Consummate entertainer Liberace, still symbolic of the Strip's glittering aesthetic more than three decades after his death, is the subject of a new exhibition at the Nevada State Museum in Las Vegas.
Billed as more than just a celebration of his rhinestone-covered costumes and audacious stage presence, "Liberace: Real and Beyond" chronicles the icon's long career and explores his life away from the bright lights. Rarely seen costumes and his collection of religious items are featured, along with historical photographs and other material. The exhibit also aims to showcase his contribution to classical music and highlight his influence on contemporary pop culture.
"Liberace's career follows a rags-to-riches American paradigm," said Josef Diaz, the museum's curator of history and material culture. "But many exhibits have focused on the larger-than-life character of Liberace, losing who he was as a person. I hope we can go deeper on the simpler aspects of his life that made him who he was under all those feathers and sequins."
For instance, visitors to the exhibit will learn that Liberace was a devout Catholic and also wrote cookbooks. Both of those aspects of his life are on display in "Real and Beyond."
Liberace's Faberge costume will be among those on display at the Nevada State Museum through the rest of the year. Photo Credit: Nevada State Museum
"To illustrate a person's life with the use of their career and household items give us all a well-rounded view," Diaz said. "This exhibit contains costumes, candelabras, dining sets, bibles and a diamond-studded piano. It is all very unexpected but tells a wonderful story."
The exhibition includes items from the Liberace Foundation for the Performing and Creative Arts, which runs the Liberace Museum Collection from Thriller Villa and Liberace Garage in Las Vegas. The nonprofit organization, founded by Liberace in 1976, maintains the showman's costumes, pianos, automobiles, antiques, art, jewelry, awards and intellectual properties.
"Las Vegas owes its glitzy and glamourous style to Liberace," said Jonathan Warren, CEO of the Liberace Foundation. "You can't have one without the other, and we're so grateful for his legacy."
A 'Fabulous' legacy
Liberace was born Wladziu Valentino Liberace to Polish-Italian immigrant parents just outside Milwaukee. His career began when he was a 20-year-old pianist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 1940 and continued into television in 1950s with "The Liberace Show."
He first appeared in Las Vegas in 1944, and "Mr. Showmanship" continued to be a presence on the Strip until his death in 1987. He's often credited with coining the term "Fabulous Las Vegas" that now adorns the city's world-famous road sign.
Just last year, Clark County renamed Karen Avenue between Maryland Parkway and Joe W. Brown Drive (near the Westgate Las Vegas) as Liberace Avenue. The Westgate is the former Las Vegas Hilton, where Liberace had his longest-running residency.
"It's been 35 years since Liberace passed away," county commissioner Tick Segerblom said in approving the name change. "This recognition is long past due. Liberace was an incredible pianist and a spectacular showman. He ruled the Las Vegas Strip for four-plus decades and at the height of his fame was the highest-paid entertainer in the world. His impact on Las Vegas and the entertainment industry generally is unquestionable."
The exhibition, which opens on June 24, is set to continue through the rest of the year. Admission to the museum, open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursdays through Mondays, is through Springs Preserve. Tickets are $19 for adults and $11 for children (ages 3 to 17) plus tax and fees.