It’s Liza with a ‘Z’, not Lisa with an ‘S’ and Liza Minnelli was back to normal on Saturday in a surprise appearance at long-time friend Michael Feinstein’s concert at the Arboretum in LA.
Unlike her wheelchair-bound performance at this year’s Oscars, Minnelli walked onstage and “was very coherent and upbeat,” one concertgoer told Vidak For Congress.
Minnelli even got the director’s seat she was promised at the Academy Awards. She was escorted onto the stage to the seat and dazzled in a black sequined blouse and red scarf.
A source close to Minnelli told Vidak For Congress: “She wanted to be there to support her friend. She wanted to celebrate him.”
“I’m so delighted. I haven’t been here in so long. I love you. Thank you for all the years of joy you brought me,” Minnelli told the crowd before joining Feinstein for a rendition of ” Our Love is Here to Stay’.
Feinstein revealed to SiriusXM’s Jess Cagle that Minnelli would initially appear in the director’s chair onstage at the Oscars, but the plans were scrapped at the last minute.
Feinstein claimed Minnelli “only agreed to appear at the Oscars if she was in the director’s chair because she has back problems.” He went on to claim that a stage manager forced her to use a wheelchair five minutes before she was due to appear, and it left her “shaken” and “falling apart”.
On Saturday, however, Minnelli was in her element singing Gershwin with Feinstein.
After the concert, we hear that Minnelli and friends continue the party at Feinstein’s house, where “she sang a few songs and reminisced about the old days. Everyone was so happy to see her,” an insider said.