Concert of the Year Countdown: #2 Eartha Kitt

Show: Eartha Kitt with Phoenix Symphony at Symphony Hall, May 31

Some performers are just golden at any age. Eartha Kitt, my favorite Catwoman (from the Batman TV series in the ’60s), had more flair onstage at age 81 than most performers half her age could ever hope to have. Kitt, who passed way on Christmas Day, not only provided some extremely entertaining and cheeky between-song banter, but her vocals were strong throughout the show, and she deftly led her band and the Phoenix Symphony through an hour of song standards. A true singer has the ability to rip a page from the American songbook and forever put his or her own distinct stamp on it — and that’s exactly what Kitt did with songs like “Santa Baby,” “C’est si bon,” “Just an Old Fashioned Girl,” and “Uska Dara.” Read more about Kitt’s stellar performance by clicking the link above. -Niki D’Andrea

This countdown was complied by Niki D’Andrea and Martin Cizmar and is running here over the last 10 days of the year. To read other entries click “Concert of the Year Countdown” in the tags below.