Barbra Streisand's very first Las Vegas performance was at The
Riviera Hotel back in 1963 when she opened for Liberace. Today, a
tribute concert called Barbra & Frank: The Concert That Never Was
is packing them in at the Riviera's Le Bistro showroom. The show,
starring Sharon Owens as Barbra and Sebastian Anzaldo as Frank
Sinatra, is an intelligently conceived tribute to two of the world's
most successful singers.
As the familiar
overture from Barbra The Concert plays, Owens takes the stage,
and the fantasy begins. Even though she is an impersonator, Owens'
vocals are so legitimate that one is immediately swept into the
Streisand illusion. Her two costumes are replicas of Barbra's outfits
from the '94 concerts, and a clever use of a small video screen adds
gusto to the performance, especially during the "Papa, Can You Hear
Me?" portion of the evening. Owens performs solo for the first part of
the show in what is a spot-on replication of many Streisand classics.
As Sinatra, Anzaldo joins Owens during the second portion of the show
for "The Concert That Never Was." The playful banter between these
"superstars" and the delightful harmony of their voices makes one
wonder wonder why the real Barbra & Frank never performed together on
stage.
If you're in Vegas, be
sure to stop by The Riviera to catch the performance. It's a fun
evening with arguably two of the best Streisand/Sinatra impersonators
you are likely to see. And while you are there, look for the Riviera's
special 50th Anniversary displays hanging all around the hotel. You'll
see The Riviera's homage to the real Barbra Streisand in a
commemoration of her 1963 engagement at the hotel.
For more information
about Barbra & Frank: The Concert That Never Was, and to order
tickets, visit
rivierahotel.com.
