Kick off the holiday season in NYC with a Barbra Streisand concert unlike any other. The world's premier Barbra Streisand impersonator, Steven Brinberg, celebrates Christmas and Hannukah as he sings holiday classics from Streisand's two Christmas albums (as well as her greatest hits) in Simply Barbra: A Christmas Show at The Green Room 42 on December 11.
In anticipation of the holiday concert, BroadwayBox asked Steven to share with us his five essential Barbra video performances.
“Just five? It's like Sophie's Choice! Actually a few of my choices are not on YouTube such as “How Does the Wine Taste?” from My Name is Barbra, but here are five other gems:"
“Where Am I Going”
From Color Me Barbra (1966), a great song from a great musical Sweet Charity. Barbra looks and sounds amazing here. This is the second of her five specials for CBS. She signed to do 10 of them but was too busy with movies to do the other five and bought them out. The then-contemporary feel of this song, as it was in the musical, makes Charity and They’re Playing Our Song my two favorite “rock” musicals.
“Didn't We”
From The David Frost Show (1970). An exquisite rendition of the song, superior to her live one in the Forum.
“I Never Has Seen Snow”
From Barbra Streisand and Other Musical Instruments (1973). From Barbra's last CBS special. All of her subsequent specials since then (on HBO and most recently Netflix) have been concerts only. These were all really special, especially with arrangements like this one by Peter Matz, who told me many Barbra stories when I was lucky enough to get to know him. Barbra loved and recorded many Harold Arlen songs prior to this and I think with this she may have saved the best for last! It was introduced on Broadway by the late great Diahann Carroll. Barbra has said she was an influence, and chose her to sing a song from Yentl on the Golden Globes as she wanted another “actress who sings” to do it.
“What Did I Have That I Don’t Have”
From On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (1970), filmed in 1969. The genius of Barbra meets the genius of Nelson Riddle. Just like “So Long Dearie” in the movie of Dolly, it’s more exciting than the show version, same is true of this arrangement.
“If I Love Again”
(1975) from Funny Lady, filmed in 1974. Simply Barbra (no pun but perhaps a plug, intended). Nothing can compare to her artistry. Another Matz arrangement. Marvin Hamlisch worked on this film also and told me he arranged the “Me and My Shadow” water ballet, a redo of the Matz version (we need a complete soundtrack CD of Funny Lady).
Kick off Christmas time with Steven Brinberg in ‘Simply Barbra: A Christmas Show’ at The Green Room 42 on December 11.
