Judy Collins to Put On Holiday Best

The crystalline soprano who brought audiences such timeless gems as “Chelsea Morning,” “Both Sides Now” and “Send in the Clowns” has just released a two-CD retrospective. “Forever . . . the Judy Collins Anthology” (Elektra) captures the pop diva’s most significant contributions.

So far, that is.

Unlike the disbanded X and the Doors, both label mates with new, career-spanning retrospectives, Collins’ creative flame never dims. Two years ago, she turned novelist with a steamy tale of sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll titled “Shameless,” which accompanied an album of predominantly original material. And a just-completed album is scheduled to hit stores early next year.

In the meantime, Collins is rejoicing in the holiday spirit. The release of a CD and video, “Judy Collins--Christmas at the Biltmore Estate,” coincides with her cable special of the same name airing Monday and Dec. 21 on the A&E; channel. And those lucky enough to already have tickets will experience the Judy Collins Christmas concert at a sold-out Irvine Barclay Theatre on Sunday night.

“I think performing at this time of year gets me concentrating on singing and writing about interior things, like rebirth, gratitude, joy and abundance,” Collins said by phone from her publicist’s office in Colorado. “These Christmas shows are a way for me to be very direct about my feelings. They’re really a mood changer. They take me to an experiential place that I love being. At the same time, it’s my way of giving people something that will hopefully lift their spirits too.”

The Biltmore album features the Charlotte Children’s Choir and includes such classics as “Joy to the World,” “O Come, All Ye Faithful” and “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” Collins also performs her adaptation of the Clement Moore favorite, “A Visit From St. Nicholas” (“ ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas”) as well as an original, “Come Rejoice,” which centers on the Nativity.

“When you’re re-creating the Nativity scene, you’ve got a few elements that have to be a part of it,” Collins said. “The stars, shepherds, some wise men and poor Joseph, who never quite gets focused on very much. And I find the physical elements, like the coldness at night in the desert, to be very interesting.

“Then there are the spiritual aspects, and that’s really what’s challenging to me. I mean, how do you write about things like the angels singing and harps playing . . . and make it fresh and come to life?”

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Collins said she hopes to write more seasonal songs, this time with a modern setting.

“I’ll probably take another crack at it,” said Collins, who lives in New York City with her boyfriend, designer Lewis Nelson. “I’d like to work on another one having a more contemporary edge to Christmas. You know, a woman came up to me on the street last night. . . . It was very cold . . . and she was dressed in a plastic bag. It’s just a [false] image that we live in such a time of constant abundance. Only for some, the abundance does not materialize.”

Compassion is a Collins trademark. Her sociopolitical conscience has been evident in both action and song, from her participation in the 1964 Mississippi freedom marches (“Hey Nellie Nellie”) and antiwar activism (Dylan’s “Masters of War” and her co-penned ode to Korean War vets, “Walls”), supporting women’s rights (“Bread and Roses”) and her recent role as a UNICEF spokeswoman.

In New York in July, Collins sang “Amazing Grace” under the arches of St. Patrick’s Cathedral as hundreds of family members and friends mourned the 230 people who died in the crash of TWA Flight 800. Then two months later, on behalf of UNICEF, she campaigned in Bosnia-Herzegovina against land mines.

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Now 57, healthy and energized, the singer rolls on.

“I love my work, and I’m busier than I’ve ever been in my life,” said Collins, who also had small roles in the feature film “Junior” and the TV series “Christy.”

“I’m devoted to what I do. I work hard to make my next project my best. Looking around the next bend is what keeps me going.”

One of the four new cuts on the anthology finds Collins paired with an unlikely partner. “Nothing Lasts Forever,” a squeeze-box-flavored ballad, was co-written by Collins and Gin Blossoms songwriter-guitarist Jesse Valenzuela.

“It was kind of a fluke that we got together, but he’s just a doll, and he’s so soulful,” Collins said. “I think it’s vital to keep exploring, to keep your options open and find new directions in your own work. As often as I can, I read, listen to music and try to appreciate the talents of other artists. You never know where new sources of inspiration will pop up.”

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* Judy Collins’ Sunday performance at the Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4255 Campus Drive, Irvine, is sold out. The Mitch Hanlon Singers open. 7 p.m. (714) 859-7351.