Streisand: Live in Concert on CBS  

By Ally Matteodo

For over four decades, Barbra Streisand has been one of America’s most popular entertainers. On Saturday, April 25^th, CBS brought Barbra’s beautiful singing voice into living rooms with Streisand: Live in Concert, a broadcast of a performance recorded in Fort Lauderdale in 2006. Airing at 8:00 p.m. ET, the program began with Streisand’s fans showing their enthusiasm.  One admirer came all the way from the U.K. to see Barbra, while another commented on the depth of emotion in Barbra’s singing, noting that “every word is a message.”  After this opening, Barbra appeared on stage and sang her heart out, singing many of her most popular and quintessential songs, including “The Way We Were,” “Evergreen,” “Children Will Listen,” “When the Sun Comes Out,” “My Man,” “Don’t Rain on my Parade,” and “Somewhere.”  Among the celebrities in the audience were Tom Hanks, Sting, Meg Ryan, Tony Bennett, Oprah, Bill and Hillary Clinton, and Sarah Jessica Parker.

Barbra’s performance was riveting and incredibly passionate, with her songs embodying the longing and striving of the human spirit.  Before “Children Will Listen,” the orchestra played a beautiful instrumental version of a tune that Barbra’s son Jason wrote for Barbra as a birthday present while she was directing and starring in the movie Yentl.  Barbra noted before the song how parents try to teach their children well, as the song’s lyrics describe how important it is for parents to set a good example for their children: children are impressionable and will follow their parents’ lead.  In “Don’t Rain on My Parade,” Streisand spiritedly sang of following life’s dreams.  The few words that Barbra did speak during the concert revolved around the need for love. Before singing “Somewhere,” a song from the Broadway musical West Side Story which is based on Romeo and Juliet, Barbra noted that in both versions of the story the parents lose their children due to hate and intolerance.  Barbra repeated a quote from Desmond Tutu, stating that “God created us different, to know our need for one another.”  While some may disagree with her political statements in recent years, no one can deny Barbra Streisand’s tremendous musical talent. Her soaring voice brought the beautiful lyrics and melodies of these timeless songs to life, and reminded viewers of the human need for connection, the yearning for lost love, and that anyone can fulfill their deepest dreams.