The Divine Miss E

C’est si bon to see a legend live. That’s how I spent my Saturday evening: in Symphony Hall, experiencing the still-sexy, still-sizzling, still-scintillating Eartha Kitt perform with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.

The woman still has it.

Orson Welles called her “the most exciting woman in the world” — and he nailed it (the description, not the woman, not that I know of). This tour is to celebrate Eartha Kitt’s eightieth birthday. The birth certificate proves it — but her body hides it well. Very well. She still has legs someone thirty years younger would love to have. Her dress was slit up to there — and she made there proud.

And, damn, did she work it. She slivered. She shimmied. Flirted, teased, tantalized. She even Charleston’ed. I want to wear eighty just like Eartha Kitt.

Her stroll onto the ASO stage wasn’t the first time I saw Ms. Kitt that day. High school BFF Janice and I saw her while we shopped around Virginia-Highland Saturday afternoon. Eartha was a bit more … earthy ... during those pre-show hours — sans makeup, her hair pulled back. Lord, is she tiny.

Eartha performed two sets, singing tunes such as “C’est Si Bon,” “All by Myself,” and “Just an Old-fashioned Girl.”

Her voice is still strong, still unique — and she growled for us a couple of times, too. The sold-out crowd (deservedly) gave her several standing Os. As she left the stage after her final set, I mentioned to Jayne that I loved the set, but would have loved to have heard my fave — and out-of-season — “Santa Baby.”

God loves me. Eartha came back on stage for the encore — and purred “Santa Baby” for us.

Grrrrrl.

My one regret: I didn't take my digital camera with me, assuming the ASO would discourage photos in the hall. Dammit if Eartha didn't come out post-show to pose for photos and meet her fans. She's the coolest of the cool.

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