Barbra Streisand North American Tour
November 18, 2006
MGM Grand Hotel
Las Vegas, NV

Barbra Archives Looks Back ...

Barbra and Vegas: quite a history!

• 1963 — Barbra was the opening act for Liberace at the Riviera Hotel
• 1969 — Barbra opened the International Hotel (and filmed an unreleased television special there, too!)
• 1970 — Barbra was back at the Riviera
• 1970 — Then Barbra moved over to the Hilton and did some more Las Vegas dates
• 1993 — Barbra once again opened a huge hotel ... this time, the MGM Grand. She performed two nights: New Years Eve 1993, and Jan. 1, 1994. The DVD of this concert is available at Amazon.com.
• 1999 — Again, Barbra sang 2 concerts at the MGM Grand on New Years Eve and Day. These were dubbed her TIMELESS concerts (the DVD of this is also available via Amazon.com).

Act One
 
• Funny Girl (Broadway Overture) - Bill Ross, Conductor
• Starting Here, Starting Now
• Down With Love
• The Way We Were
• Ma Premiere Chanson
• Evergreen (with Il Divo)

Il DIVO Set:
(a) Unchained Melody
(b) Unbreak My heart
(c) My Way
 
Barbra returns:
• Come Rain Or Come Shine
• Funny Girl Suite:
        (a) Funny Girl
        (b) The Music That Makes Me Dance
        (c) My Man
        (d) People
 
 
-INTERMISSION-
 
ACT TWO
 
• Bill Ross Entr'acte (with musical quotes from Funny Girl, On A Clear Day You Can See Forever, Yentl, The Prince Of Tides)
• Music Of The Night (with Il Divo)
• Carefully Taught/Children Will Listen
• Unusual Way (from "Nine")
• What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life?
• Q&A
• Sketch with George Bush impersonator Steve Bridges
• Woman In The Moon
• Have I Stayed Too Long At The Fair?
• A Cock-eyed Optimist (South Pacific)
• Somewhere (with Il Divo)
• My Shining Hour

ENCORE 1
Don't Rain On My Parade
 
ENCORE 2
Happy Days Are Here Again

Local press review to be here.

Barbra Archives Report

My friend Paul Katz called me from the concert:

Barbra wore the gold-trimmed black jacket outfit + black sequined pantsuit in the first act.

In Act Two, Barbra wore a new outfit: Exposed shoulders with silver trim, more cleavage, no gold choker. Silver earrings matched the silver trim on her dress.

For the "taste of Las Vegas" monologue, Barbra explained that when she visits Las Vegas, she usually stays in her hotel room. But this time she wanted to visit the desert, experience the desert scenery ... Along the way she ate Dumplings at The Chinese Restaurant ... Stage Deli. Cheesecake at Emerald's. Pizza from Wolfgang Puck. And by then, it was time to get back to her hotel room for the show!

Rosie O'Donnell was there. Rosie sings along during the show. Rosie points at Barbra during "Hey look at me world, here I am." Rosie and Mimi Hines (see below) were hanging out all night.

Q&A segment... There were 4 questions.

1. Happy birthday to a 23 year old.

2. Phoenix question ... Someone in the audience tonight was also at the Phoenix concert. Barbra joked, "Thanks for schlepping here to see me again." Q: Why didn't you sing something with Kris Kristofferson when he came on stage in Phoenix? Barbra said it was a sweet moment, nothing planned.

3. Robert Redford question ... Barbra, squinting with her glasses, can't quite read the card ... Redford revisit? reunite? They talked about doing a sequel to TWWW, called "The Way We Are", but Barbra says, "we should have done it 25 years after the first movie. But I think we missed the opportunity." Audience yells, No! Barbra says, "Really? I'll talk to him."

4. Final question: Can Jim Brolin sit with us? "Gee I don't know, why don't you ask him. I'm not my husband's keeper." Laughs from the audience.

Billie Jean King was recognized by Barbra from the stage. Mimi Hines, Barbra's understudy from FUNNY GIRL, was in the front row and Barbra name-checked her from the stage, saying that she does a lot of FUNNY GIRL in the concert, "Lots of memories, huh Mimi?". Apparently, Hines became very emotional, crying.

A heckler after the Bush skit prompted Barbra to say, "You're gonna make me be a Brooklyn girl again."

Another John's Concert Experience
 
First Matt, like the other John who shared his experience of the San Jose concert, I would also like to thank you for your website and especially for the information on the tour.  It has made the experience all that more enjoyable.  And I would also like to thank The Other John for his beautifully written "Fan Review," though it was so much more than that.  Thank you John.  So much has already been written here that I will try to keep my 2 cents to just that. 
 
Ms. Streisand was simply lovely.  She was warm, relaxed, generous, funny, kind and beautiful.  And utterly genuine in spite of the teleprompted script.  I sat next to a lovely woman and her daughter who had traveled from Texas and mom was quite awed. She told me that she had seen Barbra live once before in London at a performance of Funny Girl.  Wow.
 
I would like to add that Barb acknowledged Alan and Marilyn Bergman who were in the audience in Las Vegas. Later in the show when she was explaining the reason for the teleprompters she admitted she still managed to screw a  song tonight, "Did you notice?" she asked the audience.  "I know Alan and Marilyn did - they write lyrics."  Laughter.  Oh, and as for the "Taste of Vegas" bit.  After explaining that she had gotten side-tracked from her trip to the desert by the Chinese food, the Stage Deli and Emerald's cheesecake, she realized she still didn't have enough time for the jaunt because she had to get back to the hotel for DINNER.  Hah!  That was the joke, Paul was slightly off.
 
Thanks again Matt, and happy birthday to me.  It is now well after midnight here in Vegas and now officially my birthday. What a lovely present I got this year.

Bill's Review

When she was at the piano for  Ma Premiere Chanson, she started tinkling on the keys and caught herself by saying, "Oh, sh---  [don't think she said the "whole" word], this is the wrong song!!"  It sounded to me like the intro to "Lost Inside Of You," but I may be mistaken.  Maybe others can help out here.
 
As was mentioned before, Barbra remarked how embarassed she was that she forgot the lyrics to three songs back in 1967 at the Central Park concert, and now, with the teleprompters, she can sneak a peek if there were ever a need.  Even with the teleprompters, though, she said Alan and Marilyn Bergman pointed out that she flubbed some lyrics in the first act, but perhaps I was still in awe because I didn't notice it.  It might have been the staccato portion of "Down With Love," but I'm not positive.  Again, maybe somebody can point it out specifically.
 
And finally, I don't know if we were too far away or not, but my friends and I agreed that it looks like she's lost quite a bit of weight since the beginning of the tour, at least from the photos that we've seen, anyway.
 
I thought she sounded so much warmer and full-bodied than on her recordings (it makes one wonder what they do in the studio, and that perhaps something is sacrificed for the sake of clarity and/or purity). The effortlessness of her pitch, and gliding in and out of those major and minor keys, the notes that just went on forever, and her spot-on phrasing instincts -- unbelievable!  She did "difficult" songs that could so easily go wrong in lesser hands -- What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life and The Music That Makes Me Dance come foremost to mind -- and just nailed them!
 
 
I guess everyone brings their own memories and associations and experiences to something like this.  Barbra's music takes us back to a time and place in our youth, perhaps.  Or a certain song may trigger memories or emotions of a special person or a significant life event.  Some of us have been around long enough to have been there from the beginning, and have watched Barbra grow and develop, not only as an artist, but as a person as well, and maybe her music reflects our own life journey, and the paths we've taken and the choices we've made. Whatever the reason, it was just really special that 15000+ people could have all come together and shared in this event.  As we were exiting the venue, we noticed there were many many people who had misty faraway looks in their eyes, and silly grins, and more than a few teary eyes!  I had all three!  Haha!  And for that night, anyway, we were the luckiest people in the world!

Payne's Review

I was lucky enough to get front row seats for the Streisand show in Las Vegas. Rosie O’Donnell was sitting about 10 seats from me. I saw Mimi Hines walking around and saying hello to everyone. Saw the Bergman’s too. And then the show began … Absolutely amazing and I even made eye contact with Barbra TWICE during the show. I have to admit that I had a hard time reconciling that I was actually looking at, was in the presence of the woman who had inspired me for more than 40 years. In fact, Barbra mentioned at one point that her career is 46 years old – my age exactly. She’s been a part of my life ALL my life and I’m so thankful l finally got to see her in person … and so close too! I love you, Barbra!

Sid Rosen's Review

Barbra: Ageless and Evergreen

I first saw Barbra in concert in Central Park, on June 17, 1967. I had camped out in the park from 3:00 A.M. that Saturday morning in order to stake out a place on the grass as close to the stage as possible (behind the roped off “VIP” section). Although it was a long wait, Barbra appeared at about 2 P.M. that day for a sound check and sang a bit of Second Hand Rose. Just the boost that I and the others who were waiting for the concert to begin at 9P.M. that evening needed! I was reminded of this occasion Saturday night when I saw Barbra in Las Vegas. Just as we all have experienced much during our lives, some of us better and/or worse for the wear, so too has Barbra traveled an incredible journey—a fact that was evident on that night. At the Central park “Happening”, stress was evident from Barbra’s slightly hesitant demeanor and vocal stiffness—don’t get me wrong, she was wonderful, but not as relaxed as she could have been. In contrast, on this Saturday night, what we saw and heard was a relaxed, warm, witty, funny, gracious woman who seemed at ease with heself and with life. Her voice, warm, relaxed, as smooth and sweet as honey, was in top form. Soaring, she hit all the high notes straight on--and held them just as long as she wanted. What was perhaps most astonishing, however, was the fact that not only were her renditions of songs which she first sang over 40 years ago as good as the originals, but in many cases they were actually better! For example, when Barbra first sang “Down With Love”—it was jazzy, but more of a “kooky”, rebellious, sort of “look-at-me” version. Today, Barbra’s “Down With Love” is a confident, exciting song sung by a woman whose virtuosity in the jazz genre requires no gimmicks or tricks. During the Funny Girl Suite, it amazed me how songs for which Barbra could have had as many takes as she wanted back when she recorded/filmed them, were sung to perfection, again, some better than the originals. Funny Girl? Sad, moving, melancholy. My Man? I don’t think I’ve ever heard a better expression f of the reluctant acceptance of a love that was doomed to be unrequited .When Barbra sang “Woman in the Moon” in ASIB, I thought at the time that it was a bit angry, defiant and harsh. This time, we heard a savvy, ironic and knowing celebration of women and their power and potential. What a surprise it was for me.

I also have to comment about “Cockeyed Optimist”. Never having heard Barbra sing this song before, I must say that I experienced the feeling that I used to get when she first began her career, when she would take a familiar song and give it her own special interpretation, after which you could not imagine anyone else ever doing the song justice again. Such was her version of this song. It was jaw-droppingly amazing!

A few random notes:

When an icon who is pushing 65 hits the road, one can’t help but wonder how she will look. With a face that still moves when she talks and appears ageless when she sings, after an unparalleled career of almost 50 years, Barbra still looks –gorgeous. Alternately wise, sensual, playful, the Barbra who broke down barriers, literally changed our popular concepts of beauty and opened the door for the thousands who followed, is still that Barbra!

Much has been said about her inclusion of Il Divo. Personally, I thought they were great. What’s not to like about four hunky, hirsute men with killer voices? Also, I thought that they were very effective substituting for Kris Kristofferson and Michael Crawford, respectively, on Evergreen and Music of the Night. The sound was great and the balance between their and Barbra’s voices was perfect. In fact, on Music of the Night, when Barbra sung her melismatic riff on the word “Night”, her voice, powerful and clear, soared above Il Divo, triggering a thunderous reaction from the audience! Their participation in “Somewhere” was artfully and beautifully done as well. Again, Barbra sang this song better than ever. Il Divo’s separate numbers were good as well. I sat next to a couple (one of many) that had come specifically to see Il Divo. While they were not disappointed, they did concede after the concert that Barbra was amazing—one of the best performances they had ever witnessed.

Before the show, at about 5:30 P.M. the arena staff had gathered a group of people to act as “seat fillers.” Much like at the Oscars, these people would fill vacant seats and get to stay in the arena after the ticket holders arrived. I was told that Barbra would not start her show if there were any “empties” in the first three rows due to latecomers or no-shows. I was also told that the concert was, in fact, sold out.

The Bush routine was actually quite funny. Even my conservative Orange County, Cal. Seat mates had a hearty laugh and conceded that it was quite good. While Barbra got all her points across very clearly, she did so in a witty ,gracious and endearing manner. She was also quite funny!

Well, all I can say is that, as a person who has been privileged to witness Barbra’s astonishing career in real time ever since I became aware and enamored of her in 1962, the Vegas concert was an experience I will not soon forget. I don’t think I can even adequately describe the incredible artistry, warmth and beauty that was evident that night. All I can say is “WOW!!” May she live a long, healthy life and continue her special contributions to making this world a much better place.

Matt, I also have to say that the level of artistry and talent evident in your
Web site is also truly amazing! Much thanks.

Love to all from Tucson.

Sid