'The Way We Are'

September 29, 2002
I had the thrill of attending another Barbra Streisand concert this evening.  Barbra reemerged from her self imposed sabbatical to sing for her political convictions.  She was the featured headliner at the National Democratic Gala held at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood.  She wowed the high powered audience with a treasure trove of songs, several of which she admitted to having had never performed in public.  The highlight of the evening for the die-hard Democratic elite was her rendition of "The Way We Were" as a political parody.  Marilyn and Alan Bergman, who were in attendance wrote special lyrics for Barbra to sing, challenging the Republican administration in Washington.

Barbra's voice was as powerful and as magical as ever.  Sitting there and listening to her, it was hard to believe that she hadn't performed in a major concert since "Timeless" over two years ago. With the show's producer David Foster at the piano, Barbra sang her heart out in a 45 minute set that included an eclectic choice of ballads: (1) The Kind of Man a Woman Needs, (2) My Funny Valentine, (3) Pieces of Dreams, (4) After the Rain, (5) The Shadow of Your Smile, (6)I Finally Found Someone, (7) Evergreen, (8) The Way We Were (Parody), and (9) God Bless America.

The evening's festivities were without intermission.  In addition to Barbra, who brought the show to its finale, the concert featured a performance by Barry Manilow, the operatic trio, Three Mo' Tenors, David Foster, who opened the show and accompanied the orchestra in an instrumental piece he composed for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games, newcomer and Sinatra stylist Michael Bublé, and comedian-come-emcee, Steve Harvey.

The final number in Barbra's set was a rousing rendition of "God Bless America" which stirred the emotions of everyone in attendance.  For this rendition, Barbra was supported by the Cal State Northridge choir.

Hollywood glitterati were out in force, too.  Donating the big bucks for those up-close, platinum card seats were the likes of Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Christian Slater, Richard Lewis, Alan Cumming and two time Streisand co-star Sally Kirkland ("The Way We Were" and "A Star Is Born").

A Scandal of Shakespearian Proportion?
Members of the press were not permitted inside the auditorium during Barbra's segment of the show.  The media corps was relegated to the outdoor loading dock of the Kodak Theatre and had to watch the proceedings via a closed circuit feed.  Nevertheless, local LA  and national reporters had a field day, blasting Barbra on a number of issues, the least of which was her refusal to allow them inside the theatre. 

Her rendition of "The Way We Were" parody became red-hot political copy and was egregiously reported as the "Streisand Scandal."  A Shakespearian misquote by Barbra quickly became "Babs Blows Her Shakespeare."  One conclusion, however, can be drawn from all the press coverage:  Barbra and her Democratic agenda were able to command the headlines long after the concert was over - not an undesired result for the Democrats in shining a spotlight on their political message.

Streisand at Her Best
Politics aside, Barbra Streisand demonstrated that she is alive and well and remains the world's consummate performer with a voice that continues to pour out liquid diamonds.  She still has the vocal capacity and range to blow away an audience like no one else.  I remember seeing Lena Horne perform at Lincoln Center a number of years ago and marveled at how her brilliant singing seemed untouched by time.  Like Lena, it's clearly apparent that Barbra's voice will retain its magnificence and purity for many more years to come.

Congressman Dick Gephardt said of Barbra, "She is such a good citizen of this country.  Would that every citizen of this great country was as interested and patriotic and well meaning as Barbra Streisand."

Barry Manilow was equally as complimentary of Barbra saying, "She's got such courage - she fights for what she believes in.  Maybe we should send her to the White House."

But it was David Foster who put it best during the show when he told Barbra that she is "the greatest singer on the planet."

An understatement if you were at the Kodak.