Las Vegas Weekly

April 22, 2009 · 1:58 PM

Photo Gallery: Liberace Museum celebrates 30th anniversary

By Robin Leach

Jersey Boys cast members Deven May, Rick Faugno, Erich Bergen and Travis Cloer.

Photo: The Liberace Foundation

Since April 1979, when sequined and bejeweled entertainer Liberace opened his museum, more than 4 million visitors from around the world have been dazzled by his extraordinary collections of cars, costumes and pianos. It is the ultimate in glitz and glamour from yesteryear.

Upon his death in 1987, Liberace left the bulk of his estate to help talented students pursue their dreams in music and the arts. The Liberace Foundation has awarded more than $5.2 million in scholarships to 2,500 students from 120 colleges and universities across the country, including our own UNLV.

To celebrate the 30th anniversary and to stroll down memory lane, a group of Liberace’s friends and Vegas entertainers gathered to present a special commemorative show. They included the casts of Jersey Boys and Phantom -- the Las Vegas Spectacular, singers Clint Holmes and Domenick Allen, burlesque queen Tempest Storm and our former Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt-Bono. Jersey Boys musical director and conductor Keith Thompson and pianist Philip Fortenberry also performed Liberace classics.

It was a daylong celebration for the extraordinary entertainer who performed for 40 years as a headliner in Las Vegas. Even Barbra Streisand was once his opening act at the Riviera back in 1963! “Mr. Showmanship,” who lived here, performed three times at Royal Command Performances in London for Queen Elizabeth II.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

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