DIVA TALK -- 3/15

BERNADETTE PETERS
Well, it looks like that long-awaited album is finally going to be released. If you caught the Lez Miz concert that was aired on PBS two weeks ago, one of the spokespersons during the pledge drive was producer/director Richard Jay-Alexander, who said that he had just returned from Bernadette's birthday party, and that she played a few tracks from her new album.
I spoke with Bernadette's press agent this week, and she said that the album should be available over the summer on EMI/Angel Records. I'll keep you posted. She also said that Bernadette is busy with her concerts and will sing at the White House on April 2. She will sing at a State Dinner that will include President Clinton and the President of Italy.

BETTY BUCKLEY
Time's running out to get yourself a ticket to Ms. B's one-night-only concert at New York's Bottom Line on March 24. Tickets are $20, and they're going fast! I went to buy my own tickets after work on Wednesday, and the first show was already sold-out--so, I bought for the 10 PM show. For those of you who can't make it to the city, I'll give you a full report in my next column. According to an item about BB in Liz Smith's column, Betty will be testing some new material for an upcoming album, which she will record in the next few months. Hope to see some of you there. It should be a great night!

PATTI LuPONE
La LuPone has switched agencies. She had been represented by PMK, Inc. and has now switched over to ICM. I've put in a call with her new agent, so hopefully I'll have some Patti-talk for you next time.

NANCY LaMOTT
For those LaMott fans out there, I wanted to tell you about two new recordings that each feature a track from the late Nancy LaMott. First, on Portia Nelson's new album for DRG Records, titled "This Life," Nancy sings a song called "I Remember Him," ironically a song that was a tribute to the friends Portia Nelson had lost and a song that Nancy recorded three weeks before her untimely passing. It is a beautiful, touching song, and when you listen to the album--which also features guest appearances by Ann Hampton Callaway, Amanda McBroom, Deborah Trannelli and Jamie deRoy--you really do realize that Nancy was in a class all of her own when it came to singing a song and interpreting a lyric. Nancy can also be heard on an album of David Friedman tunes that will benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Again, it is too ironic that she recorded the song with the lyric "what we don't have is time." LAINIE KAZAN
PBS has videotaped the cabaret act of that Beaches and My Favorite Year gal with the trumpeting voice. The concert is scheduled to air sometime this summer. I'll let you know the date when it is announced.

Album of the Week:
Check out "Sibling Revelry" on DRG Records. It is a live recording of Liz (Baby, Miss Saigon, Cats) Callaway and Ann Hampton Callaway's cabaret act that they performed last year at Rainbow & Stars. Although each gets a chance to shine individually (Ann on "Old Friend" and Liz on "Meadowlark"), the highpoint of the show is "The Huge Medley," which combines songs from over a dozen Broadway musicals, including Chess, Miss Saigon, West Side Story, . . .

That's all for now. Happy diva-watching!