Timeless: Live in Concert

Nothing can top the 93/94 concerts. I thought her song selection for the Timeless Concert was awful. Too much of that little girl and the whole father time thing? What was that? A big mediocre attempt from an amazing talent that can do anything..Concept-wise they missed the mark. Wouldn't it have been nice to hear Barbra sit down and sing with just a piano? Remember "If I Love Again" from Funny Lady?Stunning...it's about the voice and not the personality which has always over shadowed Barbra's talent. Just sing Miss Streisand you have a million people who want to hear you. I sincerely hope that like Garland in her latter years, Barbra will do some television concerts.Her voice keeps getting better and better.

When Barbra decided to give one last major New Year's Eve concert (and subsequent mini-tour), she had a very tough act to follow: Herself! Barbra's 93/94 concerts are one of the best things she has ever done in her extraordinary career, and trying to stage another show must have been very difficult. Not surprisingly, she more than succeeded in giving fans a phenomenal show that managed to give the previous show a run for it's money.

Even more autobiographical than the last time, there were sketches detailing past events from Barbra's life, reminisces with friend Shirley MacLaine, and Barbra's poignant reflections on the father she never knew. However, the main event of evening is defiantly the music, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Once again, the song selection features a good number of surprises (especially "Alfie" and "The Main Event/Fight," neither of which had ever been performed live by Streisand before). Barbra's voice is noticeably thinner now when she enters the very highest part of her range, but she still sounds amazing - her gorgeous tone and incomparable timbre are indeed timeless! The smoky performance of "Cry Me A River," the vocal spender displayed of the terrific "Something Wonderful/Being Alive" medley, and the gorgeous rendition of "Send In The Clowns" are just a few of the highlights in a show overflowing with highlights.

TIMELESS was also released in audio format as a beautifully-packaged two-CD, but there are a lot of references to particular visuals that may be confusing to those who haven't actually seen the show. If anyone were trying to decide between buying either this DVD or the CD set, I recommend that they go with the DVD. Though there are no real extras (just a discography), the DVD's picture and sound quality are stunning, and the menus are well-designed. Though the CD version is the only place to find the performance of the previously unreleased song "Simple Pleasures" (an adequate song written by Marvin Hamlisch and the Bergmans), this DVD is the way to really experience the "complete" show - visuals and all. I thought it was impossible for Barbra to top her '94 concerts, however she came awfully close to doing just that. TIMELESS is another triumph!

Barbra's 1999/2000 concert is by far the best concert ever performed. At her 57, Barbra is still singing very good. 'Timeless' is a retrospective of her 38-year-old career. It begins with her first recording in 1955 (You'll Never Know) by Mini-Her (Lauren Frost: a young girl with a great, huge-ranged voice who also looks like Barbra!) and when the millennium is about to change, she sings her latest songs (At The Same Time - 1997, I've Dreamed Of You - 1999). The first song that Barbra herself sings is ''Something's Coming'' and the last one is ''Somewhere'', both from Stephen Sondheim's ''West Side Story''. I guess Barbra adores that play!... Anyway, listening to this concert, from Barbra's early years performing at night clubs the songs that would then become her first albums' hits, someone can appreciate and develop the right opinion for the most successful female artist of all time. It's very important that there has been an excellent choice of songs and also, Barbra has written her speeches which were, as you will find out, necessary to make this concert worth that much. She's true and honest with every theme and subject: about her forgotten recording (Alfie), about her feelings for her lost father with a two-songs dedication (Papa, Can You Hear Me? and A Piece Of Sky, both from Yentl), about how fragile the world is (At The Same Time), about how the world can become a better place (I Believe), about her co-operation with Stephen Sondheim (Send In The Clowns) and so much more. Really enjoyable moments are: Singing ''The Main Event'' ('the 70's -my God!- disco!', as she recalls), her ''Everytime You Hear Auld Lang Syne'' duet with the audience, the duets video montage with Judy Garland, Barry Gibb, Bryan Adams, Celine Dion and Neil Diamond and a medley that the audience went crazy for (I'm The Greatest Star/Second Hand Rose/Don't Rain On My Parade). One of the greatest moments is the last seconds: in fact, the last note she sings which is ''wheeeeere'' from Bernstein/Sondheim's ''Somewhere''. In this concert, Barbra sings songs that haven't been performed for a Long time, like ''Lover, Come Back To Me'' and ''Miss Marmelstein''. The great cast (Randee Heller & Alec Ledd), the brilliant time-keeper, Time (played by Savion Glover), Lauren Frost, Marvin Hamlisch and the background singers are people you have got to shout out for, too. Above all, it's a high-level concert with good audio and video material, great humor and hard work. A must have DVD (and CD) for every miscellaneous fan and not only.

Barbra Streisand is a diva in her own right, but this concert was extremely disappointing. Filmed at the MGM Grand Casino in Las Vegas on the eve of the millennium, this was supposed to be her final 'live' concert. She opted to perform further shows in London and Sydney, before doing one more in both New York and Los Angeles FOLLOWING this performance. She basically sold the premise of her concerts as being her 'final' ever. She should have said that her performance would be her 'final' in THAT particular city.

So naturally, one would regard this as being an hour and a half of her greatest hits. She performs quite a few hits from her Broadway days (nothing fresh from her "Back To Broadway" stint) and also expands the stage to make room for her new protégé, Lauren Frost. Unfortunately, I expected to hear more of her hits from the late 70's and early 80's, right up to the material off her last album devoted to her husband, James Brolin. Instead, we hear TOO much from Lauren Frost and not enough from Barbra. When we do see Barbra, she sits on a bar stool on the stage and warbles into a projected screen where Shirley MacLaine's face appears and the two spend a good five minutes chatting to each other about the 'good IL' days'. The concert is titled "Timeless" to refer to her career and the entering of a new millennium. Seeing pictures of a young Barbra performing live on "The Judy Garland Show" is always a treat, but for most die-hard fans, we've already seen this stuff on television.

For $500.00 a ticket, you certainly got gypped. For a DVD rental or purchase, this was barely satisfactory. A lot of people would suggest that her best hits happened to be 'duets', such as with Neil Diamond, Barry Gibb, Celine Dion and Donna Summer. Performing these songs live would be extremely difficult without the other singer actually being there. I still felt that she could have chosen a better selection of songs to 'bow out' with. I would suggest that you stick to your albums for now and only hope she records something in the near future for us all to enjoy.

3/10

The opening is incredible, as the "mini-Barbra" "transforms" into the real Barbra! WOW! The surround sound, the all around quality is without peer on DVD! The midnight millennium celebration is included and adds to the excitement. This isn't just a concert it is a production of the highest degree. Things reach a fever pitch as Streisand goes back to the well of the '94 concert to duet with herself in a medley from Yentl only to be joined by the phenol Lauren Frost or "mini Barb". One of the most perfect moments ever captured on video. Highlights include Miss Marmelstein, the Funny Girl Medley, Alfie, Send in the Clowns, At the Same Time, People, Happy Days & I Believe, most are definitive versions! 10 out of 10!!