Barbara Streisand: The name itself speaks volumes, conjuring up different images to everyone who knows the name. Director, songwriter and singer, Streisand is a woman with many talents. And after a 12-year hiatus from touring, she's back on the road.Intimacy was the name of the game Sunday at the TD Banknorth Garden. The audience became Streisand's close friends for three hours as she shared some of her innermost thoughts, hearing her fears, feeling her love for her son and being struck by the lack of subtlety in her liberal politics.

The songs she performed included stand-by favorites, especially those from Funny Girl (in which she starred in both the Broadway and film versions): "Don't Rain On My Parade" and "People." There were also some Broadway standards, including "Music of the Night" from The Phantom of the Opera.

Streisand's politics have made big news on the entertainment front recently, and her current tour is no exception. In one bit, she conversed with a performer playing President Bush. As one can imagine, the jokes and rapid banter rushed back and forth, mostly focusing on what Streisand perceives as Bush's ineptitude. At a recent New York City gig, this drew negative political attention as a heckler confronted Streisand, who responded with a string of expletives. Yet on Sunday night, the bit remained and was received with much applause from the Massachusetts audience.

The only expletives heard at this performance came for other reasons. As part of her set, Streisand decided to play the first piece she ever wrote on piano. She needed to concentrate deeply; playing the piano is not a skill she uses every day. With furrowed brow, she tried hard and within the first few measures hit a wrong note, crying out "Oh, shit!" The mistake was made after whistles and screaming by the audience, undoubtedly shaking her concentration.

A touching section of the performance was dedicated to her son Jason. As background music, she played a piece he composed for her, which was followed by a Broadway medley dedicated to children. The selection featured South Pacific's "You've Got to Be Carefully Taught" and Into The Woods' "Children Will Listen," among others.

Streisand's singing and appearance were both striking because she has changed very little since her younger years. She looks a bit more mature and less innocent, but her voice is unchanged, hitting every note and changing dynamics and tempo on the right marks Sunday.

The enthusiastic audience gave Streisand a standing ovation for nearly every number, and often in the middle of songs as well. When she left for the final time, the orchestra was still on stage, and soon the entire 5000-person audience was screaming "Barbara! Barbara!"-but to no avail-she was gone. The night had ended.