Liberace

Wladziu Valentino Liberace ( born May 16, 1919 in West Allis, Wisconsin; † 4 February 1987 in Palm Springs, California ), better known as Liberace [ lɪbərɑ ː tʃi ː ] was an American pianist and entertainer later. His mother came from Poland, his father from Italy. The prodigy was already playing by heart at age six classical pieces for hours. In the 1960s and 1970s, Liberace became a talent show, which earned him the nickname Mr. Showmanship. He remained the classical music also connected in his shrill Las Vegas shows.

Life

Liberace was born into a musical family. As a young man he received classical piano training, but was well versed in popular music. He holds a masters degree in music with a focus on piano and organ at the prestigious Wisconsin College of Music.

Liberace practiced as a small child six hours a day on the piano. At twelve he was a soloist with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and played there, accompanied by considerable press vertebrae, as a " child prodigy " piano concertos. In the 1950s, he won seven times in succession the prize for the fastest classical pianists of the United States. He was capable of up to 6,000 notes to play back in just two minutes and was therefore as the fastest pianist in the world.

In the 1950s, Liberace began classical pieces and folk songs with a distinct playing " Pop - Touch". The composer and pianist Ignacy Jan Paderewski, a friend of the Polish- Italian family, advised him how to act only by his last name, what the young classical pianist, who had a very intimate relationship with his Polish mother took to heart.

In the 1950s he had his own TV show. In this he was accompanied by a band, which was led by his brother George and was one of Corky Hale. Liberace himself was mentioned in Mr. Sandman, the biggest hit of the Chordettes, notably in 1954; In 1957 Nina Simone in My Baby just cares for me. Some of his fans took him ill the leap to light entertainment. In TV shows ( TV shows ), he played South American music, songs by George Gershwin and numerous film music titles, including Hitchcock's Spellbound by Miklós Rózsa. But his favorite composer was Chopin. Later he performed regularly in Las Vegas. He fell on his show to life with extravagant costumes and style. On his nickname " The Glitter Man", alluding to Liberace's diamond-studded suits, was referring, for example, 2Pac also in the hit California Love on the double album All Eyez on Me (1996). His favorite costume was the chinchilla fur, he - Driving with a mirrored Rolls- Royce on stage - very happy addition to its massive rings - on each second finger - presented. The pianist loved the dissolute life: He smoked, drank, ate everything he tasted. His mother, Frances 1980 The death threw him into a state of shock. The relationship between the two was legendary and was ridiculed in America.

In 1976, the pianist, the " Liberace Foundation", which allows up today young students studying music. Part of the Foundation " Liberace Museum ", which he opened in 1979 about his life themselves. On 17 October 2010, it was closed for financial reasons. Liberace had 13 villas and lived in luxury. He had several adopted children and 17 dogs. His fortune was estimated at around 100 million dollars.

It has been repeatedly suggested that Liberace was a homosexual. He led a number of lawsuits against such press releases, which he won all. Homosexuality was in the early days of his career not only in the U.S., a taboo subject, he had to assume that an outing of his career would hurt. Ultimately, he had, among other things, to court so determined with a statement under oath that he was not gay that he could scarcely have been able to revise this. Liberace died in 1987 at age 67 of complications from AIDS.

Trivia

In 1988 the life of Liberace was first made ​​into a film by David Greene, under the title Liberace: Behind the Music ( Engl. title Liberace - A life in music ). Victor Garber was playing Liberace.

In Germany to the movies - On October 3, 2013 was the produced by Steven Soderbergh biopic "Too much of a good thing is wonderful Liberace ". The film about the entertainer Liberace, starring Michael Douglas and Matt Damon in the lead roles, running in the USA under the title Behind the Candelabra.

Gallery

Liberace Museum ( 2003)

Christmas costume of Liberace

Bradley GT with Metal Flake Paint

The Liberace's grave at the Forest Lawn cemetery in the Hollywood Hills.