Liza on tour

6:00a.m. 16th May 2009

Showbiz legend Liza Minelli.
The New York Post described her as a triumph and a true legend and the Times said she was a pure entertainer.
Now, Liza Minnelli is about to bring the show that inspired such glowing reviews to Australia.
She is the ultimate diva, the mistress of showbiz, and her fans all around the world worship her in an almost god-like way.
She hasn't graced Australian shores for two decades but her upcoming tour is one of the most anticipated and eagerly awaited, by both her fans and Liza herself.
“Oh I can't wait. I really can't wait,” she said by phone last week.
“I can't wait to get there and I am so excited and I will give my all. I have wanted to come back and I am so excited to bring you this show that I just did on Broadway.”
The daughter of legendary showbiz couple Judy Garland and Vincente Minnelli, Liza practically has Hollywood coursing through her veins. She is one of the most awarded performers alive with a swag of Tonys, Grammys, Golden Globes, Emmys and Oscars to her name, and she has just added a fourth Tony nomination to the list for Liza's At The Palace - a version of which she will bring to Australia.
“If I go to see a show, I want it to be wonderful, so I always think from the audience's point of view… you know, if I was sitting there what would I like to come next. What would be good,” she said.
“What I have tried to do is put in songs that people have requested and songs that I like to sing.”
But with a career spanning 50 years, what does the acclaimed performer like to sing?
“There's so many songs that I have been lucky enough to have written for me, like As The World Goes Round, Maybe This Time, Cabaret and New York New York … they are such fun to sing,” she said
The world almost lost this incredible talent in February, 2000, when Liza was diagnosed with encephalitis and was told she would never walk, talk, dance or sing again. But the draw to the stage proved stronger than the illness and, just two years later, she was back on the stage and she has never looked back - making her one of the most enduring performers alive.
It is the time she has spent in showbiz that Liza attributes to her continued popularity.
“It might just be longevity,” she said.
“I have been doing it for so long and I still love it. I think that people understand that when they come to see my show. I give my best every single night.”
And it is clear her Australian fans understand that with her shows at the Sydney Opera House selling out quickly.
Liza promises to make the evening a very special experience for all those who go along.
“This show is really fun. It was directed by a brilliant man,” she said.
“It is interesting, too. It's not just a bunch of songs … each piece is like an acting piece.”
Liza Minnelli will perform at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre on Friday, October 30. Tickets start at $99 for sapphire reserve seating and go up to $279 for the best seats in the house. Tickets are available through Ticketek at http://www.ticketek.com.au/ or on 132 849.