Barbra Streisand is a National Treasure

Barbra Streisand is the consummate performer. Barbra Streisand is the pinnacle of singers, singing even better than she's ever sung before. Singing songs she sang over 40 years ago that are fresh and vibrant and alive (imagine doing anything you did 40 years ago and doing it with more vitality and verve than you had when you were in your twenties!) Last night we attended the Streisand concert at the HP Pavilion in San Jose. What an evening.

Barbra Streisand, who never had a singing lesson, as she says, nevertheless gave a master class last night. During her show, Streisand answers a few questions audience that members have written down as they entered the arena. Barbra was asked about the late bay area singing teacher, Judy Davis, whom Barbra went to decades ago when she was performing here in San Francisco at the Hungry I. While performing there, Barbra lost her voice. Someone told Barbra of this great singing teacher in Oakland and off Barbra went. Ms. Davis asked her about what was happening. Barbra explained that someone had asked her “how do you hold those notes for so long?” and Barbra replied that she didn’t know - she just did it, because she wanted to do it. After that, she couldn’t do it, (because now she was thinking “how do I do that?’ and no longer doing it). Ms. Davis showed Barbra a chart of how the vocal apparatus works, (which Barbra most likely devoured) and explained the physiology of singing. Barbra says that she understood what the chart and what Judy had to tell her, then she forgot it. Not forgot it as in “I wish I could remember that." More like letting it go. Letting that information be in the background in your consciousness and doing what it is you do anyway. This is the best lesson we could possibly learn from this brilliant talented singer. Learn what you can, take it in, devour it and then let it go, “forget it.” I’m always telling my students this. Everything we do to warm up and stretch our voices, the things we do that allow us to sing effortless throughout our entire vocal range, we master them and then let them go and just sing.

There were so many highlights in the concert! The overture to Funny Girl, played by to my count a 50 to 60 piece orchestra. Barbra singing songs from Funny Girl, including her version of Fanny Brice’s My Man from the film of Funny Girl. She sang Funny Girl, the song! She did something I’ve always wanted to witness, she sang “Down With Love” with a only bass and a piano to start – just like we were in a cabaret and it was that intimate.

Here’s what astounded me about the entire event. Barbra Streisand came out and sang for thousands of people in a huge arena and turned it into the most intimate evening. She turned that barn of an arena into a cabaret. The selection of material was fantastic. Her use of Il Divo to entertain us while she took breaks was inspired. It allowed her to blend her voice with these fine young singers while keeping a pace for herself that gave us Barbra Streisand relaxed and in top form. The Il Divo boys are beautiful men with beautiful voices. International. A kind of United Nations they say (another reason why they are so apt for this concert – Barbra uses this concert to promote her philosophy of global unity and understanding, tolerance and compassion).

Okay, so yes, Barbra does the little skit with the “W” impersonator and to my mind, it was quite charming. Barbra gets to play at confronting the president and then play with making friends and mending fences as they sing the old song “Side By Side” together. She then speaks about how great it is to live in a country where we are free to have fun and make fun. She talks about what a great sense of humor the president has (while a fun photo of Steve, the impersonator clowning with the real president is on the screen) and how she gives Mr. Bush great credit for that.

She does a version of “Cockeyed Optimist” that is truly inspired. I’ve always admired this performer’s knack for turning a song on its ear and making us hear it like we’ve never heard it before. Her version of “Cockeyed Optimist” sounds as though it might have been written by Brecht and Weill and arranged by Kander and Ebb. She starts it ominously slow and dark and finishes it so triumphantly as she sings “I’m stuck like a dope with a thing called hope and I can’t get it out of my heart.” Brilliant. She’s singing about all of the doom and gloom and fear we’ve been mired in and how we can triumph over it. This Rodgers and Hammerstein tune from “South Pacific” has been given new life. There’s another important quote from R&H in this show – she sings Sondheim’s “Children Will Listen” with the verse from “You Have To Be Carefully Taught” as the start. “You have to be carefully taught to hate all the people your relatives hate.” Babs – teaching tolerance again.

There was some “christian” guy with a megaphone harping at us as we walked in to the arena. I’m not sure why he was there. I guess those extreme “religious” wingnuts think she’s in there promoting evil. If they would put down the bullhorn and come to the concert they would see a graceful 64 year old powerhouse of an icon who sings and speaks of the nurturing power of motherhood, the hope for the future, the need for unity, togetherness and tolerance – and who asks us to listen to “Somewhere” from West Side Story as a prayer. Yes, certainly we should protest this as evil and dangerous. Enough already! (By the way, these so called “christians” have been giving “Christians” a bad name for far to long… it is way past time to call these imposters out in public – enough!).

Thank you to Barbra Streisand and the enormous talent that went in to making this concert happen. The lighting is superb. The sound design is flawless. The orchestra is stellar. Il Divo was delightful. And Ms. Streisand? She was all that and more. This San Francisco voice coach has learned a great deal and I’m truly grateful for the whole experience.


"...every action generates a force of energy that returns to us in like kind… what we sow is what we reap. And when we choose actions that bring happiness and success to others, the fruit of our karma is happiness and success."