2013 STREISAND NEWS ARCHIVED

Barbra Archives has been on the internet since May 2003 ... Even in the early days of this website, Barbra Archives was reporting important news about Barbra Streisand.

15 January

Barbra Streisand spoke briefly at the Clinton Health Matters Initiative in La Quinta, California about women and heart disease. She announced from the podium that the Barbra Streisand Women's Heart Center at Cedars Sinai pledged $2 million dollars for a national campaign to address prevention and advocacy for women's heart health.

“The pledges made during this conference will undoubtedly impact many lives for years to come,” Barbra said before leaving the stage.

05 February

Sony Masterworks released a remastered version of Streisand’s Classical Barbra album, with two bonus tracks.

Warner Home Video released a Blu-ray of Streisand’s 1976 film, A Star Is Born.

08 February

Hollywood Reporter and Variety reported Barbra Streisand signed a helming [directing] deal with production and sales company Aldamisa International. “We are thrilled to provide underwriting for a filmmaker of (Streisand's) vision, stature and accomplishment,” said Nadine de Barros, president of international sales and acquisitions at Aldamisa. No details are yet available, with Streisand contemplating several projects. The film will be financed by Mark Manuel's Kilburn Media and produced by de Barros and Aldamisa co-chairman Sergei Bespalov.

24 February

Streisand sang “The Way We Were” in tribute to her friend Marvin Hamlisch, who died a few months earlier. “In an evening that celebrates the artistry of movies and music,” said producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, “how could the telecast be complete without Barbra Streisand? We are honored that she has agreed to do a very special performance on this year's Oscars, her first time singing on the show in 36 years.”

05 March

Barbra Streisand attended the UCLA Institute Of The Environment And Sustainability's 2nd Annual Evening Of Environmental Excellence. The event was held at the Beverly Hills home of Jeanne and Anthony N. Pritzker, and Al Gore was recognized for his environmental accomplishments. The event featured entertainment by Grammy Award-winning artist Jason Mraz and comedian Sarah Silverman.

07 March

Streisand signs with talent agency UTA (United Talent Agency).

20 March

BarbraStreisand.com posts an announcement of Barbra’s June concert dates in Europe: London, Amsterdam, Paris (later canceled), Cologne, Berlin, and Amsterdam (added in April after the Paris show was canceled). Three days later, it’s announced she will perform for the first time in Tel Aviv, Israel.

30 March

Prolific and talented record producer and sound engineer, Phil Ramone, died.  Streisand posted a statement: 

“I’m so saddened to learn of Phil’s passing. We first worked together in 1967 when I did a free concert in Central Park. His brilliance at capturing sound was immediately evident.

Later we worked together on the film ‘A Star Is Born’ where Phil was able to record me singing live, including ‘Evergreen.’ In the next decade we worked on the soundtrack to ‘Yentl’ and many other recordings.

Phil had impeccable musical taste, great ears and the most gentle way of bringing out the best in all the artists he worked with. The monumental recordings he produced will endure for all time.”

02 April

Fox released a gorgeous Blu-ray of Hello, Dolly!

04 April

Deadline reports that Barbra Streisand will direct her version of the Margaret Bourke-White/Erskine Caldwell love story. Deadline states that “casting is underway with an eye to shoot before the end of the year. Streisand is currently overseeing the screenplay for the project. She had previously sought to film the story, but that production did not come to fruition. This is a new take.”

Behind the scenes, Deadline says “Mark Manuel’s Kilburn Media will finance the film and Aldamisa will handle worldwide sales. Aldamisa’s president of international sales & acquisitions, Nadine de Barros, will serve as a producer.”

A few days later, Roger Friedman gives more details: Colin Firth and Cate Blanchett were cast in “Skinny and Cat.” But then producer Linda Yellen took the project to Lagniappe Films, without Streisand, who own the rights to that screenplay.

According to Friedman, the announcement Deadline made was for Streisand to direct a new script (not “Skinny and Cat”) based on Bourke-White and Erskine, which she began developing. Unfortunately, her new script would not legally be able to use any source material from that original Linda Yellen screenplay.

10 April

Barbra Streisand speaks about her National Scopus Award and congratulates Patricia L. Glaser, Vice Chairman of the AFHU Western Region, on winning the 2013 National Scopus Award.

10 April

Streisand is awarded the Chaplin Award from the Lincoln Center Film Society. Liza Minnelli, Michael Douglas, Alan Bergman, Pierce Brosnan, Blythe Danner and more toasted her from the podium.  President Bill Clinton presented Streisand the award.

27 April

Barbra Streisand and James Brolin attended the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner—an annual dinner that attracts almost 3,000 capital leaders as well as stars of cinema and television held at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C. She was photographed having conversations with NY Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Sen. Mark Warner.

29 April

Barbra creates a “Happy Birthday” video for Willie Nelson, who turned 80 years old.

30 April

Paramount Home Video releases The Guilt Trip on DVD and Blu-ray.

Sony releases the gorgeously restored Funny Girl on Blu-ray, too.

01 June

Streisand opens her Europe “mini-tour” in London at the O2 Arena.  The show features her sister, Roslyn Kind, The Broadway Boys, Jason Gould and Chris Botti.

0 July

Through various outlets, it becomes obvious that Streisand has begun work on a future album of duets.  Producer Walter Afanasieff posts some news on his website; Streisand mentions a few names of possible duet partners to Katie Couric; and Mary J. Blige tells a newspaper she recorded a song with Streisand.

08 October

Legacy Recordings releases a compilation album of Streisand holiday songs called The Classic Christmas Album.

15 October

“When You Wish Upon A Star,” Barbra’s duet with Mary J. Blige, appears on A Mary Christmas, which was released on this day.

06 November

Barbra Streisand went to see the revival of Pippin at the Music Box Theatre. She posed with the cast backstage after the show, including Tovah Feldshuh, currently playing Pippin’s grandmother (and Broadway’s original Yentl!)

08 November

Streisand surprises fans and the audience at the Baron Investment Conference when she is revealed as the surprise performer.  She gives a 14-song concert at the Metropolitan Opera House.

11 November

Streisand was honored at Glamour Magazine’s Women of the Year Awards at Carnegie Hall. After giving a passionate speech, she joined the attendees in writing their lifetime motto on a wall.  Barbra wrote: “Believe in the power of your own voice!! Be yourself … Everyone is unique!” 

12 November

The boutique home video label, Twilight Time, releases the Streisand/Redford romance The Way We Were on Blu-ray.

19 November

Columbia Records released a CD and also a CD/DVD version of Back to Brooklyn, Barbra’s live concert.

29 November

Back to Brooklyn, the television special filmed at Barbra’s concert in 2012, airs on PBS.

13 December

Barbra’s Back to Brooklyn concert DVD reached #1 on the Billboard Top DVD Music Videos chart

29 December

A full-page ad in the New York Times Magazine announces that Streisand bestowed a legacy gift to establish the Emanuel and Barbra Streisand Endowed Scholarship Fund at Teachers College, Columbia University.  The ad thanks Barbra, saying “future generations of Teachers College students will follow in the footsteps of our visionary graduates.”