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The MGM Grand |
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Barbra Streisand began her long association with the MGM Grand when
she christened the hotel in 1993. Since then, she has returned to
the MGM stage on three additional occasions. |
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The
Return, 1993
 Barbra's
multiple appearances at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas are by now
legendary. In 1993, she shocked the entertainment world by announcing
a return to the concert stage, an announcement that was at first hard
to comprehend. Most Streisand fans and admirers had long accepted the
fact that the world's greatest singer had given up public
performing. So it was no wonder that phone lines were jammed
the world over when tickets went on sale in mid-November.
Kirk Kerkorian, owner of the brand new MGM Grand, had previously hired
Barbra to open his International Hotel back in 1969. For this latest
grand opening, Kerkorian enticed Barbra back to the concert stage for
an event that would be heralded around the world as the comeback of
all comebacks.
Barbra's performances were initially going to be just two: one on New
Years Eve and one on New Years Day. The MGM Grand Garden, with its
capacity of approximately 12,000 would be jammed to the rafters for
both concerts. The elite of show business rubbed elbows with Streisand
fans who had flown in from the four corners of the world to witness
this once-in-a-lifetime event.
Barbra did not disappoint. In fact, she was so good and had such a
great time performing that she and conductor Marvin Hamlisch announced
a nationwide tour (plus four shows in London) to begin in the spring
of 1994.
The
Millennium Concert, 1999
 As
1999 was drawing to a close and everyone was preoccupying themselves
with Y2K jitters, Barbra surprised fans by announcing that she would
once again headline at the MGM. This time she would use the Millennium
as an appropriate occasion to take the stage at the Grand Garden and
sing. Her shows were as exciting as her previous engagement, but this
time Barbra revisited some of the most beloved chestnuts from the
earliest part of her career. Fans were ecstatic when Barbra rolled out
in a secretary's chair during the first act to sing Miss
Marmelstein. They were equally delighted when she sang A
Sleepin' Bee, arguably her first bone-fide signature song from her
days at "The Bon Soir."
Again, the stage
presented no obstacle for Barbra, and any performance fears she might
have experienced in the past had long since faded away. With her
confidence firmly in check, a limited world tour called "Timeless" was
announced right around the time of her New Years shows. This time,
Barbra would perform in Australia (in March), before returning
to Los Angeles and New York (in September) for what were supposed to
be her final four paid public performances ever. As it turned out, the
"Timeless" tour was just a harbinger of more exciting times to come
for Barbra and her worldwide following. A multitude of Streisand
concerts would materialize over the ensuing years that would have her
crisscrossing North America and Europe.
Here is our review
of Barbra's millennium concert, first published here in 2000:
(Jan 2, 2000) -
Barbra returned to the Las Vegas stage in triumphant fashion
after a six year absence. Barbra's millennium Las Vegas
concerts on New Years Eve and New Years Day proved to be the
quintessential millennium celebration. She came back to
the MGM Grand with a stylish new show called "Timeless."
Again, as in 1994, her concert took on a biographical theme.
Many surprises
were in store. Her renditions of "A Sleepin' Bee," "Lover,
Come Back To Me" and "Cry Me A River" gave younger fans a rare
glimpse into Barbra's Greenwich Village club days. She even
surprised her faithful when she rolled out on a secretary's
chair to gave a rendition of "Miss Marmelstein." Many fans
familiar with the original cast recording of "I Can Get It For
You Wholesale" commented that her "new" version of "Marmelstein"
seemed to lack the spirit and comic element of Barbra's 1962
stage performance. "Miss Marmelstein" - unplugged - would
be dropped for the Australia, LA and NYC legs of the tour.
The performance, however, has been captured for posterity on the
DVD edition of "Timeless."
The reviews were spectacular. As a fan experience, perhaps
the reviewer for the Las Vegas Review-Journal summed it up best:
"Streisand's world is the theater of her own life, and fans
considered it a sacred rite to welcome the new year in her own
controlled reality."
Barbra set an
all-time record for the highest grossing single concert in Las
Vegas history. Her New Year's Eve show alone generated revenues
of over $14 million by selling only 12,477 tickets. Barbra was
rumored to have been paid $10,000,000 for that single
performance.
The
Agassi Benefit, 2005
 Barbra
stunned Las Vegas show-goers on October 1, 2005 when she walked onto
the MGM Grand Garden stage for a brief performance. The occasion was a
benefit gala supporting Andre Agassi's Grand Slam for Children
foundation. A long time friend of Andre Agassi, Barbra was delighted
when he asked her to participate in this worthy evening of headline
entertainment. Barbra arrived on stage by announcing that she was
the surprise guest. Her performance included three numbers:
Evergreen, The Way We Were and Smile.
This was not the first time that Barbra appeared on a Vegas stage in a
show that was not her own. The last time was in 1966 when she
performed at a private function for Columbia record executives at the
Sahara Hotel.
The Agassi benefit
also included performances by Celine Dion, Usher, Mary J. Blige and
Duran Duran, among others. The event raised over $10 million.
The North
American Tour, 2006
 When
her North American concert
tour was announced, it was
no surprise that Barbra
decided to include a
special performance at the
MGM Grand. Ever since
1993, the MGM Grand Garden
had become Barbra's home
away from home. Naturally,
a performance at the MGM
would be a pleasant return
to the scene of one of
Barbra's greatest concert
triumphs. After all, it
was on that very stage
where Barbra essentially
rediscovered her joy of
concert performing,
thus launching what would
turn out to be one of the
most exciting and
lucrative chapters of her
entire career.
Barbra's Vegas show turned
out to be as spectacular
as any previous
performance she ever gave
on The Strip. The glamour
of Las Vegas attracted
many celebrities to
Barbra's show, none more
special, however, than
legendary comedienne Mimi
Hines. Barbra gave a
special shout-out to the
only other person on
planet earth to have
officially starred in
"Funny Girl" on Broadway
(Mimi Hines was a huge
success in "Funny Girl"
after Barbra left the show
in 1965). It was a
poignant moment when when
Barbra interrupted her
performance at the MGM to
introduce Mimi Hines to
her fans.
Here is our review
of Barbra's 2006 concert:
(Nov 19, 2006)
- Barbra Streisand blew the roof off the joint when she took
to the stage at the MGM Grand Garden last night. This was her
third engagement at this venerable Vegas showplace, and the
excitement level rivaled the first time she appeared there in
her big 1993 comeback. For those fans who flocked to The Strip
as Barbra's North American tour inched ever closer to its
finale, Barbra was in her element. She gave a finely tuned
performance, delivering a nearly flawless rendition of her
critically acclaimed show. The sound was exceptional, and except
for those fans who had to suffer with obstructed views from
behind the stage, the perceived intimacy of the showroom just
added to the delight of the evening's stupendous performance.
Barbra sang
essentially the same ballads and showstoppers she has been
performing over the past two months. With songwriters Marilyn
and Alan Bergman perched in their second row seats, Barbra
hammered home brilliant renditions of their hits "The Way We
Were" and "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life?" Barbra's
"Funny Girl" suite was as dynamic as ever, especially in the
powerful delivery she gave to "My Man." Our favorite Streisand
performance of the concert remains "Have I Stayed Too Long at
the Fair," with her (and Il Divo's) version of "The Music of the
Night" coming in a close second. She worked this Andrew Lloyd
Webber classic so masterfully that even Il Divo's contribution
to the song's performance was a delight.
There is just
something special whenever Barbra Streisand takes to a stage in
Las Vegas, and last night was no exception. All week long, Vegas
was buzzing as if to acknowledge the inevitable: Barbra
Streisand might very well be making her final appearance in the
city that has been so critically important to her career. But
since that same buzz preceded her performances in 1993 and again
in 2000, we choose to believe that Barbra's Vegas days are far
from over. And for her legion of fans that made their way to the
MGM last night, the excitement of Barbra's glittering
performance will surely leave them with fond memories that will
last, well, until the next time she plays The Strip.
"Back to
Brooklyn" 2012
 On November 2, 2012,
Barbra performed at the
MGM Grand in Las Vegas as
part of her "Back to
Brooklyn" concert tour.
This was the fourth
official concert Barbra
gave at the popular venue.
She opened the hotel,
first performing in their massive arena over the New Years weekend of
1993/94. Barbra returned in
2000 with "Timeless," and
again during her 2006
tour.
Barbra had something
special in store her Las
Vegas audience this time
around. She opened the
second act of "Back to
Brooklyn" concert with a
rendition of "My Man." It
was the concert tour's
debut performance of the
venerable Fanny Brice (and
"Funny Girl") classic.
One of the best lines ever
written about Barbra
Streisand appeared in
Anthony Del Valle's review
of the concert for the
Las Vegas Review-Journal.
His extremely positive
review of Barbra's
performance at the MGM
Grand ended with a
profound observation:
"Rarely has anyone done so
much with so much."
You can
read Anthony Del Valle's review here.
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