Minnelli in Sydney with plenty to prove
By Antonette Collins
Posted 6 hours 44 minutes ago Updated 4 hours 11 minutes ago
Liza Minnelli's Australian concert will be partly based on her Broadway show.
Video: Minelli in Sydney: 'I'm an old broad to be doing all this stuff' (ABC News)
Map: Sydney 2000
Liza Minnelli, the multi award-winning star of stage and screen, has arrived in Sydney at the start of her first Australian tour in 20 years.
Minnelli was born into show business royalty and progressed to a long and acclaimed career. She won the Best Actress Oscar for her role in Cabaret in 1972 and picked up her fourth Tony Award this year for her show Liza's At The Palace.
Her Australian concert will be partly based on her Broadway show as well as some of her best-known songs.
"Every performance that I do has to be the best one I've ever done before," she said.
"I mean I really like it, or I wouldn't be doing it this age. You know, I'm an old broad to be doing all this stuff."
Speaking at a press conference at the Opera House today, the 63-year-old said despite her success, she still had plenty to prove.
"I'd like to do everything again and better. There are people all over the world who have never seen me," she said.
"So what I have to prove is worth the price of admission."
'Thrilled' to perform
Minnelli first came to Australia in the 1960s with her first husband, Peter Allen.
She made her first solo tour in 1981 before returning in 1989 with Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr for The Ultimate Event tour.
But this will be the first time Minnelli has performed at the iconic Sydney Opera House and she says she is thrilled.
"The first time I came here, it wasn't even being built. Then when I came again, they'd sort of started it. Then when I came again, they had started it more, then when I came again, they'd stopped. And then finally it was built," she said.
Working with her long-time director and choreographer Ron Lewis, Minnelli is involved in every aspect of her show from writing, staging, casting and even set design and lighting.
"There's a lot of things I would love to do which have to do with all of this business," she said.
Bringing back live entertainment
Minnelli has recently attracted a new generation of fans through her work with rock band My Chemical Romance and appearances on the television comedy show Arrested Development.
She is also performing a guest role in the new Sex and the City film, where she performs a version of pop singer Beyonce's hit song Put a Ring on it.
Minnelli says a resurgence in musical theatre films and television programs is also bringing live entertainment back into the spotlight.
"People are starting to entertain people again," she said.
"And you can see that on all these dance programs. Dancing has emerged again and I'm a dancer first, so that's terribly important to me. I think all of entertainment is really coming back to life."
Minnelli suffered a bout of viral encephalitis in 2000 and had hip replacements and knee surgery.
Some doubted she would ever perform again but Minelli said she was determined to continue working.
Minnelli also dismissed any suggestions that this might be her last tour to Australia.
"Why on earth would it be the last time? Why, are you planning on me dying? Forget it!" she said.
Liza Minnelli in Concert opens at the Sydney Opera House on Friday night before a national tour to the major capital cities.
By Antonette Collins
Posted 6 hours 44 minutes ago Updated 4 hours 11 minutes ago
Liza Minnelli's Australian concert will be partly based on her Broadway show.
Video: Minelli in Sydney: 'I'm an old broad to be doing all this stuff' (ABC News)
Map: Sydney 2000
Liza Minnelli, the multi award-winning star of stage and screen, has arrived in Sydney at the start of her first Australian tour in 20 years.
Minnelli was born into show business royalty and progressed to a long and acclaimed career. She won the Best Actress Oscar for her role in Cabaret in 1972 and picked up her fourth Tony Award this year for her show Liza's At The Palace.
Her Australian concert will be partly based on her Broadway show as well as some of her best-known songs.
"Every performance that I do has to be the best one I've ever done before," she said.
"I mean I really like it, or I wouldn't be doing it this age. You know, I'm an old broad to be doing all this stuff."
Speaking at a press conference at the Opera House today, the 63-year-old said despite her success, she still had plenty to prove.
"I'd like to do everything again and better. There are people all over the world who have never seen me," she said.
"So what I have to prove is worth the price of admission."
'Thrilled' to perform
Minnelli first came to Australia in the 1960s with her first husband, Peter Allen.
She made her first solo tour in 1981 before returning in 1989 with Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr for The Ultimate Event tour.
But this will be the first time Minnelli has performed at the iconic Sydney Opera House and she says she is thrilled.
"The first time I came here, it wasn't even being built. Then when I came again, they'd sort of started it. Then when I came again, they had started it more, then when I came again, they'd stopped. And then finally it was built," she said.
Working with her long-time director and choreographer Ron Lewis, Minnelli is involved in every aspect of her show from writing, staging, casting and even set design and lighting.
"There's a lot of things I would love to do which have to do with all of this business," she said.
Bringing back live entertainment
Minnelli has recently attracted a new generation of fans through her work with rock band My Chemical Romance and appearances on the television comedy show Arrested Development.
She is also performing a guest role in the new Sex and the City film, where she performs a version of pop singer Beyonce's hit song Put a Ring on it.
Minnelli says a resurgence in musical theatre films and television programs is also bringing live entertainment back into the spotlight.
"People are starting to entertain people again," she said.
"And you can see that on all these dance programs. Dancing has emerged again and I'm a dancer first, so that's terribly important to me. I think all of entertainment is really coming back to life."
Minnelli suffered a bout of viral encephalitis in 2000 and had hip replacements and knee surgery.
Some doubted she would ever perform again but Minelli said she was determined to continue working.
Minnelli also dismissed any suggestions that this might be her last tour to Australia.
"Why on earth would it be the last time? Why, are you planning on me dying? Forget it!" she said.
Liza Minnelli in Concert opens at the Sydney Opera House on Friday night before a national tour to the major capital cities.
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