Barbra in New York Times Ad

(Taken from Barbra-Archives.com - Thanks Matt!)

This full-page ad for Teachers College Columbia University on page 65 of the Dec. 29 New York Times Magazine features the Emanuel and Barbra Streisand Endowed Scholarship Fund. Thanks to Tessie Patterson for scanning it so all can see!

Happy Birthday Jason

Back To Brooklyn coming to CD/DVD + CD November 25

Columbia Records has announced the simultaneous release of a CD and a CD/DVD package of Barbra’s critically acclaimed 2012 “Back To Brooklyn” concert, set to be released on November 25. Filmed and recorded over two nights, the CD and DVD capture the superstar’s celebratory return to her hometown of Brooklyn, NY.

A unique and compelling attraction of "Back To Brooklyn" is that the CD and CD/DVD combo features nine never previously performed songs by the star in concert. Ms. Streisand is the only recording artist to have accomplished #1 albums in five consecutive decades. She has achieved 51 gold albums, 30 platinum and 13 multi-platinum. Streisand has also earned eight gold DVDs, six of which have gone platinum and three of which have gone multi-platinum.

The DVD provides biographical video and still photo images of Barbra’s childhood and early career. The evening marked her first musical performance in her native Brooklyn since she departed at age 16 to pursue her acting career and became one of the most popular and famous musical performers of her time. Throughout the concert, she reflects upon her years growing up in Brooklyn, and to mark the occasion, she commissioned special lyrics for two songs:

ACT I opens with Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “As If We Never Said Goodbye,” which she turns into an homage to “the Brooklyn docks, the nova lox” and other fond memories of the sights and sounds of her youth. When she triumphantly sings, “I’ve come home at last,” the audience rises from their seats with a thunderous welcome back ovation.

ACT II pays tribute to the people and places in Brooklyn today, with a re-written lyric to Cole Porter’s “You’re The Top”: “You’re the top, you’re a Brooklyn trolley… you’re the top you’re a hot bialy!”

In her own words, the evening is also about “the songs that I love, written by people who I love.” Through their words and music, she pays tribute to her friends Alan & Marilyn Bergman (“Nice ‘n’ Easy”/ “That Face”/ “The Way He Makes Me Feel”), Jule Styne (“Gypsy”/ “Funny Girl”) and Leonard Bernstein (“Make Our Garden Grow”/ “Somewhere”). She pays loving tribute to her friend Marvin Hamlisch, who passed away as she was preparing for the concert. Her sentimental rendition of “The Way We Were” featuring Hamlisch’s original movie score arrangement is heart-aching and life-affirming.

Among the many highlights of the evening, the first time ever pairing of Barbra and her son Jason Gould singing Irving Berlin’s “How Deep Is The Ocean,” had the audience in awe. Few could have imagined that Gould, an accomplished actor in his own right, also possessed his mother’s way with a song. Blended in harmony, their two voices combined are simply magic. Barbra also shares a special birthday video Jason made for her, which features his highly moving solo version of Nat King Cole’s “Nature Boy.”

Barbra also shares the stage for three songs with the extraordinary trumpet player, Chris Botti. Botti adds his instrumental sophistication to a medley of “What’ll I Do” and “My Funny Valentine.” Then he weaves in and around Barbra’s vocals on two of her own compositions from the soundtrack to “A Star Is Born”—“Lost Inside Of You” and the Academy Award-winning “Evergreen (Love Theme from “A Star Is Born)."

The young Italian singing quartet, Il Volo, accompanies Barbra on a moving version of Charlie Chaplin’s “Smile.” For the entire concert, Barbra is surrounded by a 60-member strong orchestra comprised of New York’s finest musicians, conducted by the renowned composer and arranger, William Ross.

The DVD contains two standout bonus features—Jason Gould’s solo performance of the classic Leon Russell song, “This Masquerade,” and a documentary entitled “I Remember Barbra,” featuring interviews and anecdotes with people who either knew or remembered Barbra as she was growing up in Brooklyn.

With the CD, DVD and Deluxe CD/DVD, Barbra achieves yet another career milestone and proves along the way that you can take the girl out of Brooklyn, but you can’t take Brooklyn out of the girl.

“Barbra Streisand: Back to Brooklyn” will also air on Great Performances on Friday, November 29 at 9 p.m. (check local listings) as part of the PBS Arts Fall Festival.

DVD
1. Back to Brooklyn
2. As If We Never Said Goodbye
3. I Remember Brooklyn (Dialogue)
4. Nice ‘n’ Easy / That Face
5. The Way He Makes Me Feel
6. Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered
7. Didn’t We
8. Smile (w/ Il Volo)
9. Q & A
10. Sam, You Made The Pants Too Long
11. No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)
12. The Way We Were / Through The Eyes Of Love
13. Being Good Isn’t Good Enough
14. Rose’s Turn / Some People / Don’t Rain On My Parade
15. I Remember Barbra
16. You’re The Top
17. What’ll I Do / My Funny Valentine (w/ Chris Botti)
18. Lost Inside Of You (w/ Chris Botti)
19. Evergreen (Love Theme from A Star Is Born) (w/ Chris Botti)
20. Nature Boy (Birthday video performed by Jason Gould)
21. How Deep Is The Ocean (Duet w/ Jason Gould)
22. People
23. Here’s To Life
24. Make Our Garden Grow / Somewhere
25. Some Other Time
26. Happy Days Are Here Again
BONUS MATERIAL:
27. “This Masquerade” (Performed by Jason Gould)
28. I Remember Barbra Documentary Film

CD
1. I Remember Barbra #1
2. As If We Never Said Goodbye
3. Nice ‘n’ Easy / That Face
4. The Way He Makes Me Feel
5. Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered
6. Didn’t We
7. Marvin Hamlisch intro
8. The Way We Were / Through The Eyes Of Love
9. Jule Styne intro
10. Being Good Isn’t Good Enough
11. Rose’s Turn / Some People / Don’t Rain On My Parade
12. I Remember Barbra #2
13. You’re The Top
14. What’ll I Do / My Funny Valentine (w/ Chris Botti)
15. Lost Inside Of You (w/ Chris Botti)
16. Evergreen (Love Theme from A Star Is Born) (w/ Chris Botti)
17. Jason Gould intro
18. How Deep Is The Ocean (Duet w/ Jason Gould)
19. People
20. Here’s To Life intro
21. Here’s To Life
22. Make Our Garden Grow
23. Some Other Time intro
24. Some Other Time

Click here to pre-order CD/DVD pack.

Click here to pre-order CD only.

Barbra Streisand: Back to Brooklyn PBS Press Release.

The "Greatest Star" Returns Home in Barbra Streisand: Back to Brooklyn on Great Performances Friday, November 29, 2013 at 9 p.m. as Part of the PBS Arts Fall Festival.

The legendary singer is joined by Chris Botti, Il Volo, and son Jason Gould for two hours of hits, including nine songs she has never performed on a concert stage.

The full musical program follows:

As If We Never Said Goodbye (with special lyrics)
Nice N Easy / That Face
The Way He Makes Me Feel*
Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered
Didn't We
Smile (with Il Volo)
Sam, You Made The Pants Too Long*
No More Tears (Enough is Enough)*
The Way We Were/Through The Eyes of Love
Being Good Isn't Good Enough*
"Gypsy" medley: Rose's Turn/Some People*
Don't Rain On My Parade
You're The Top (Brooklyn Version)
What'll I Do* / My Funny Valentine (with Chris Botti)
Lost Inside of You* (with Chris Botti)
Evergreen (with Chris Botti)
Nature Boy (Jason Gould)
How Deep Is the Ocean* (with Jason Gould)
People
Here's To Life
Make Our Garden Grow* (with Chris Botti, Il Volo, Jason Gould, & the Brooklyn Youth Chorus)
Somewhere
Some Other Time
Happy Days Are Here Again
*live performance premiere

Click here to read the full press release.

Barbra Streisand Back to Brooklyn coming to DVD and CD.

Barbra's 2012 BACK TO BROOKLYN concert is coming to DVD and CD on November 19.

There are no details currently - but we recommend you pre-order to get the best deal with Amazon.

Amazon pre-order promise: Pre-order Price Guarantee! Order now and if the Amazon.com price decreases between your order time and the end of the day of the release date, you'll receive the lowest price.


DVD/CD set: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FN3HRG4/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00FN3HRG4&linkCode=as2&tag=barbranewsc02-20

CD: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FN3HRFA/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00FN3HRFA&linkCode=as2&tag=barbranewsc02-20



No details on extras at the moment. I will share the info when I get it.

Idols and an icon: Barbra Streisand, Tom Cruise meet Anne Frank

Idols and an icon: Barbra Streisand, Tom Cruise meet Anne Frank

BY DANIELLE BERRIN - JewishJournal.com

On the Monday evening before Kol Nidre, the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s Museum of Tolerance invited two dozen Hollywood VIPs to preview their new Anne Frank exhibit prior to its October public opening. The guest list, created by Dreamworks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg and vice chairman of NBCUniversal Ron Meyer, included both Barbra Streisand and Tom Cruise. Cruise was the first to arrive, solo, dressed elegantly in a suit and red tie. During cocktail hour, he mingled politely in the museum’s central rotunda while a lavish spread of kosher hors d’oeuvres languished coldly beside him.

“I made sure not to order anything from Doheny Meats,” Rabbi Marvin Hier, dean and founder of the Wiesenthal Center quipped about the now-defunct kosher butcher that was caught on tape circumventing supervision.

God forbid Tom Cruise should eat non-kosher meat, or, poo poo poo, leave a Jewish event hungry.



Tom Cruise watches a documentary about Anne Frank alongside Holocaust survivors and Simon Wiesenthal Center board members Fela and David Shapell

“I told Tom to eat something,” Hier’s wife, Marlene, gushed to a group of attendees. “I told him, ‘Tom, make yourself a plate.’ Because the thing I remember about his dinner” – the 2011 fundraiser at which the Wiesenthal center honored Cruise with a humanitarian award – “is that he talked to everyone. They’d bring him food, and he’d be talking, and then…” She gestures as if she were Cruise attempting to near his plate. “They’d bring another dish, and he’d have to turn around and start another conversation.”

She recounted a time Cruise and his then-wife, actress Katie Holmes joined her and the rabbi for Shabbat dinner. “Tom and Katie came to my house on Friday night and they loved the potato kugel. So we sent them home with kugel in a Ralph’s plastic bag and then we sent her the recipe. She kept saying, ‘This is so nice, Tom. It’s so peaceful.’ I said, ‘You can do it, too…’

“Then she divorced him.”

Streisand was the last to arrive, at half past six, wearing an off-the-shoulders black summer dress, with her dashing husband, actor James Brolin, on her arm. He carried her Chanel purse.

“Let’s see this exhibit,” she declared as she greeted the rabbi.

Hier invited her to have some hors d’oeuvres before the tour began.

“Let’s have some tapas,” Brolin said, but his wife didn’t seem interested.

“We just came from Amsterdam,” Streisand announced, referring to a visit she and Brolin made to the Anne Frank House earlier in the summer.

“We were allowed up into her attic,” she said.

“We read her letters in the dark,” Brolin added.

“This was a special visit,” Streisand explained, “a night where we were allowed to sit in her room, and the curator was reading from her book…”

The night following, Streisand performed in Germany – on what happened to be Anne Frank’s birthday. “I said to the audience, ‘Today is Anne Frank’s birthday,’” she recalled. “I dedicated the performance to her. I just told the audience, ‘you know, let’s celebrate Anne Frank.’”

Asked how the audience responded, Streisand added, without hesitation, “They were the most incredible audience in Europe.”



To set the tone for the tour, Hier invited the group into a special classroom where he announced that he was about to show them “the only existing evidence in the world linking Hitler to The Crime.”

Cruise hopped right to the front, taking a seat in the first row. Babs and Brolin sat in the center, giving Katzenberg, who leaned against the back wall, a bird’s eye view of Brolin giving Streisand a backrub.

Hier stood at the front and put on a pair of latex gloves. He introduced “The Hitler Letter,” an original document typed and signed by Adolf

Hitler in 1919, in which he lays the foundation for his political scapegoating of the Jews. “This is ordinarily kept in a safe,” Hier said, inviting the group to the front to see the letter up close.

“How did you get it? Did you have to buy it?” Streisand asked.

Hier replied that the Board of Trustees opted to purchase the letter for $150,000. Streisand gasped.

“Have you told them the typewriter story?” Rabbi Meyer May, executive director of the Wiesenthal Center prodded.

Hier hesitated, eager to move the evening forward since Streisand had announced she was due back at an editing suite in Hollywood by 7:45.

“I want to hear the typewriter story,” Cruise insisted. “Give us a little bit, now that you’ve brought it up.”

Hier launched into a tale about the Wiesenthal Center’s investigation into the letter’s origins, and how Hitler, who in 1919 was an impoverished, failed artist, could afford a typewriter. An inquiry with the National Archives led to a further reveal, when a comparison between the Wiesenthal Center’s letter and a similar one at Stanford University revealed a discrepancy: the Stanford letter’s margins were different and contained an additional line.

“Theirs is a forgery!” Hier exclaimed, waving the letter in the air with his gloved hands. Turns out, he said, the German Workers Party was concerned that if Hitler didn’t win power they’d need to justify the loss: “So they put in the line ‘And the Jews own the media!’ And in order to do that, they needed an extra line, so they turned it upside down and started the letter this way…”

“Put it down!” Katzenberg half-nervously, half-jokingly shouted. “[That letter] has survived a lot of things. It won’t survive you!”

Next the museum’s director, Liebe Geft introduced the Anne Frank exhibition. The group proceeded into the galleries in a hush.

“I remember as a kid learning about her,” Cruise whispered to me. “Her story is something I used with my kids when they were younger to teach them about the Holocaust. Because they were young, they could identify with her.”

He was particularly moved by the pen-pal letters Anne and her sister, Margot, wrote in English to a pair of sisters in Danville, Iowa. “That’s so sweet. Oh my God,” he said. At another exhibit, showing the various film and fashion magazines and photographs Anne had posted over her bed, Rabbi May told Cruise, “That’s where you would have been.”

Streisand was taken with the 17, 528 articles of children’s clothing that serve as a wall which snakes through the exhibition, beginning in color and eventually turning dark. “Oh my God, look at these fabrics. Oh my God,” she said. “Does anyone know anything about these fabrics?”



Cruise fell behind the rest of the group, taking time to linger at each exhibit. Katzenberg strolled at the front, waiting for the others to catch up. Asked about his impressions of Anne Frank, Katzenberg was tongue-tied: “Go ask Streisand,” he said.

Of everyone in the group, Cruise seemed the most affected. “Look at what she contributed in the darkest condition of humanity,” he said. “She’s magical.”

Cruise told Rabbi Hier he plans to return with his kids.

When it was all over, Hier escorted mogul Meyer and his wife, Kelly, into the elevator. Kelly, who is not Jewish, was deeply moved.

“I knew that she told an amazing story,” she said of Frank. “But I was amazed at her optimism. Her spirit was very full of light and so connected to her faith, and to God. It’s inspiring.”

In the end, though, it was Meyer, whose own parents narrowly escaped the Holocaust, who offered the evening’s biggest twist.

“My mother was Edith Frank,” he said in the elevator.

Hier’s ears perked up: Could Ron Meyer, the longest-tenured movie studio chief in Hollywood history also be related to Anne Frank?

“That should be looked up by a genealogist!” he exclaimed.

“Yeah,” Meyer said. “I might be an important guy.”

© Copyright 2013 Tribe Media Corp.

The Way We Were Coming To Blu-ray

Coming to Blu-ray on November 12th 2013. More information on extras coming soon. Pre-order link coming October.

Remembering David Frost.

Special thanks to Matt Howe (Barbra-Archives.com) and Sal LaBarbera (BarbraTimeless.com).

The Classic Christmas Album coming October 2013.

Not much news to report on at the moment - and I know it's way too early to talk about Christmas - but Sony Legacy announced "Barbra Streisand - The Classic Christmas Album" this week - and I wanted to share it with you all while the news was still fresh.

There's no new material on the album, however the album contains a great mix of songs taken from Barbra's two previously released Christmas albums. "A Christmas Album" which was released in 1967... and "Christmas Memories", released in 2001.

If I'm correct, the album cover features a gorgeous photo "outtake" from the Randee St. Nicholas photo session for Barbra's "Till I Loved You" album.

The album will be released on October 8th.



















TRACK LISTING
1. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
2. The Christmas Song (Chest­nuts Roasting On An Open Fire)
3. I'll Be Home For Christmas
4. A Christmas Love Song
5. The Best Gift
6. It Must Have Been The Mistletoe
7. I Remember
8. I Wonder As I Wander
9. Sleep In Heavenly Peace (Silent Night)
10. Snowbound
11. Jingle Bells
12. My Favorite Things
13. Christmas Lullaby
14. O Little Town Of Bethlehem
15. Christmas Mem'ries
16. White Christmas.

Click here to pre-order.

Back to Brooklyn - PBS TV Special.

PBS: Friday, November 29th at 9:00pm ET

Superstar Barbra Streisand makes a historic homecoming at the new Barclays Center arena, with her first Brooklyn concert.

Joined by special guests Il Volo and Chris Botti, Streisand performs an extensive selection of songs from throughout her five-decade career, and duets with son Jason Gould on “How Deep is the Ocean.”

The seemingly endless collection of hits and fan favorites includes:

“Nice N Easy,” “Didn’t We,” “No More Tears (Enough is Enough),” “Rose’s Turn,” “My Funny Valentine,” “Some Other Time,” “Make Our Garden Grow,” along “Evergreen,” “The Way We Were,” “People,” and “Happy Days are Here Again.”

Reviewing her opening night, Stephen Holden of The New York Times wrote, “Like few singers of any age, she has the gift of conveying a primal human longing in a beautiful sound.”

Photo credits: BARWOOD FILMS.

Photos: Barbra Streisand receives honorary doctorate at Hebrew University of Jerusalem on Monday.

Alexi Rosenfeld, AJR Photography.
אלקסי רוזנפלד
צלם
AJR Photography

Barbra's tour coming to an end - 2 shows left!

Hi everyone:

I arrived back home today, after what can only be described as one of the GREATEST few weeks of my life. I was lucky enough to see Barbra LIVE in London, Amsterdam, Cologne and Berlin... and all three shows were OFF THE HOOK.

Here's a photo from London - Backstage with Barbra and my parents:

Barbra sounded perfect. There are really no words. Someone said to me "Like a fine wine", and that is so true. The show always seems to change as the tour develops... and it always seems to be for the BETTER. For instance, Barbra performed "SEND IN THE CLOWNS" in Berlin last night. She hadn't performed this song for 13 years.

Sadly there are only two shows left. Both of them will be in TEL AVIV on June 20/22. Barbra has NEVER performed LIVE in Israel before... so you can imagine how SPECIAL they will be. I have to be honest... GERMANY had the best, and most interactive audiences... so they will be hard to beat... but I'm sure the Israelis can show them just how it's done!

I will be writing a report on the final shows... along with an overview of the whole tour, but do check out Matt's fabulous website at www.barbra-archives.com for all the latest on the tour.

It was a pleasure to meet a lot of you in London, Amsterdam, Cologne and Berlin. I've had one of the best times of my life, no exaggeration.

Anyway, it's back to reality for me!

For those of you who are attending the final shows - ENJOY! Savour EVERY moment. These concerts are RARE... and so special.

Photo: BARBRA ARRIVES IN ISRAEL:

Alexi Rosenfeld, AJR Photography.
אלקסי רוזנפלד
צלם
AJR Photography.

BARBRA KICKS OFF EUROPEAN TOUR IN LONDON!

Barbra's 5-city, 8-show "Micro-tour" (as she put it last night) kicked off at the O2 arena in London last night! I was there - and it's certainly a night I will never forget.

Barbra's voice... there are no words... She opened with ON A CLEAR DAY.. and the notes were something else!

 For the record... she sang EVERGREEN like never before... She took it to another level... To say it was "spine-tingling" wouldn't do it justice.

The audience were also treated to live performance snippet of WOMAN IN LOVE (The FIRST time she has ever sang the song LIVE), which was great fun.

If you don't have tickets yet for the remaining 7 shows... and can make it.. do not hesitate.

The golden-notes she produced last night are invaluable. You can put no cost on the experience of hearing Barbra live. No recording device, YouTube video or DVD will capture quite the magic.

For those of you who couldn't be there...

Check out the photo gallery here: http://www.barbrastreisand.com/us/news/barbras-european-tour-kicks-london

Also - here is a video snippet from the show's finale along with fan reactions after the show: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMjVprDGdn4

Barbra Streisand to Receive Honorary Ph.D. from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem During Visit to Israel in June

Click here: http://www.barbrastreisand.com/us/news/barbra-streisand-receive-honorary-phd-hebrew-university-jerusalem-during-visit-israel-june

Donna Karan's Blog on her week with Barbra...

Click here to read the blog.

Funny Girl & The Guilt Trip on Blu-ray TODAY!

Consider today a Barbrathon!

Sony Home Entertainment have released FUNNY GIRL on Blu-ray, and Paramount have released THE GUILT TRIP!

I was lucky enough to get advanced copies on both of the above - and they are SPECTACULAR.

First of all, FUNNY GIRL. Wow. WHAT A TREAT! Sony have really done a fantastic job with the restoration. Lovingly restored from the original negative. Blu-ray.com summed it up nicely:

"The 2.35:1-framed print is meticulously clean, showing not a speckle, hair, or any sign of wear. Light grain beautifully floats over the image, giving it a desirable film-like texturing. It's ever-so-slightly soft on the whole

Details are exquisite; the many rich, lavish backdrops, as well as some of the more homely and worn down elements, reveal intimate textures that are beautifully clear and lifelike. Skin textures aren't often deeply intricate -- Streisand in particular takes on a very smooth, but naturally so appearance...

Colors are beautifully reproduced. The balance is striking, whether the film be showering the screen with a parade of bright hues or showcasing some plainer brown and other earthen tones. Black levels are deep and stable, while skin tones appear even.

This is everything a catalogue title should be, a miraculous presentation that's sure to please all comers. "

(The above review has been shortened for this newsletter).

I'd also like to add that the AUDIO on the Blu-ray is a treat. The first thing I did was turn on my surround sound... and went straight to "MY MAN" - and literally blasted it on full belt. Talk about goosebumps.

If you don't have a Blu-ray player, this film is the reason to go and BUY ONE!

There are two vintage featurettes included on the disc from the time of the movie. These were previously released on the DVD release from around a decade ago - but well worth a revisit.

Click here to order Funny Girl.

----------------

"The Guilt Trip" is still fresh in our minds from it's recent cinema release, but when have we ever needed an excuse to re-watch a Barbra movie?

The "extras" included on this release are great, and it's worth buying the disc just to watch them. There's a funny gag reel... alternate opening and closing scenes.... featurettes... behind the scenes footage... interviews with the cast... lots of deleted scenes... and more.

It's a pleasure to see so much behind-the-scenes footage of Barbra on this Blu-ray. It's always rare to see Barbra behind the scenes. Maybe because she hasn't made many movies in the past few decades... but it did strike me how great it was to see her having fun making this movie.

Click here to order The Guilt Trip.

----------------

In memory of Ally Waldman who would have loved today... and would have beautifully reviewed both movies in her own unique way.

Barbra at the White House...

Barbra attended the White House Correspondent's dinner tonight in Washington. Here are some great pix from the event.

RIP Dear Allison Waldman.

Dear Friend:

It's with a very heavy heart that I tell you that dear Allison Waldman passed away this evening in Florida. She had battled cancer on and off for many years, but her latest battle was just too tough to conquer.

Most of you know Allison through the books she had written on Barbra over the years. She was the MOST loyal and faithful fan I had the pleasure of knowing for over 12 years. Barbra could do no wrong in Ally's eyes, and it was so refreshing to "talk Barbra" with Allison many times over the years.

Her one wish was to meet Barbra. She told me enough times! Luckily it happened on October 13th last year, backstage at Barbra's Brooklyn concert. I was with her... and dropped her off at her friend's apartment in Manhattan on the way home. She had the biggest grin all the way to the apartment... and couldn't quite believe her luck. I'll never forget that smile, and that night. For her, it was meant to be.

Here's a great shot, backstage at the Brooklyn Concert with myself, Richard Jay-Alexander and Matt Howe (L-R).

We also all loved her weekly "Sunday with Ally" YouTube videos which she had done over the last few years. She recorded her last video just over two weeks ago. You could tell Ally was struggling... but she didn't want to let us down. Maybe she knew the end was near? Just listen to the opening lines of her video "I'm thinking maybe, baby, I'll go away".

Watch her final video here from March 31: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZR5j17GhVU

Thank you to everyone who donated to her "Nothing's Impossible" appeal over the years. It was a real struggle for Allison to pay for her cancer bills... but the Barbra fans really took the edge off, and came to her rescue. Barbra does have the most generous fans in the world.

RIP Allison. Your generosity will never be forgotten. What a MENSCH you were!

xoxo

Barbra Streisand on the passing of her longtime record producer and sound engineer, Phil Ramone

I’m so saddened to learn of Phil’s passing.

 We first worked together in 1967 when I did a free concert in Central Park. His brilliance at capturing sound was immediately evident.

 Later we worked together on the film “A Star Is Born” where Phil was able to record me singing live, including “Evergreen”.

 In the next decade we worked on the soundtrack to “Yentl” and many other recordings.

 Phil had impeccable musical taste, great ears and the most gentle way of bringing out the best in all the artists he worked with. The monumental recordings he produced will endure for all time.

 Barbra Streisand

Funny Girl Coming to Blu-ray.

Academy Award® and Golden Globe® Winner Barbra Streisand, in her First Starring Movie Role> FUNNY GIRL. Oscar® Nominees Omar Sharif, Kay Medford, Anne Francis and Walter Pidgeon Round out the Romantic Musical Drama.

Celebrating its 45th Anniversary by Debuting on Blu-ray™ April 30th Exclusively on Amazon.

Nominated for Eight Academy Awards®, Including Best Picture, and
Featuring Timeless Tunes, such as “My Man,” “People,” and “Don’t Rain on My Parade”.

Bonus Features Include Two Vintage Featurettes.

Click here to pre-order.

Barbra adds Israel to Summer Tour!

For the first time in her illustrious career, Barbra will perform in Israel at the Bloomfield Stadium on June 20th. Tickets will go on sale March 29th. 

For links to ordering your tickets, visit www.barbrastreisand.com

Can't make the Israel show?

Barbra is also set to perform in Paris, Cologne and Berlin.

• Paris: June 10th (On sale March 27). 
• Cologne: June 12th (On sale March 25). 
• Berlin: June 15th (On sale March 25). 

(London/Amsterdam sold out, although do keep checking TicketMaster for occasional resales). 

 See Barbra's website for all details. Best of luck to you all!

Barbra announces European Tour.

Barbra to perform in:

• London. 
• Amsterdam. 
• Paris. 
• Cologne. 
• Berlin.
• More venues to come soon.

Full details here: http://www.barbrastreisand.com/us/home

Barbra Streisand Signs Directing Deal With Aldamisa International

Barbra Streisand has taken on a talent agency.


The legendary performer and social activist has signed with United Talent Agency, which will represent her as an actress, producer and director. She will continue to be represented by manager Marty Erlichman, who has guided her career -- including music -- for decades. Streisand has sold a whopping 71.5 million albums in the U.S. alone.

Streisand, 70, is a rare Oscar, Tony, Emmy and Grammy winner. She most recently was onscreen opposite Seth Rogen in the comedy The Guilt Trip, her first starring film role in nearly a decade. She also performed at the Oscars on Feb. 24 in a tribute to late composer Marvin Hamlisch, her longtime friend and collaborator.
UTA also will represent Streisand's film and television production company Barwood Films.
A longtime champion of Democratic political candidates and philanthropic causes, Streisand's foundation has given millions of dollars to more than 700 nonprofit organizations, including the Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Center at Cedars-Sinai

Barbra at the 85th Annual Academy Awards

For the first time in 36 years, Barbra's return to the Academy Awards was during the show's In Memoriam montage, which concluded with the image of The Way We Were composer Marvin Hamlisch.

This was Barbra's first Live-singing appearance on TV since 2001 (not including pre-recorded "live" TV appearances). 'Marvin Hamlisch was a composer of extraordinary depth and versatility,' said Barbra. 'He was also a very kind and generous friend who could always make me laugh. Over the years, we shared many adventures together.

 'Marvin left us way too soon, but I'll always have those wonderful, wonderful memories.'

Barbra was trending on twitter during and after the performance... with some fantastic comments....

Oprah Winfrey @Oprah
Barbra Streisand standing O for being classic elegance in every way.#Oscars

Sandra Bernhard ‏@SandraBernhard
Misty water colored memories a long nail a cleopatra eye classic streisand #oscars2013

 Vera Wang ‏@VeraWangGang T

he Way We Were....Barbra Streisand......still so amazing! XxVera
 

Pre-Order Hello Dolly [Blu-ray] (1969)

•Video Resolution/Codec: 1080p/AVC MPEG-4


•Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

•Audio Formats:

◦English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

◦French Dolby Digital 4.0

◦Spanish Dolby Digital Mono

•Subtitles/Captions: English SDH, Spanish

•Supplements:

◦Directing Dolly: Gene Kelly Remembered

◦1969 Featurette

Click here to pre-order with Amazon.

Zadan and Meron Talk Barbra...

Deadline: And Barbra Streisand will be singing on the show for only the second time ever. What will she be singing? I have been guessing The Way We Were.

Zadan: Everyone has been asking us that. When we went to Barbra the first day we got the job , we said we are doing this theme of music and we said ‘how can we do it without you? We must have you’ and she said ‘yes’. What we didn’t know when we asked her is that she hadn’t sung on the show in 36 years since she won for “Evergreen”. How thrilling is it to have her be part of this. And she also likes the fact that in planning what she’s going to do on the show – we had to spend several meetings planning what she is actually going to sing on the show – she said ‘I love the fact that you announced me but you didn’t announce what I would be doing because I really want to surprise people when I come out as to what I am going to be doing’.

Meron: But we love the speculation.

Just in Time for Mother’s Day, the Mother of All Road Trips Debuts on Blu-ray™ and DVD April 30, 2013

BARBRA STREISAND AND SETH ROGEN STAR IN THE HILARIOUS AND HEARTFELT COMEDY.

“Smart, charming, thoughtful and funny.” —Mary Pols, Time

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. – The “hilarious and heartfelt” (Shawn Edwards, Fox-TV) story of one man’s cross-country road trip with his mother, THE GUILT TRIP hits the road on Blu-ray, DVD, Digital Download and On Demand April 30, 2013 from Paramount Home Media Distribution. Screen legend Barbra Streisand and comic master Seth Rogen “are the perfect comedy duo” (Shawn Edwards, Fox-TV) in director Anne Fletcher’s (The Proposal) delightful and heartwarming comedy that is “packed with laugh-out-loud moments” (Meriah Doty, Yahoo! Movies). As inventor Andy Brewster (Rogen) is about to embark on a road trip to sell his latest product, he feels compelled to invite his mother, Joyce (Streisand), along for the ride. Across 3,000 miles of adventure and antics both Andy and Joyce discover that while they have their differences, they also have more in common than they ever realized.

An ideal gift to share with your mom on Mother’s Day, THE GUILT TRIP will be available in a Blu-ray/DVD combo pack with UltraViolet™. The two-disc set comes packed with over an hour of hilarious bonus features including featurettes on Barbra and Seth, a look inside Barbra’s world, an alternate opening and ending, over 10 deleted scenes and an uproarious gag reel. The film will also be available as a single-disc DVD.

The Blu-ray release available for purchase will be enabled with UltraViolet, a new way to collect, access and enjoy movies. With UltraViolet, consumers can add movies to their digital collection in the cloud, and then stream or download them – reliably and securely – to a variety of devices.

THE GUILT TRIP Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack:

THE GUILT TRIP Blu-ray is presented in 1080p high definition with English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. The DVD in the combo pack is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 TVs with English 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. The combo pack includes access to a digital copy of the film as well as the following:

Blu-ray

• Feature film in high definition

• Barbra & Seth

• Barbra’s World

• Guilt Trip: A Real Mother of a Road Trip

• In the Driver’s Seat

• Not Really a Road Trip Movie

• Alternate Openings

• Alternate Ending

• Over 10 Deleted Scenes

• Gag Reel

DVD

• Feature film in standard definition

THE GUILT TRIP Single-Disc DVD:

The single-disc DVD is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 TVs with English 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description and English, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles. The disc includes the feature film in standard definition.

Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions present a Michaels/Goldwyn Production of an Anne Fletcher film: “The Guilt Trip”. Executive Produced by Seth Rogen, Barbra Streisand, Mary McLaglen, Dan Fogelman, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Paul Schwake. Produced by Lorne Michaels, John Goldwyn and Evan Goldberg. Written by Dan Fogelman. Directed by Anne Fletcher.

Click here to pre-order.