Melissa Errico Sings Barbra: The Streisand Effect

Broadway star, writer and Myron’s favorite Melissa Errico sings Barbra Streisand! A musical marriage made in heaven, surely– The coming together of two pure-bred New Yorkers, one the legendary hamische Jewish-comedienne-chanteuse, the other the intellectual-Italian enchantress who has for so long been inspired by her. The “Streisand Effect” is in part, the power of songs and her example of independent-minded pursuit. It’s no accident that in recent years Melissa has found herself surrounded by many of Streisand’s greatest collaborators, from composer Michel Legrand to the pianist Randy Waldman, and arranger Peter Matz.

Musical direction by Barbra Streisand’s own 40-year pianist and conductor Randy Waldman, who has served as musical director for Frank Sinatra, Beyoncé, and Whitney Houston, among many others. The quartet will also include Streisand’s own bandmates including Dave Tull on drums, Rich Ruttenberg on keys and Trey Henry on bass.

Certainly, the great songwriting team of Legrand and the Bergmans have never had two more committed interpreters, and the Legrand songbook, from “The Way He Makes Me Feel” to “The Summer Knows” will ring out, as will some of the classics that Melissa learned to love from listening to Barbra, many of whose creators became mentors of her own — from David Shire to Marvin Hamlisch, and of course, Stephen Sondheim.

But, more than just a shared songbook, there’s a shared style — a unique quality of intelligence. For there’s a second sense of The Streisand Effect that Melissa will explore. First named after a small internet oddity, The Streisand Effect has become a universal idiom for all the things we do in life that, intended to accomplish one end, end by accomplishing quite another. Everything we want, it seems, produces the opposite of what we wanted. This effect, ironically, is one of the great subjects of the songbook Errico and Streisand share, from the Lane-Lerner “What Do I Have That I Don’t Have Now?” to Sondheim’s “Send In The Clowns” — the repertory that Melissa and Barbra share turns so often on tales of love gone wrong and passions turned upon their heads and intentions turned against their makers. Selections include: “I’d Rather Be Blue,” “I Never Meant to Hurt You,” “The Summer Knows,” “Ordinary Miracles,” “Sleepin’ Bee,” and “Lazy Afternoon.”

The Streisand Effect in a life – the influence of one great singer on another. The Streisand Effect in song: the great subject of reversals and revelations. Melissa will offer us both. Streisand Effects offered in Errico Style – a not-to-be-missed one night marriage of music and minds!

“A reflection on Ms Streisand's place in the annals of popular music that that both expands and reflects upon her humor, her humanity and her leadership…What begins as a glamorous and brilliantly-sung homage to Streisand becomes a moving tale of Errico finding her own voice - and making it sound better, and her audience feel better, than ever.” - Will Friedwald, The Wall Street Journal