Barbra Streisand Returns Home To Brooklyn

NEW YORK (CBSMiami) -- Barbra Streisand has returned home to Brooklyn, New York for the first of two concerts at the city's new arena, The Barclays Center.

She entered the stage in a shimmery black ensemble, holding her hands close to the microphone as she performed songs like "People," `'Evergreen" and "The Way We Were."

However, she opened Thursday's show with "If We Never Say Goodbye" and then revealed she was battling a cold by drinking chicken soup in between songs.

As she chatted with the audience, Streisand reminisced about her childhood.

"The last time that I sang solo here in Brooklyn was on somebody's stoop on Pulaski Street. My brother's here, right, where's my brother? Hi, you remember the stoop on Pulaski Street, I was eight years old," she said.

The concert, dubbed "Back To Brooklyn," was Streisand's first-ever in her hometown borough.

She went on to talk about her love for film: "I was so used to the hot steamy summers in Brooklyn that when I was sent to a health camp in the Catskills I got sick because I was allergic to the fresh air, you know, it's true. But when I came home I could go to the movies, the Kings because they had air conditioning, you remember. And that's where my obsession with movies began."

The 70-year-old played with the crowd, often telling jokes and taking in the many screams of "I love you Barbra!"

Streisand also sang a duet with her son, Jason Gould, asking the 45-year-old: "Do you need anything, like, a sweater?"

Before the show excited fans could be seen streaming into the venue, including one who shares a special history with the singer.

"I'm so excited, I saw her in Vegas in 1993 and I made the cut for the video," said one fan on his way into the show.

For her second song, the 70-year-old sang "That Face" from her 2011 album "What Matter Most."

During the show she was joined on stage by Italian trio IL Volo for a short set.

This was the second concert held at the new stadium, which opened on September 28th with rapper Jay-Z performing eight shows.

The arena will be the new home to the NBA team the Brooklyn Nets, formally known as the New Jersey Nets. Brooklyn native Jay-Z has a minority ownership in the team.