She looked fabulous. However the opening number "I Can See Clearly Now The Rain Has Gone" was a little shaky. Liza seemed nervous and her voice tentative. I was worried. But she gradually became more relaxed and her voice got stronger and stronger. She sang numerous Kander and Ebb songs ("New York, New York", "Cabaret", "And the World Goes Round", "I Am My Own Best Friend"). Also, "God Bless the Child", "Come In From The Rain", and many others I can't remember now.
The theatre was about 3/4 full and what they lacked in size, they made up in enthusiasm. Lots of applause after each number, numerous standing ovations.
Liza gave an amazing performance, singing, dancing, telling anecdotes about "Chicago", running away from home, her mother and father, etc.
I consider myself very lucky to have been there to see a true star.
"...But Kungurtseva reels off multiple fouettes and the tape is stopped so she can take a bow. The Jester, an abomination introduced to Swan Lake in Soviet times, extorts applause from the audience. The cuts don't help the storytelling, the production is bare bones and they go for the '50s-style happy ending.
The audience cheers like mad at the end. It's the Russian ballet, after all..."
Minnelli meets the MAC By Chris Page, Tribune September 29, 2005
It was hard to tell if it was planned schtick or a raw, pure moment from the grand duchess of the show stage, Liza Minnelli.
After a sweaty, ovation-rich concert Wednesday night at the Mesa Arts Center, she re-entered the stage for her encore, plucked off her false eyelashes, took a towel to her sopped face and rubbed off all her makeup. Taking a cue from her pianist, Minnelli performed a sweet, tender a capella version of “I’ll Be Seeing You.”
The a capella bit capped an evening of unsurprising repertory choices — including Minnelli staples “New York, New York” and “Cabaret” — but there was something about seeing her sans makeup that seemed honest and unplanned. ...
Liza said when she was 15 and a half years old she ran away from home, left LA, went to NYC, worked her way into Broadway and never took a penny from her mother or father.