BARBRA STREISAND LEAVES CROWD WITH FOND MEMORIES.

Byline: Rob Lowman Entertainment Editor

A relaxed Barbra Streisand kicked off her shoes before a sold-out crowd Monday night at the Staples Center and made herself at home.

And why not? The legendary singer was back in her beloved L.A., and the audience included family, friends and stars. There were Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn, Ben Stiller, Shirley MacLaine, Rosie O'Donnell, Rob Lowe, Bill Maher, Kenny G., Barry Manilow ... . You only see this type of gathering of celebs at the Oscars.

Limos were choking the streets around the arena afterward.

And there were Democrats. Partway through a skit poking fun at our current president, Streisand introduced future Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi as well as U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer.

All of this almost overshadowed the concert by one of the greatest song stylists of any generation. Almost -- but Streisand still knows how to wow an audience. Dressed in three black outfits throughout the evening (two long dresses and a pants suit), the blond 64-year-old diva began in a rousing fashion with ``Starting Here, Starting Now'' and followed with ``Down With Love.''

At this stage in her career, it would have been easy for Streisand to parade out a number of her hits. But accompanied by a 50-piece orchestra, the singer performed a concert that didn't just highlight her career but encompassed it. While there were the familiar tunes, including ``My Man'' and ``People'' from ``Funny Girl,'' there were lesser ones, like the lovely ``The Music That Makes Me Dance'' (also from ``Funny Girl'') and ``Ma Premiere Chanson,'' a song she wrote when she was 22.

Streisand became a star not simply because she had a powerful voice but because she could use it in such an extraordinary way.

I once read that while taking Method-acting lessons, one of the exercises she did was to sing a note and then sing the same note again, giving it a different color. That's what made her a star, the ability to color a song and give it a personality.

When she did that Monday, she was magnificent. Despite battling imperfect acoustics (as hard as the Staples Center tries, there will always be a bit of an echo) and a voice that had some telltale wear after three months on the road (the L.A. concert was the last of the tour), Streisand had so many high notes Monday that you forgave the few lapses.

Songs like ``What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?'' ``My Shining Hour,'' ``When the Sun Comes Out,'' ``Children Will Listen,'' ``Cockeyed Optimist'' and ``Have I Stayed Too Long at the Fair?'' were simply lovely.

Occasionally the orchestra was too loud, but Streisand has lost none of her power over the years.

Had it simply been Babs and a few musicians, it might have been a great evening, but the choice of Il Divo -- four good-looking guys in tuxes with operatic voices -- to back her up was ill-advised. When they sang with her on ``Evergreen'' and ``Somewhere,'' they smashed beautiful ballads into pulp. There is no personality in the quartet's song stylings. (To be fair, Il Divo also sang three numbers on their own, giving Streisand time to change outfits.)

When they were on stage, it also took away from any intimacy that Streisand tried to project throughout the evening. (She really did take her shoes off.) A little less would have been helpful, although I don't begrudge her political talk. Anyone who didn't want to hear her could have saved themselves the price of a ticket. I thought her ribbing of President Bush was rather mild, considering some of the jokes on late-night talk shows, and she even commended the president on his sense of humor. There were no jeers from the crowd as there had been in a few other places.

And she ended the evening with a tune long associated with Democrats, ``Happy Days Are Here Again,'' a song which she once sang with an ironic blue sadness, but this night it was positively joyous and rosy.

Rob Lowman, [phone]

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Photo:

(color) Barbra Streisand closed out her tour Monday at Staples Center with a performance touching on the many highlights of her singing career.

John Lazar/Staff Photographer