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Barbara Cook at the Met with Special Guests | 
 enlarge | Artist: Barbara Cook
Label: Drg
Category: Music
List Price: $18.98
Buy New: $10.39
You Save: $8.59 (45%)
New (35) Used (11) from $8.00
Avg. Customer Rating:  25 reviews
Sales Rank: 55124
Format: Live
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 91497
UPC: 021471149722
EAN: 0021471149722
ASIN: B000EQ5WLM
Release Date: June 6, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: NEW & FACTORY SEALED! Mgd for BMG Direct. Same-day shipment via FIRST CLASS up to 11pm CDT. Enjoy the music in 3 business days.
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| Tracks:
| • | It They Could See Me Now | | • | Its Not Where You Start | | • | It Might As Well Be Spring | | • | A Wonderful Guy | | • | I Had Myself A True Love | | • | Another 100 People/So Many People | | • | The Gentleman Is A Dope | | • | Them There Eyes | | • | Sweet Dreams | | • | Errol Flynn | | • | When Did I Fall In Love (Audra MacDonald) | | • | Blue Skies (Barbara Cook & Audra MacDonald) | | • | Last Night When We Were Young | | • | In Buddys Eyes | | • | Nashville Nightingale | | • | Not While Im Around (Josh Groban) | | • | Move On (Barbara Cook & Josh Groban) | | • | This Nearly Was Mine | | • | Not A Day Goes By/Losing My Mind | | • | Well Be Together Again |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
What's left for singers who already have Carnegie Hall under their belts? The Metropolitan Opera. Except it's not that easy for non-classical performers. On January 20, 2006, Barbara Cook--a Carnegie habitue, where she performed, for instance, her Sondheim tribute--became the first cabaret singer to perform at the Met as part of the house's regular season. It's a fitting choice: Cook, after all, is acknowledged as one of the very finest interpreters of the American Songbook. Backed simply by a quintet, the 78-year-old singer is at the top of her game, and even if her voice has lost its smooth luster, it's not about crystalline purity anymore, but about a woman filling every word and breath with decades of experience. She starts off with a tweaked version of Sweet Charity's "If They Could See Me Now" ("If they could see me now, that little gang of mine/Standing where Domingo sings with James Levine") then goes down an impeccable list of standards, most of which she's recorded before (but hey, it's gotta be classics at the Met). Cook is joined by two guests (Elaine Stritch was also at the show but isn't on the CD): Audra McDonald (sounding a little less smooth than usual on the solo "When Did I Fall in Love?" but recovering nicely for a duo with Cook on "Blue Skies") and Josh Groban (a lovely rendition of Sondheim's "Not While I'm Around" on his own, and another Sondheim piece, "Move On," with Cook). --Elisabeth Vincentelli
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| Customer Reviews: Read 20 more reviews...
A Musical Treasure November 29, 2008
This has become an instant favorite of mine. Barbara's performance is just stunning. From the choice of songs to the superb arrangements, everything is in place to show off her musical mastery. She moves so effortlessly from joyous classics like Gershwin's Nashville Nightingale to bittersweet contemporary songs like Sweet Dreams and Eroll Flynn. What chokes me up is her unique ability to inhabit and reveal the soul of each song without sacrificing the natural beauty of her singing voice. I don't know what I was doing without this album for so many years. This is a must for any fan of the American songbook and any lover of show stopping, musical theatre-inspired singing.
Catch Her Live, If You Can; If Not, There's This Marvelous Recording November 7, 2008
Musical icon Barbara Cook took the stage of New York's Metropolitan Opera House on January 20th 2006, for an unprecedented event: for the first time in its 123 years, a non-classical female singer was granted a solo evening, as part of its official season. Ms Cook had as her special guests four-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald, and the multi-platinum recording artist Josh Groban. (The evening required no advertising: it sold out its 3700 seats within five days,) And, luckily enough for us, and for posterity, the evening was recorded live.
Cook's voice has somehow largely withstood the test of time. At 78, with five solid decades of performance behind her, in theater, cabaret, and concert, The New York Times called it "better than ever." She still presents each song with intensity, poignancy and intimacy; perhaps with more elegance and vulnerability gained over the years. And while she may have a little more trouble reaching for her high notes, she does reach them. In a program that lasted nearly two hours without intermission, she charmed the standing room only crowd with a program of classics from the likes of Cy Coleman, Dorothy Fields, Stephen Sondheim and George Gershwin, along with a couple of songs by new talents she likes. Her still silvery-voiced soprano was backed by Eric Stern on piano, Peter Donovan on bass, and Jay Berliner on guitar: many of the arrangements were made by Wally Harper, her longtime musical director and pianist, whom she'd recently lost.
The duets with Josh Groban and Audra McDonald, were effective. "Move On," one of Barbara's duets with Groban, is a particular highlight of the record: you can hear the real-time, live audience just lapping it up. Furthermore, Cook, who offers master classes to aspiring singers - a friend of mine was overwhelmed by having been granted one - generously granted each of her guest stars solos. Groban's take of Stephen Sondheim's "Not While I'm Around," from "Sweeney Todd," must be considered another musical highlight : it's one of the composer's most beautiful songs, for openers.
I've once had the thrilling experience of attending a Barbara Cook concert live, in New York's Brooklyn College. Whatever her secret, she makes you feel like she's singing directly to you, individually. Catch her performance live if ever you can: if you can't, take comfort in this marvelous recording.
Priceless!! September 26, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Dinner at The Palm Steakhouse with a friend.... $235
Martinis at the Waldorf.... $184
Feeling good, Putting on your virtual Tuxedos and spending the evening with Barbara Cook at the met.... "priceless"
Voice of an angel July 11, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I can't believe Barbara Cook is in her late 70s. Her voice is still unbelievably beautiful.
Icing for an Incredible Career "Cake" May 14, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Barbara Cook and The Met were made for each other, Although fans of Miss Cook probably have heard everything she sings in this concert, it still is an historic treasure. The only thing missing form this performance is the late Wally Harper, with whom she collaborated so brilliantly for over 30 years. Barbara Cook's intelligent "take" on any song, combined with a technical precision that remains impeccable, is an American treasure. I prefer to visit her in an intimate cabaret----but she glitters even in the cavernous Met.
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