , The Music That Makes Me Dance, My Man , and People . Streisand even came out and did a rousing reprise of Parade during her encore that saw her kick up her legs bare foot . Otherwise, sadly missing in action was the Yentl classic Poppa Can You Hear Me ?

VOICE: Streisand held her own for the most part, although she was coughing a bit during the opening song, Starting Here , Starting Now . And whenever special guests Il Divo joined her for a song, they completely overpowered her and it unintentionally became a MAD - TV skit .

COMEDY : I'm as up for a good Dubya bash as the next person, but the sketch featuring Streisand and George W. Bush impersonator Steve Bridges in the second half of the show did go on a bit too long . I overhead one woman on the subway home saying : " That was inappropriate . He's the president o f the United States . "It remains to be seen if Streisand will get "Dixie-Chicked. " I loved, however, the Babs/fake-Bush duet of Get Happy/Happy Days Are Here Again -- even if it was nothing like the famous Judy Garland /Streisand rendition in the '60 s .

MERCHANDISE: It was a feeding frenz y at the souvenir booths, as mostly middle-aged women snapped up T -shirts ( U S $ 4 5 to $ 75 ), keychains ( $ 5 ) , buttons ( $ 1 5 ) , programs ( $ 4 0) , bags ($4 0) , baby j umpers ( $ 3 5 ) , posters ( $ 20) , blankets ( $ 5 0) and cotton jackets ( $ 75 ). Less popular were those suede jackets going for $ 375 ! Over at a photo booth, for $ 20 you could get your picture taken in f ront o f Streisand's tour poster .

[twinks22]

THIS WAS IN THE BALTIMORE SUN TODAY....

PLS NOTE THE WRITER'S E-MAIL ADDRESS AT THE BOTTOME... :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

Music Review
As time goes by, Streisand still delivers in concert
By Tim Smith
sun music critic
Originally published October 6, 2006
"It pays not to tour for a while," Barbra Streisand quipped after being hit with the first roar of an eager 16,000 fans packed into the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia Wednesday night, the start of a 16-city North American tour that reaches Washington next week.

Never mind that folks paid hundreds, even thousands, of dollars in 2000 to catch what was billed as her final public concert performances. Legends have every right to change their minds.
And Streisand, who has sung for the throngs infrequently during her long career, can count on generating intense interest every time and place she decides to take the stage. (Well, almost. A Detroit date was dropped because of sluggish ticket sales, but the rest of the tour is apparently in good shape, box office-wise.)
The impetus behind concertizing this time around is to raise money for her foundation (ticket prices are $100-$750), which supports environmental, health and educational causes. "I guess you could call me a charity slut," she said in explaining the philanthropic part of the concertizing.
Early on in the nearly three-hour show (with intermission), Streisand's voice sounded hoarse and constricted. Her emotional wattage was a shade underpowered, too, during the first half. Even one of her surefire, owned-by-Barbra songs, "My Man," didn't quite get the gooseflesh into full upright position, as you would expect.
But the voice kept getting stronger and warmer as the evening progressed, reaching an incendiary level in short order. She delivered "When the Sun Comes Out" with a vintage punch, sounding, at 64, remarkably like the young woman who lit up that torch song with such startling force in the early 1960s.
With the orchestra playing the overture to Funny Girl and Streisand making her entrance with "Starting Here, Starting Now," it was clear that the night was going to owe a lot to her golden age.
She sang several songs that helped define her as a vocal artist, including "Have I Stayed Too Long at the Fair?" and "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?" -- both phrased with particular nuance and beautifully molded tone.
But this was no mere nostalgic act. Streisand also added to her repertoire, including a moody 1990s ballad by Karen Akers, "Unusual Way," and a gem from South Pacific, "Cockeyed Optimist," that she filled with fresh, stirring relevance for our uncertain world: "I hear the human race is falling on its face and hasn't very far to go. But I'm stuck, like a dope, with a thing called hope, and I can't get it out of my heart. Not this heart."
Her account of "My Shining Hour," another item new for her, was a high point of the evening, the sort of classic ballad she was born to sing. Too bad she wasted time on the forgettable "Woman in the Woman" from A Star is Born.
But questionable choices were minimal. And, all the while, the woman famously prone to stage fright seemed thoroughly at ease and at home. Streisand gave every appearance of enjoying herself up there on the unfussy stage, a series of platforms built around the nearly 60-member orchestra that played sturdily for music director Bill Ross.
She poked fun at herself, saying early on, "I'm not that fat," as if reading minds in the arena. (Yes, she is a little, well, fuller, than the last time she toured, but still like-buttah gorgeous.) And she even handled a heckler with aplomb, the type she anticipated with a laugh earlier: "You know how some of you cringe when I talk about politics."
Of course, the famously left-leaning singer introduced political talk along the way, but with more humor than her detractors might expect, thanks to uncanny President Bush impersonator Steve Bridges.
The faux leader of the free world exchanged good-natured, if overlong, banter with "Babs" (she called him "Dubs"), occasionally setting her straight.("Since you were selected," she said; "Elected," came the reply.)
The two even did a duet together, although the iconic "Happy Days Are Here Again"/"Get Happy" duet she sang with Judy Garland is much too good to be thrown away like this.
The only serious miscue of the show was letting Il Divo, the vacuous popera act, get into the act. This older version of a boy band, without a single distinctive voice among them, chimed in with Streisand on various numbers, walked around the stage to strike male-model poses and performed solo a few times. Allowing these guys to sing "My Way" shifted the concert into cruise-ship level.
In the end, nothing could diminish the raison d'etre of the event. This was Streisand's night. From all the vivid-colored memories of the way she was, to the wonderful new material, the concert reaffirmed how much this singer still has to offer, more than four decades after she first laid claim to being "the greatest star."

tim.smith@baltsun.com

Linda





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[bettyann]

Barbra Streisand

By Frank Scheck

Bottom line: A career-reflective show designed to appeal to her most fervent fans.

Wachovia Center, Philadelphia
Wednesday, Oct. 4

For her first tour in 12 years (and, at this rate, maybe her last ever), Barbra Streisand is clearly in a reflective mode. From the "Funny Girl" overture that opens the evening to the resuscitation of numerous older and fairly obscure songs dating back to her early days, the 64-year-old singer is presenting a show that seems more appropriate for the intimacy of a theater than for the vast arenas she's playing.

Of course, Streisand nonetheless manages to make a good portion of the evening soar, thanks to both her iconic presence and a voice that, while it at times sounded a bit weak compared to her younger days, still has the power to thrill. And she seems to have toned down the vocal excesses and flourishes that occasionally have given her performances a mannered quality over the years, investing her renditions with an impressive sensitivity.

She seems determined to head off criticism at the pass. Clad in flattering black outfits, she makes self-deprecating comments about her appearance. For this opening night in Philadelphia, she rattled off a list of famous area restaurants she supposedly visited in lieu of historical attractions, joking, "The only thing I love more than American democracy is eating." (Needless to say, expect the references to be updated depending on the locale.)


And she openly discussed her reliance on the many teleprompters scattered about, explaining that forgetting the lyrics to several songs at her famous Central Park concert led to her abandonment of live performances for decades. Still, the fact that every onstage comment was scripted inevitably gave the show a stilted feeling.

Not that the audience members, who had paid up to $750 a ticket, seemed to mind. They rose for standing ovations on numerous occasions, especially for the singer's trademark numbers.

Most of those, including "The Way We Were," "Evergreen," "People," "Don't Rain on My Parade" and "My Man," appeared in the first half, giving the evening something of a structural imbalance.

On the other hand, it was a pleasure to hear her revive such little-performed songs, many of them theatrical, as "Starting Here, Starting Now," "Ma Premiere Chanson" (for which she took a tentative stab at the piano), the title number from "Funny Girl," a medley of "Carefully Taught" and "Children Will Listen," "When the Sun Comes Out," "Cockeyed Optimist" (from "South Pacific") and "Woman in the Moon."

The pseudo-classical quartet Il Divo showed up periodically to lend vocal support on such numbers as "Music of the Night" and a gorgeous "Somewhere"; they also performed their own multilingual renditions of such pop chestnuts as "My Way" and "Unchained Melody." They also engaged in flirtatious banter with the singer that had the strained air of a Bob Hope variety show sketch.

The show's nadir comes with an ill-advised comic routine between Streisand and a George W. Bush impersonator, culminating with a duet on "Happy Days are Here Again." More than a few audience members made their displeasure with the mockery known.

Streisand seemed a bit ill at ease at times, though she soon warmed up thanks to the audience's fervor. "Gosh, it pays not to tour for a while," she proclaimed. She was at her best at the end in a glorious reprise of "Parade," in which she displayed the playfulness and energy occasionally lacking in the rest of the performance.

[bettyann]

The Girl Can't Help It
Barbra Streisand had a farewell tour in 2000, but now she's back. Fans just call this one "fantastic."
By Robert Strauss, Special to The Times
October 6, 2006


PHILADELPHIA — "You never know," said Mary Jonas, clutching a 1964 Playbill for the Philadelphia tryout of what became the Broadway hit "Funny Girl." The program had a smiling 21-year-old Barbra Streisand on the cover. Jonas was 21 then too. "I could get an autograph. She's one mercurial lady, so it might happen. I was there. I am here. So is she."

Fifty gold albums and purported farewell tours and farewell concerts later, the truly mercurial Streisand floated on a cloud of adulation from the likes of Jonas and 16,000 other acolytes here Wednesday night as she began a 16-city, 20-date tour, culminating Nov. 20 at Staples Center.

Surely, the people who came to see Streisand, backed and complemented for about a third of the concert by the Three-Tenorish "popera" quartet Il Divo, were willing to take a chance that their heroine would be formidable. Tickets had face values up to $750. Lines for merchandise were a dozen deep in the Wachovia Center's lobby even an hour before the concert. Programs cost a mere $40, with concert-logo sweatshirts $75 and a leather jacket $375, making the $7.50 draft Bud look like a bargain.

"I walked from the Holiday Inn — free parking," said Bill Matthews, 63, huffing a bit and sipping a $5 diet cola from the concession stand. "Six blocks. Good exercise. Paid $250 for tickets so have to save somewhere."

The crowd may have been well heeled, but it was definitely Philadelphia casual: primarily upper-middle-aged-plus, few ties or dresses anywhere, and rubber-soled shoes dominated. Though "Barbra Streisand Concert Champagne Featured Drinks" were touted with signs at the large lobby bars, beer and nachos seemed de rigueur, and the TVs there often switched to the baseball playoffs from the original vintage Streisand footage.

Still, when the concert began, the crowd was enthusiastic for its diva, cheering most every song and story.

Streisand's staging was as simple and refined as it gets in these days of hockey-arena concerts. The 54-piece orchestra was set in a purple-and-white-lighted pit with three-tiered stairways on either side and in the middle. When Streisand appeared after a rendition of the "Funny Girl" overture, coming from below on a raised platform in the midst of the musicians, she was in an elegant black gown with silver sequins and a relatively demure slit up her left leg. She came to the front, where there was only a cushioned chair and a small table with a tiny flower arrangement. Rosie O'Donnell and Streisand's husband, actor James Brolin, were the only obvious star guests in the house, and even they sat, albeit in the front row, merely in the same cushioned chairs found everywhere on the arena floor.

The concert itself held no surprises. If Ricky Nelson long ago lamented in "Garden Party" that all the fans wanted were the old songs, Streisand, who long has thrived on contrariness, was happy to oblige. There was practically everything popular from "Funny Girl," a Harold Arlen tribute, "The Way We Were," and that evergreen "Evergreen."

The crowd was nearly reverentially silent during Streisand's singing, yet luxurious with cheers and standing ovations throughout the two-hour concert. There was ubiquitous cellphone use throughout — the clicking of phones for either long-distance photos or calls home for a quick listen of a song or two.

Streisand called attention to the huge teleprompter hanging scoreboard-like over what would be center ice. She said she had forgotten the lyrics to three songs during a 1967 concert in New York's Central Park, the freak-out from that causing her to retire from live concerts for 27 years. She was not going to leave that announcement to chance either — even that being up in big letters on the prompter.

She ad-libbed little, mostly thanking the crowd for shouted-out accolades. Her voice was always strong, though her comments were mostly subdued. She had an overly long skit with impressionist Steve Bridges imitating President Bush as a Streisand fan. Bush/Bridges spouted political malapropisms, while Streisand would retort with only mildly denigrating lines about Republicans. They then sang a duet that she had originally done with Judy Garland on TV in the 1960s — Streisand with "Happy Days Are Here Again" and Bush/Bridges goofily soft-shoeing "Get Happy" in a sort of a round.

Otherwise, Streisand's rhetoric was primarily about peace and harmony, prefacing "Somewhere," from "West Side Story," with a line from Bishop Desmond Tutu and reading a long quote from author William Saroyan. She has said that she will donate as much as $10 million of the estimated $90 million the tour will generate to her foundation and other causes, some political, but on stage she said her first donation from the Philadelphia show will go to arts education.

She made no mention, though, of the ticket prices. Her last full-scale tour in 1993-94 had a top price — then considered outrageous — of $350, so this tour more than doubles that. She did, however, offer a simple explanation of why she's on the road again after her two-city, four-night "farewell tour" six years ago. "I love it, and why not?" she said to that question from the audience.

Streisand went out with the World War II Mercer-Arlen ballad, "My Shining Hour," no one in the crowd leaving early. When they did go, they again started buying concert paraphernalia.

"I'm betting this, sure, will be the last time," said Martha Peters, 67, hoisting up her new $40 concert T-shirt. "She's almost my age and still so good. But even for her, enough is enough."

*

Barbra Streisand

Where: Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St.,

Los Angeles

When: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 20

Price: $200 to $750

Contact: (213) 742-7340

[maya]

Another review from BBC News...

http://news.bbc.co.u...ent/5405166.stm

Streisand makes stage comeback

Barbra Streisand gave up touring after forgetting her words
Singer Barbra Streisand has kicked off her first major tour in more than a decade with a concert in Philadelphia.
The 64-year-old, who originally announced her retirement from touring six years ago, said she was back on the road again to raise funds for charity.

The Oscar winner is planning to donate $10m (£5.3m) from the 20-date North American tour, which covers 16 cities.

Streisand has sold more than 70 million records worldwide during her career and scored her 50th gold album last year.

The tour is expected to make about $90m (£47.6m) in ticket sales, with music magazine Billboard predicting it will set a new benchmark for prices.

The average price of a ticket was $275 (£145), with tour promoters saying some seats were selling for $750 (£397).

Wednesday night's first performance in South Philadelphia at the 16,000-seater Wachovia Center sold out.

Political message

Streisand was accompanied by a 58-piece orchestra and supported by operatic pop group Il Divo, who performed backing vocals for some of her songs.

The star included some classics such as Funny Girl, Come Rain or Come Shine and Somewhere.

She told the audience she now relies on a teleprompter to make sure she does not forget the words after she dried up during three songs at a concert in 1967.

The singer, who posts political articles on her website, included a sketch with an actor who played President George Bush.

He was made to look foolish by saying things like "I'm concerned about the national debt, so I'm selling Canada".

[jillybean]

Google News Alert ....
http://www.columbusdispatch.com/features-s...1007-D1-01.html


THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

CONCERT REVIEW BARBRA STREISAND
Singular sensation
The diva touches past, present glories in impressive fashion
Saturday, October 07, 2006
Barbara Zuck



Streisand’s dress and voice shimmer onstage.

Barbra Streisand begins her concert with Starting Here, Starting Now


In an age of instant, throw-away celebrity, true entertainment royalty is getting hard to come by. Columbus received a visit from the queen last night, as Barbra Streisand — looking and sounding every bit the aristocrat — played a packed Value City Arena on the second stop of an extensive American tour, her first in 12 years.

Dressed in a long black sequined gown and 4-inch spiked heels, Streisand dominated both halves of the more than 2 1 /2-hour show.

The arena had a retro look — configured like a giant nightclub, with long, tiered, lighted runways extending well out into the hall and surrounding a full symphony orchestra. A small table with a vase of flowers was placed front and center, and after Streisand came onstage — lifted via a small elevator smack into the middle of a spotlight — she worked this part of the stage, closest to her adoring audience.

"Hello, Columbus," Streisand yelled — as fans screamed "We love you!" back. Then she immediately launched into an upbeat version of Starting Here, Starting Now. The familiar and distinctive voice may have sounded a bit husky at first, but not for long. By the time she got to her third song, the show-stopping The Way We Were, both Streisand and the crowd were well-warmed up.

Streisand certainly gave the outward appearance of polished elegance. But there were amusing reminders of the "funny girl" who started her career playing comedienne Fanny Brice. Moving to the piano at one point, she tried to play a song she had written when she was in her 20s, hit a wrong note, and said, "Oh, s---!" much to crowd’s delight.

Later, she took her shoes off and strode the stage in stocking feet. She made no secret of her need for either reading glasses or the teleprompters placed strategically around the hall — so obvious even some of the crowd could read along. It gave the show a kind of homey feel.

The trip down memory lane took a sharp step back into the present, however, one many in the audience must have been waiting for. As Streisand began the first lines of her song Evergreen, the four young men known as Il Divo appeared behind her — to more cheers from the crowd.

Il Divo and La Diva blended voices beautifully in selections on both halves, and one wished they had sung a few more tunes together. Women in the audience of a certain age no doubt appreciated the way Streisand turned the stereotypical generation gap on its ear, surrounding herself with handsome men probably about half her age.

The four amigos sang on their own on both halves. Four handsome men in tuxedos crooning in foreign languages. Who said romance is dead?

After a long set of ballads at the top of the second half, Streisand threw out an unexpected curve — a visit from President Bush (impersonator Steve Bridges). As a well-known supporter of liberal causes, the singer couldn’t resist a few very light punches at the current administration. Bridges, by the way, has the Dubya down pat, but the bit went on too long.

La Diva and Il Divo finished with a nod toward Leonard Bernstein — a gorgeous rendition of Somewhere from West Side Story.

Streisand is a singular and amazingly accomplished artist. She’s been successful and lauded in two arenas — film and music. She once called herself "an actress who sings."

Better "a singer who acts." It won’t be "the laughter we remember." It’ll be the voice.

[akihito]

yet another review : New York Daily News

The way she is

Babs proves gabby but still sublime

Many different Barbra Streisands turned up at the star's rather dense new show, which wobbled into Philadelphia's Wachovia Center Wednesday.
During the opening night's 2 1/2-hour expanse, Streisand presented herself as a politician, a comic, a philosopher, a fund-raiser, a memoirist, a satirist, a piano player and, sometimes, even a singer.

No wonder the show - which comes to the Garden Monday and Tuesday - was, by turns, brilliant and bloated, insipid and inspired.

When Streisand sang - just often enough to make the night a prized event - she rarely dipped below the mark of brilliance.

But, as in all three of her most recent road shows, she talked between numbers. And talked. And talked, seldom missing the chance to hobble the momentum with an anecdote (okay) or a message (zzzzz).

First: the good news.

There's a reason one comic has famously likened Streisand's voice to a beloved sandwich spread. Her singing, live as on CD, glows with a tone so luxurious and a texture so rich, you nearly want to burst into song yourself. While many celebrate her lung power - in ample evidence here - it's the girlish beauty of her timbre and the luscious fluidity of her delivery that marvel most.

In her opening tune, "Starting Here, Starting Now," the 64-year-old singer had only to exhale the title lines to conjure urgency and promise. She followed with "Down With Love," which emphasized something Streisand rarely gets sufficient credit for: her wily and inventive jazz phrasing. Here, as in many of the singer's early recordings, she broke up the beat in unexpected ways, singing around the melody to create syncopated quirks all her own. Likewise, in "When the Sun Comes Out" Streisand idealized the tricky rhythm changes that bring the number to an unexpectedly ecstatic close.

Such jazzy drama is key in Streisand's undying show-stopper, "Don't Rain on My Parade," which she performed here twice, the second time with too much verve to seem redundant.

In her 23 songs, Streisand only ventured later than the mid-'70s twice (for pieces from the '80s musicals "Nine" and "Phantom of the Opera"). But she did move beyond the hits. The show included a song from her French LP, "Je M'appelle Barbra," plus one from 1966's "Color Me Barbra," the now age-appropriate "Have I Stayed Too Long at the Fair?"

The orchestra kicked the night off with the "Funny Girl" overture, setting the tone. No fewer than six of that show's songs turned up, most corralled into the night's first half.

Unfortunately, that left Streisand a bit at sea in the second half, where most of the verbal bloat came. She included an interminable, and heavy-handed, skit with a George Bush imitator who insisted on duetting on "Happy Days Are Here Again," ruining one of her most creative arrangements. Fans also had to hear all too much about the glory of children and the importance of peace, prompting one man to furiously yell, "We came to hear you sing!"

The insertion of schmaltz-opera act Il Divo into the proceedings didn't help. The four warbling himbos oiled their way through a quartet of numbers threaded through the night. They also backed up Streisand on a few songs, which succeeded only in turning poignant pieces like "Somewhere" bombastic.

Still, for all the blabby and fatty parts of the night, there's always that elemental Streisand sound to consider. When she uses it to ride the epic peaks in a song like "My Man," there's a radiance that can make listeners forgive her almost anything. Too bad we always have to.

Originally published on October 6, 2006

[madmaz]

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/....xml&coll=2

Ultimate diva's buttery voice still soars
Monday, October 09, 2006
John Soeder
Plain Dealer Pop Music Critic
Columbus-Yeah, we know: People who need people are the luckiest people, yadda, yadda, yadda. It took more than luck, however, if you felt the need to catch Barbra Streisand in concert Friday night at Value City Arena.

The venue was ironic, considering ticket prices ranged from $150 (for a "cheap" seat) to $600. Undaunted, 10,000-plus adoring fans turned out, whether or not it necessitated a second mortgage. Streisand's only Ohio appearance was the second stop on a 20-date tour, the elusive songbird's first major outing since the mid-1990s.

Didn't she do a handful of "farewell" engagements a few years ago, you ask? Look, bubele, we're talking about the ultimate diva. If Babs, 64, fancies a comeback, who are we lowly mortals to rain on her parade?

Streisand the Barbarian made a dramatic entrance to the tune of "Starting Here, Starting Now," basking in a spotlight after she rose from the bowels of a fortress-like stage. Vases of flowers added a homey touch.

Luxuriating in the accompaniment of a 58-piece orchestra, our glamorous heroine belted out "Evergreen" (the greatest pine-scented love song ever! ), "People," "Somewhere" and other signature ballads alongside Tin Pan Alley soliloquies such as "Come Rain or Come Shine" and "My Shining Hour." When she wasn't confiding in us in a conversational tone, her buttery voice soared.

Between numbers, she read scripted banter off TelePrompTers, which also flashed lyrics and other cues. You know the beginning of "The Way We Were," where Streisand dreamily hums the melody? The TelePrompTers actually spelled out: "HMMMMM . . ."

Almost nothing was left to chance, except when the Artist Formerly Known as Yentl sat down at a piano for "Ma Premiere Chanson," only to hit a bum note. "Oh (expletive)! Sorry! She is human!" she ad-libbed. The crowd roared.

The first half of the 2½-hour concert featured a suite of show tunes from "Funny Girl." During the second half, Streisand traded punch lines with President Bush impersonator Steve Bridges. Babs and Dubs (as she called him) teamed up for a fun "Get Happy/Happy Days Are Here Again" duet, too.

The gutsy political humor went over well. Then again, nobody ever accused Streisannosaurus Rex of a chutzpah deficiency. Tour proceeds benefit her favorite liberal causes.

Furnishing breathtaking multilingual harmonies on "The Music of the Night" and several other songs was Il Divo - the suave "popera" quartet, not the Akron band of "Whip It" fame. Come to think of it, how about a Streisand-Devo double bill? Now that would be priceless.

[E.Maria]

Barbra reborn at concert

Streisand returns to city roots in Garden song, political fest

BY GLENN GAMBOA
Newsday Staff Writer

October 10, 2006

Barbra Streisand isn't one for surprises.

From the rose-filled vases on the stage perimeter to the half-dozen TelePrompTers scattered throughout Madison Square Garden to ease her worry about forgetting lyrics, Streisand has it all planned out. Only a handful of artists could make such intense scripting work, but she is definitely one of them.

Unlike earlier shows on the tour, Streisand was in fine voice from the moment she began "Starting Here, Starting Now," as she appeared in the middle of her 55-piece orchestra. And her skill at phrasing showed in the intricate twists of "Come Rain or Shine" and the subtle reworking of "The Way We Were."

For her first New York concert in six years -- since, you know, the one that was supposed to be her final live concert performance ever -- Streisand was determined to give the crowd what it wanted. "I still think of myself as a New Yorker," said Streisand, who plays the Garden tomorrow as well. "Go Mets!"

That New York attitude emerged later in the show, too. After a skit that poked fun at President George W. Bush, and a man yelled taunts at her, she said, "Shut the -- -- up if you can't take a joke," and then offered to return his money.

Politics aside, Streisand's show was, on the whole, well-paced and elegantly executed. She drew heavily from 1967's "Funny Girl," including an energetic "Don't Rain on My Parade" and the show-stopping ballad "My Man."

Her return was sparked by a desire to raise money for The Streisand Foundation, which will make contributions to health and education issues, as well as fight global warming, taking a bit of the sting out of tickets priced between $100 and $750. Streisand's return also gives her a platform for her political views, which, to no one's surprise, run counter to the Bush administration.

Her political skit, where a Bush look-alike spouts ridiculous ideas like selling off Canada to balance the budget, is harmless enough. The problem comes when "Bush" sings "Happy Days Are Here Again/Get Happy" with her, ruining one of her best songs.

The other main problem is bringing Il Divo, the multi-culti pop-opera hunks, into her show. Not only were they unnecessary, but the quartet brought the momentum to a halt when their mini-set was injected into the middle of Streisand's set. They also stomped on the lovely "Evergreen" with their over-singing, a feat they duplicated on another of her showcase songs "Somewhere."

It's a tribute to Streisand's mastery as a performer that she could build the energy level back after each of these setbacks, using a mix of familiar and unexpected songs. In a lesser singer's hands, a song like "Have I Stayed Too Long at the Fair?" could come off schmaltzy, but Streisand made it gripping and emotional.

After six years, she hasn't lost anything off her game. Maybe her surprise will be how comfortable she looks onstage and how much she enjoyed performing again.

http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/music...nment-headlines

[E.Maria]

This morning on The View, Rosie O'Donnell tried to get herself out of the mess that she's gotten into while trashing Il Divo. Here's my unofficial transcript.

The View Oct. 10, 2006

Rosie: Now, apparently I said something sort of unkind about Il Divo after I saw her (Barbra's) opening night. Only because in all fairness I'd never seen these people. I'd never heard these people. I didn't know who these people were. And, so they come out and they started singing with her which was fine. And then she (Barbra) goes and takes a break (Rosie makes funny face, laughter in the background) and we're left with them alone for four songs. And then I'm thinking, god their suits are ill fitted. Here's what they look like. (Rosie holds up latest picture of Il Divo. Seb has ascot on. ) They are very sweet boys. They are all from a different country.

During the show last night when they were talking said and we want to dedicate this next song to our new biggest fan Rosie O'Donnell. (Rosie makes funny face and audience laughs. She pinches her fingers together to show how small she felt and shrinks down in her chair.) I was going like oh c**p! I didn't know they saw the show, you know, and I felt really bad. And, when they were singing they sort of looked down at me and I pretended that I was looking at the monitor. I didn't want to make eye contact for fear that I'm gonna hurt their feelings. I'm sure they are lovely boys.

Suzanne: What did you say about them because I wasn't privy to that?

Joy: No, don't go there. Don't go there. (mumbling in background)

Rosie: No, I have to say that I said they looked like the four guys thrown off The Bachelor first. (Suzanne laughs) But I didn't mean that in a mean way.

Suzanne: Oh sure.

Rosie: No, it's that they are all from different countries and their suits don't fit. And, it is upsetting to me because it's Barbra and she looks fantastic and she's like perfection.

So I called my friends at Saks Fifth Avenue and I told them of my dilemma. And I just want to say to the Il Divo boys who are watching, Saks Fifth Avenue has guaranteed Armani fitted suits for you four boys if you go to the store today in New York because I'm going to the show on Wednesday and I don't want to see ill fitting ugly tuxedos again. (She stands and holds up a black Armani suit) Now boys, look this is ARMANI. (Audience clapping)

Okay, thank you. (There's a big picture of Il Divo in the background now) Because I have to say, Il Divo Il Suito was El Crapo. This is fantastic (referring to the Armani suit).

There was once again background chatter that I left out but this is the gist of what happened this morning in The View's Hot Topic section.

[jazzy]

Not so nice about Il Divo, from the New York Times:

Music Review | Barbra Streisand
Music Overpowers Streisand's Many Missteps


By STEPHEN HOLDEN

Published: October 10, 2006
Barbra Streisand took a carefully plotted step down from the imperial pedestal she has occupied for decades at Madison Square Garden last night and stumbled. The biggest miscalculation was the appearance, late in the show, of a George W. Bush impersonator (Steve Bridges) who Ms. Streisand, an ardent Democrat, interrogated in a tone that tried to be witty, and failed.

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MIchelle V. Agins/The New York Times
Barbra Streisand performed at Madison Square Garden Monday night.

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How would the president erase the national debt? Sell Canada; they don’t use half of it, he replied. “If I cared about polls,” he remarked, “I would have run for President of Poland.” And so on.

The tepid segment mercifully ended after the two joined voices for an unfunny spoof of the famous Judy Garland-Streisand duet of “Get Happy,” and “Happy Days Are Here Again.”

When Ms. Streisand stopped talking and started singing, she was her old self.

Accompanied by a 50-piece orchestra, she performed more than two dozen songs that encompassed most of her career. Missing were her hits with the Bee Gees, with whom she reunited on her last studio album, “Guilty Pleasures” (Columbia), and songs from her film “Yentl.”

Most heavily represented was “Funny Girl,” (both the show and the movie) in a thrilling end of Act 1 suite that peaked with three ballads: “The Music That Makes Me Dance,” “My Man,” and “People,” all beautifully sung.

One of the pleasures of a Streisand concert is hearing this diva of divas live, her voice unembellished by “improvements” carried out in the recording studio.

In her drive for technical perfection, Ms. Streisand has a longstanding tendency to apply too many coats of aural varnish to her records.

She should realize that sounding like an imperfect human being is more expressive than trying to sound like God, and her singing last night was frequently magnificent. Her voice is fuller than it used to be and still drips with the juice most singers begin to lose at 50. (Ms. Streisand is 64).

Another misstep was the choice of Il Divo, the operatic boy band, as her musical guests. While this multilingual, multinational quartet of singing mannequins, assembled by the diabolically market-savvy impresario Simon Cowell, belts in tune, they have the emotional spontaneity of robots in tuxedos.

An early low point of the show was their arrival on stage to bombard Ms. Streisand with smarmy flattery. Let’s hope she never records with these pretenders to the kitsch pop throne of Andrea Bocelli.

Befitting an event that suggested a one-woman Super Bowl in which the star competed with her legend, the concert was packed with distracting bells and whistles. A useless question-and-answer session in which she responded to randomly selected audience questions wasted precious time. During the Bush impersonation, a solitary heckler so annoyed Ms. Streisand that she lost her temper and hurled an obscenity.

A Barbra Streisand concert should be about singing. That’s what people really want. The rest they tolerate out of respect for her gigantic talent. And when she stuck to music, there were many magnificent moments. “Starting Here, Starting Now,” the “Funny Girl” suite, “When the Sun Comes Out,” “Children Will Listen,” “What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life,” and “My Shining Hour” were the musical high points of a concert that was further dampened by the lack of a pre-performance sound check because Ms. Streisand was stuck in traffic. As a result, the acoustics of the first half of the concert were muddy.

True to her show business instincts, she saved the best for last. In her final sprint, she might have a scored a winning touchdown had she not interrupted it with the Bush impersonator. And near the end sabotaged her own glorious performance of “Somewhere” by bringing Il Divo as a robotic harmony chorus.

A poignant moment for those who have followed Ms. Streisand’s career from the beginning was her rendition of (“Have I Stayed) Too Long at the Fair?” a Billy Barnes ballad that she recorded in 1964. Way back then, it was the reflection of an insecure ingénue feeling her first intimations of ennui after too much partying.

Sung four decades later, with just as much passion but an entirely different outlook, Ms. Streisand made it a rhetorical question about her own future. Has she stayed too long at the fair? Despite all the evening’s missteps, the answer is a resounding no.