Customer Reviews

Barbra Streisand: Live in Concert 2006 [Blu-ray]

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Live In Concert 2006 far surpasses all previous Barbra Streisand concerts released on home video in the artistry of its production, from Barbra's marvelous performance to appealing staging, elegant lighting, dazzling sound, and overall warmth. Indeed, the Blu-ray presentation is the ideal way to enjoy the show, as it realizes the true enhanced resolution captured by the many high definition cameras in Sunrise, Florida's BankAtlantic Center on that special night in October 2006. Seeing the amazing concert in its entirety relives the memorable evening my wife and I shared with Barbra in Atlanta only a week later and promises to be a wondrous experience for first-timers. Barbra's complete program is here, including her humor-filled Q&A with the audience via note cards, shout-outs, and a surprise short version of "Stoney End." The George Bush comedy sketch is excluded but not missed, while the bonus features include Barbra's extraordinarily delicate "Nobody's Heart (Belongs To Me)" backed only by piano, "When The Sun Comes Out" (an early `60s concert number), and "The Woman In The Moon" filmed with regular lighting and standard definition at L.A.'s Staples Center at the end of the tour. Barbra delivers an inspiring introduction to the song and to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senator Barbara Boxer in the audience. Il Divo's "My Way" appears right before "Come Rain Or Come Shine," with their other two songs viewable among the bonus features. "The People Behind The Scenes" is a neat 6-minute segment with comments about Barbra from manager Marty Erlichman ("I still get goosebumps"), Jay Landers ("She discovered new meaning in songs she sang when she was younger"), director Gary Smith ("This is forever and should be"), Richard Jay Alexander, and conductor-arranger Bill Ross. Marge Tabankin, The Streisand Foundation's executive director, speaks for 10 enlightening minutes mainly about Barbra.

While we have enjoyed the Live In Concert 2006 CD for two years, the concert on video, particularly in full 1080p HD only available on Blu-ray, really brings you front and center, and Barbra's musical performances are truly compelling. "Funny Girl," sung for the first time in 40 years, is almost all in close-up and sounds as poignant as ever. Another highlight, although often performed, is "The Way We Were" with a gliding camera move from one side of Barbra to the other. Throughout the concert, the multiple camera work is flawless and flowing, with graceful editing, harkening back to classic television and concert videos with long-lasting shots that allow us to savor each lyric instead of today's quick-cutting style. "Unusual Way" is definitely one of the highlights, as one camera pulls in and pushes out and another captures Barbra's figure from the sides and her contented smile at the song's conclusion. "Don't Rain On My Parade (reprise)" is a perfect first encore, a sheer delight and bare-footed triumph. For the final encore, "Smile," Barbra and the audience focus attention on Samantha, her darling white poodle/bichon, whose great affection for Barbra is also evident elsewhere in the program. Barbra's final performance of the evening is sublime and further conveys a renewed emotional connection with her adoring audience.

Length:: 3:37 Mins

Barbra is THE most talented human being to ever walk this earth. Sadly this will probably be her last hurrah. The DVD boxset just spent 3 weeks at #1 in the US and UK. Let's hope the blu-ray does just as well.
A picture is worth a thousand words so watch my hommage video of this concert.

Wow!! Incredible New Streisand concert on bluray.I was tired of waitng for the American release and not getting it till sometime in JULY (due to the television special) and Yep there are edits here and there but thats nothing new or unordinary, try to forget the process and just enjoy this great Musical presentation.For some reason Amazon UK says its only region 2 but that is not true, several of us in the USA with USA blu ray players played the Europe disc & it works just fine , it is region free.Ive had several people, friends and family members say how this concert is different, Barbra is carefree, funnier and more of an actress in her songs,shes not so serious or a perfectionist like in the past, Shes like a kid again kicking off her shoes and kicking up her legs, singing songs she wouldnt touch before like Stoney End and Woman in the Moon, Barbra Amazes again A+

This concert is glorious! Some of the best live versions of Streisand's great songs! At her age to look and sound like this is amazing!!!!! Long live the Queen

I bought this recently from Amazon UK since I did not want to wait till June. The concert is amazing. The high def of Blu-Ray is awesome!! The only thing I have to comment on is that I believe some of the big notes have been doctored to make Barbra sound better. Having owned the CD of the same concert for two years now I am quite aware of the fact that this concert doesn't show Barbra in the best voice of her career. To give her credit she is 65, and Barbra Streisand on a bad day is still better than most other singers out there.

The DVD version seems to have the flaws corrected. Don't get me wrong, I like this. But at the end of "Somewhere" during the big last note, Barbra's microphone is nowhere near her mouth and she's still in mid-note. Definitely embelished. But like I said, it's probably 98% undoctored. And I'd definitely recommend it to any Barbra fan.

First there was the DVD of this concert: great!
Now, there's Streisand's first Blu-ray: spectacular! Both the visuals and the audio are simply amazing. It's like you're there (and I was!!) front row - listening to, and watching the world's number # 1 entertainer from only a few feet away.
This edition of the 2006 concert does Barbra justice. It's a Barbra-live experience like no other.

My highest recommendation!

Siep

Originally I purchased the 3 DVD boxset from Amazon UK but the picture quality was mediocre on my 46" LCD. So I had to purchase this Blu Ray. The difference in the picture quality is like day & night. The sound is also so much better on Blu Ray. I have no regrets purchasing the 2006 concert twice.

This is a must have blu-ray title. Reference video and audio transfer. I wish all blu-ray titles were this good.

Recommend to buy.

What a great DVD and in Blu-Ray. I was taken in from the very first bars of the Funny Girl overature. The orchastra was terriffic, but first things first. First of all the blu-ray is fantastic, clean, crisp and the sound is great. You see Barbara up front and personal.

Barbara is a wonder. It shows her in a totally different light, relaxed, more human and touchable. The voice is still there, intact and still a thing of beauty and with total control. The voice has matured but its nice. The songs she has sung for years take on an entirely different texture and meaning. Just like Sinatra, the woman has lived a life and it is there in her music. I must say I loved every minute of it and was surprised that I would. I actually wanted more. Il Divo could have stayed home but it was ok.

I am a fan all over again. I am searching on Amazon for CDs that I had on vinyl and have not heard in years. If you like Barbara this concert may make you love her, if you already love her, well then you most likely already own this DVD:)

This is by far her best recorded concert thus far because you get to see and hear that young unguarded singer come out of Barbra at last. The set now that took some planning and the lighting, sound all were top notch here. The song list the best so far and the song arrangements brought new freshness to each song. Barbra at last on film is actually having fun performing live as a singer. A very long road for her but I believe it took her other concerts live to get her to this point in her singing career...she grew as an artist...a singer in a live format. She did it and after watching this concert I can see bits of that same singer as I did in "My Name Is Barbra". Streisand has come full circle for the music fans we are lucky she has returned to her music and continues to perform live. Next up that New York concert she did in the fall of 2009 again the singer is still branching out her musical roots. Barbra you now sing with soul, girl you can swing with the band oh yeah for that reason alone I got to see you once more I hope You and Diana Krall do a few dates together that would be a nice treat for all us Streisand fans (and Diana Krall fans too). Thanks for the music and sharing your gift live/concert. Luv ya, Dann 2/19/2010. P.S. Columbia Records I hope you are still supporting this singer 100% one of your artist that is a true performer both on record and in live concerts $$$ $$$$.