Liza Minnelli brings The House down

ROCK THE HOUSE: Liza Minnelli rocked the Sydney Opera House, receiving a standing ovation before she uttered a note at her first Australia gig. Picture: Richard Dobson

By Alyssa Braithwaite And Katherine Field
October 17, 2009 12:00pm

LIZA Minnelli received her first standing ovation before she'd even sung a note.On the opening night of her Australian tour, Minnelli performed to a full house at the Sydney Opera House concert hall.As she made her entrance, dressed all in white, to several minutes of thunderous applause and calls of ``we love you Liza!'' it was clear she was playing to the faithful. It has been 20 years since Minnelli last performed in Australia, and at 63 she was the first to admit that time has taken its toll in some ways. ``If any of you ever saw me before, then you will remember I used to sit down in the second act,'' Minnelli said. ``Now I sit down in the first act.'' While not without its slight wavers, her voice was still powerful and resonant, and her energy amazing. She belted out some of her best-loved hits, including Cabaret, Liza With a Z and Maybe This Time. ``As you know, over the years I have been particularly drawn to songs about falling in love. However, at this time in my life I find I'm particularly drawn to songs about falling out of love,'' she laughed, introducing If You Hadn't, But You Did. When she launched into New York, New York she brought the house down. Over the course of the evening, Minnelli was the ultimate showbiz professional - funny and entertaining. She didn't miss a beat. Minnelli made the expansive concert hall feel intimate, and when she revealed she was having slight wardrobe difficulties - ``my knickers keep riding up!'' - she received cries of ``take it off!'' The concert ended on an emotional note, with an encore tribute to Minnelli's first husband, Boy from Oz Peter Allen. Returning to the stage in an oversized Chet Baker t-shirt with a towel draped around her neck, Minnelli dramatically pulled off her fake eyelashes, rubbed the make-up from her face, and messed up her hair. She then closed the show with the moving All The Lives of Me and a special ``thank you Peter'', and received yet another standing ovation.