Celebrating Over A Decade Of Reporting. Direct from reliable sources.
**Email your 'tips and photos' to barbranews at aol dot com**

***
Click to visit the Streisand Store!

***
For the most timely approved/official updates on Barbra -- click for the official website


BarbraNews Mailing List
If you'd like important STREISAND updates to your mailbox, sign up here.
Name:
Email:
Subscribe  Unsubscribe 

Monday 30 April 2007

Streisand To Tour Continental Europe: First time ever.

FIRST EVER BARBRA STREISAND TOUR OF CONTINENTAL EUROPE AND A RETURN TO UK AFTER 13 YEARS.

‘Streisand Live In Concert’

London date on-sale: Friday 4 May


It was announced today that Barbra Streisand, who received rave reviews for her US tour (see below), will perform live in Continental Europe this June and July for the very first time in her celebrated career. She will also perform her first concert in London since 1994. The European tour, which her many fans have been eagerly anticipating for years, visits Austria, France, Ireland and the UK and follows her record-breaking US tour last autumn. †More tour dates in additional countries will be announced shortly. This rare opportunity to see Barbra Streisand makes these concerts the most eagerly anticipated of the year. †
"What a joy it will be to perform in so many wonderful countries for the first time,” said Streisand. “I can't wait to experience these different audiences and different cultures.”
A 58 piece orchestra will accompany Ms Streisand as she performs many of the classic songs from her unique repertoire such as “Evergreen”, “People”, “The Way We Were”, “Don’t Rain on My Parade” and many more.
Martin Erlichman, Streisand’s longtime manager announced the tour, and confirmed that the recent US tour, her first in six years, had broken box office records in a staggering 14 of the 16 venues she played. She already held, and still holds, the record in the remaining 2 venues. Designated proceeds from the tour will support her various philanthropic initiatives and will be distributed through The Streisand Foundation.


The European concert dates are:
21 June Vienna Schloss Schonbrun
26 June Paris Bercy
10 July Nice Nikaia Stadium
14 July Dublin Castletown House
18 July London††† The O2 Arena

Other cities are in the final stages of negotiation and will be announced shortly.†
For ticket information see local outlets. For Official Fan Club, Tour and Ticket information visit: www.BarbraStreisand.com. For special VIP Packages, visit: www.cpitour.com.
The tour will be presented by promoter Michael Cohl for Concert Productions International (CPI) and Solo.

"It is an incredible honour to bring Barbra Streisand, certainly the greatest female performer of all time, to Continental Europe for her very first concert tour,” said Cohl. “It is an amazing show -- a once in a lifetime experience not to be missed."

US critics were unanimous in their praise for the concerts last autumn:
“She was, is and will forever be the real deal.”
Liz Smith

“Every superlative – a hundred times over! (Barbra Streisand) is the greatest singer in the known universe.”
Montreal Le Devoir

“The blend of intimacy and showiness in Streisand’s voice turns her performances into portraits of the heart and mind in self-discovery…she was simply amazing”
LA Times

“The audience shouted accolades and gave her standing ovations”
Washington Post

“Once or twice a generation there comes a personality that just fills the room. Sinatra was like that, so was Elvis and so is Barbra Streisand.”
Journal Sentinel

“When she asked, in a very old song, Have I Stayed Too Long At the Fair? The only suitable reply could be: Stay as long as you wish, Barbra.”
Miami Herald

“Streisand is a singular and amazingly accomplished artist.”
Columbus Dispatch

“Her singing glows with a tone so luxurious and a texture so rich, you nearly want to burst into song yourself.”
New York Daily News

Barbra Streisand is the music industry's #1 best-selling female artist with 50 Gold, 30 Platinum and 13 Multi-Platinum albums to her credit. †She is second in the all-time charts, ahead of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, exceeded only by Elvis. †She continues to be the highest-selling female recording artist ever. †Streisand remains the only artist to receive Oscar, Tony, Emmy, Grammy, Golden Globe, Cable Ace, and Peabody Awards, and the American Film Institute's Life Achievement Award. †††

An artist of unparalleled accomplishments in multiple entertainment fields, Streisand has made her mark as an award winning actress of stage and screen, recording artist, concert performer, movie producer, film director, screenwriter and songwriter. Having earned two Oscars (Best Actress and Best Song), four Emmys, ten Golden Globes, eight Grammys, a special Tony Award (in 1970 as "Star of the Decade"), and two Cable Ace awards, she is the only performer to hold honours from all of those institutions. In addition, Streisand is a recipient of the American Film Institute's Life Achievement Award, the National Endowment for the Arts National Medal of Arts, and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
The film that returned her to movie acting, “Meet The Fockers,” became the first live-action comedy to exceed a half billion dollars at the box-office. †It also set a record of 3,000,000 copies sold in its first 24 hours of video release.

This May Sony BMG will release the two disc collection Live in Concert 2006, recorded during her record-breaking U.S. tour. The double disc will feature the finest live performances of her best-loved standards, rarely performed catalogue gems, duets with Il Divo and onstage dialogue.

About Concert Productions International (CPI)
Founded and led by entertainment industry visionary Michael Cohl, CPI is a world leader and innovator in full service global touring, having produced some of the largest grossing tours in history. At present, CPI is the producer of the Rolling Stones’ A Bigger Bang record-breaking world tour, Barbra Streisand’s record-breaking concert tour, Genesis’ ‘Turn It On Again’ North American Tour, and The Who’s world tour.

Thursday 26 April 2007

Barbra Appearance

Barbra attended The Los Angeles Antique Show Opening Night Preview Party to Benefit Charity Partner P.S. ARTS last night (25 April). Here are some small photos.

Barbra To Tour Europe

An announcement will be made very shortly. There has been a LOT of press activity in the past 48 hours throughout Europe. I don't have any more information at present -- and can not answer questions until I post the Official Announcement (probably next week).

Tuesday 24 April 2007

EVERGREEN BABRA HINTS AT EUROPEAN COMEBACK CONCERTS

As she celebrates her 65th birthday today, Barbra Streisand has hinted at a concert comeback in Europe.

For the American star, whose prolific CV includes two Oscars, the shows would be her first in more than a decade on this side of the Atlantic. Youthful-looking Barbra, who stopped performing live in 1998 following her marriage to the actor James Brolin, made a triumphant return to the US stage last year with a sell-out concert tour.

It has encouraged me to tour again, perhaps in Europe,” she reveals, also admitting that she still finds live shows difficult. “I do not like performing live. I feel like I’m in a beauty pageant; like I’m 18 years old and strutting around.

“That’s not what I’m about and it explains why I have always hated live performances. It terrifies me.”

Of her recent concert success in the US, she adds: “I didn’t know if people really wanted to see me. I am flattered if they do, although I never thought I was anything special to see.”

UK fans would disagree, Barbra.

Source: Daily Express, UK

Happy Birthday Barbra!

Barbra turns 65 today. Barbra, if you're reading this -- Many Happy Returns! You're Still Ageless... and Evergreen.

Do you have a Barbra-birthday story? Send it to me. barbranews@aol.com

Congrats to Mona from the message board, who emailed her local TV station about Barbra's birthday. They showed a photograph of Mona and her Husband, along with a photo of Barbra... and wished Barbra a Happy Birthday from Mona! They even said "Hello, gorgeous!"
-------------
Robin Lipman told me:

I work at an elementary school down in Florida and I make sure we celebrate Barbra's birthday there every year! I brought in a big birthday cake this morning, and the Principal and I had a bunch of students get together to sing HAPPY BIRTHDAY to BARBRA. Then we played it over the loudspeaker for all the classes to hear and to sing along as well. It was so cool, it brought tears to my eyes!

HAPPY BARBRA'S BIRTHDAY EVERYONE!!!
Robin Lipman
Coral Springs, FL
-------------

Sunday 22 April 2007

Something's Coming...

Just a message to let everyone know to keep checking this website over the next few days. All will become clear -- very soon.

Saturday 21 April 2007

STREISAND HOSTS FIRST SO. CALIF. DINNER HONORING NANCY PELOSI AS SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, RAISING $1.3 MILLION FOR DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGNS

Barbra Streisand opened her Malibu estate April 12 to host the first Los Angeles event honoring her friend Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House. The event, attended by 120 invited guests who paid $25,000 to $50,000 a couple, raised $1,300,000 for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). The fundraiser was in support of the DCCC's efforts to increase the party’s majority in the House of Representatives in the 2008 elections.

At the gala dinner, the artist/activist welcomed such celebrity Democratic supporters as Eva Longoria, Melissa Etheridge and Tammy Michaels, David Foster, Kenny G, Josh Groban, Marilyn and Alan Bergman, Amy Benneman, JJ Abrams, Dick Van Dyke and Nita Whitaker, with Foster, Etheridge, Kenny G, Groban, classical pianist Tara Kamangar and Whitaker featured in musical performance. Among the notable political activists present were Norman and Lyn Lear, Cindy and Alan Horn and Mary and Steven Swig.

Democratic members of the House of Representatives attending were Congresspersons Hilda Solis, Chris Van Hollen, Xavier Becerra, Loretta Sanchez, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Brad Sherman and Henry Waxman.

In 1986, Ms. Streisand hosted a fundraiser at her prior Malibu estate, the famed “One Voice” concert, which earned $1.2 million to support the Democratic Party’s effort to reclaim majority in the United States Senate, a campaign which did that by electing five new Democrats to the body. Subsequent broadcast and record and DVD sales of the artist’s concert that evening have brought in an additional $11 million which her Streisand Foundation directed to major charitable and social causes she supports.

The seated dinner and program, which was tented, followed a cocktail reception in Ms. Streisand’s garden.

Thanks: Dick Guttman.

Tuesday 17 April 2007

Barbra At Clinton Breast Cancer Fundraiser

BEVERLY HILLS — Barbra Streisand, Sharon Stone and Brooke Shields turned out at a cocktail party Monday night to hear former President Bill Clinton talk about breasts. Specifically, Clinton spoke about how health care advances and The National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund can eradicate breast cancer, the disease that claimed his mother, Virginia Clinton Kelley, in 1994.
Held on the grounds outside the hilltop mansion of Viacom Chairman Sumner Redstone, 83, and his wife of four years, Paula Fortunato, 44, Clinton joked, "their beautiful home … sort of makes the White House look like public housing.

After a video saluting Clinton's mother concluded, Redstone's wife slipped two fingers in her mouth and made a deafening whistle. Then, when Clinton spoke, she wrapped one arm around her husband and the other around Streisand, stroking the singer's back to keep her warm as the temperatures began to drop.

Clinton saluted Streisand for befriending his ailing mother at his first inauguration in January 1993. "Other people like her or don't for her politics," Clinton said of Streisand, "but I want you to know something — she called my mother once a week for one solid year until she died. And I will never forget that."

Clinton said his mother spent the last week of her life "pulling slot machines" and hearing Streisand sing in Las Vegas.

To read the full article, click here

Friday 13 April 2007

Barbra Streisand Helps Nancy Pelosi Raise $1.3M for Democrats

Barbra Streisand welcomed Nancy Pelosi to her blufftop Malibu estate for a fundraising dinner that took in $1.3 million for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

"She's a very good friend of Nancy Pelosi and she wanted to celebrate the first female speaker of the house," Streisand publicist Dick Guttman said.

The 120 invited guests paid up to $50,000 a couple to attend Thursday night's dinner party inside a large white tent erected on the Point Dume property. The fundraiser was to increase the Democrat majority in the House of Representatives in the 2008 elections, Guttman said.

It was the first fundraiser at Streisand's home since a 1986 concert that raised $1.2 million for Democrats, he said.

At the Streisand dinner were Eva Longoria, Melissa Etheridge and Tammy Michaels, David Foster, Kenny G, Josh Groban, Marilyn and Alan Bergman, Amy Brenneman, J.J. Abrams, Dick Van Dyke, Nita Whitaker and Norman Lear.

Also on hand were Democrat members of congress, including U.S. Reps. Hilda Solis, Chris Van Hollen, Xavier Becerra, Loretta Sanchez, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Brad Sherman and Henry Waxman.

Wednesday 11 April 2007

Roslyn Kind's New Website

Barbra's Sis, Roslyn Kind -- has just launched her new website. It's great! Filled with lots of goodies -- with more being added soon. Check it out. Click here.

Sunday 1 April 2007

Listen To Clips From Forthcoming Album

You can now listen to clips from the forthcoming album, using the following link.

BarbraNews Shop + Review of 2006 Tour.

USA * Canada * UK/Europe
Click here for the European Tour Website from 2007
Click here to read our SPECIAL review of the 2006 Tour -- Excellent pictures.