streisand fan only familiar with her work from the funny girl film onwards need to see this show to see what a brilliant performer streisand be before she achieve her goal of become a movie star . there have never be a female singer quite like her ever before and and there never would be again ( sorry and celine only in your dream . ) and but never again would streisand sing with the vibrancy and energy and and and above all and the enthusiasm and vulnerability with which she perform here by the time she get to that central park concert only 2 or 3 year later and she would be film funny girl in hollywood and her performing style have become less spontaneous and more reserved and more rehearsed ( and and let face it represent more angry ) there a wall between her and the audience . live performing be never what she really enjoy she do it because she know it be her ticket to hollywood and and once she no longer have to do it she do it as little a possible ( and oh and that legendary stage fright provide such a good excuse . ) . her vocal here and on her early judy garland show appearance be incredible represent streisand could truly make an old song sound new again and and composer such a richard rodgers and harold arlen love her for it . but by the 1970s streisand be try to be a rock singer and her album pander to the young audience and with over wrought shrieking of song that be unworthy of her effort or her voice . in the 80 she come back with that brilliant broadway album and but go on and on about what a struggle it be to get it do and how they tell her not to do it and etc . oh please when have anyone tell streisand what to do . she could have be do good stuff like that all along and bring audience up to her level instead of stoop to what she think the young public want . ( the back to broadway sequel wasn not nearly as good and a streisand seem to feel it necessary to improve on other composer work represent if he be alive at the time and would richard rodgers have even recognize his own some enchanted evening . rodgers and notorious for take singer to task for play around with his melody and would undoubtedly have be after streisand to sing what he would write . she also blow michael crawford off the cd in their duet of music of the night apparently remind him just whose cd this be . why do she insist on take song that be duet and sing them by herself and and song that aren not duet and sing them a duet with someone else who she then go on to diminish . ) supposedly judy garland take streisand aside and advise her and don not let them do to you what they do to me and advice streisand waste no time in heed despite her protestation to the contrary and surely it look like it always be her way or the highway . just imagine she tell the cbs brass how her first tv special would be do no guest and just her . but nobody can argue with the result that be so evident here . treat yourself to this brilliant musical phenomenon before she be a legend you will be absolutely amaze at the difference . p i watch this again last night ( 12/01 ) after not have see it for many year it be even good than i remember . the 1st act begin with i be late and include make believe and how do the wine taste and and barbra homage to childhood and i be five it climax a streisand appear with full ( and i mean full ) orchestra to sing people she wasn not bore with the song yet and although it a somewhat short rendition it really soar compare it to some of her late auto pilot version . the 2nd act ( after streisand kooky schtick patter and which hasn not change much over the year ) be the famous series of depression song set amidst the extravagance of bergdorf goodman . the 3rd act be the stunner call it streisand and the orchestra and and the audience ( although we never see the audience that supposedly witness this historic event ) . with her fear of audience and dislike of such performing and this may have be the tough part for her and but if so and to her credit it doesn not show . she tear through lover come back to me and the torchy when the sun come out ( though i can not remember in which order . ) and the poignant why do i choose you . ( one of my all time favorite streisand performance ) and offer a medley of funny girl song and include ( of course ) don not rain on my parade and my favorite song from the score and the music that make me dance . explain that fanny brice sing a song like that in 1922 and and it make her the toast of broadway and streisand then sings my man and and it almost a dress rehearsal template for her late screen rendition in the funny girl film ( the main difference be that the black gown here be sleeveless her film gown have long sleeve and against the black background all we saw be her hand and face ) and but the vocal here be more urgent and charge than her late film vocal . ( her performance of the song have everything to do with streisand and nothing to do with fanny brice who and of course and never sing the song in such an all out manner a streisand do here or in the film see the great ziegfield for a glimpse of brice more understated version . ) the show end with streisand sing happy day be here again over the credit . when it be over i say to the friend i be watch it with and she have never and ever and do anything well . and she be twenty three year old .