Entertainment icons Siegfried Fischbacher and Roy Horn returned to the Vegas stage tonight to bid a proper goodbye to show business with their Farewell Performance. It was a one-night-only, $10,000-a-plate fundraiser at the Bellagio Hotel benefiting the Lou Ruvo Brain Institute, a planned research facility under construction in Las Vegas.
The duo performed a 10-minute act which had been in secret rehearsals for the past year. It was much shorter than their lavish productions of the past, but it brought the 1,500 attendees to thier feet for a rousing standing ovation.
The event also included a silent auction, and a display of memorabilia and costumes from the long-running show at the Mirage. I am pleased to present these exclusive photos below from the evening. Click on them to see larger versions. I will have more from the event in an upcoming post.
From the opening of the Mirage show, (right) this is the first costume that Siegfried wore when he and Roy magically appear.
This is Lynette Chappell’s Dragon costume (left). In the show she transformed from an Evil Queen to a Dragon.
Last week calls went out to select members of the stage and tech crews who worked the 13-year run of the S&R show. Siegfried and Roy insisted on bringing back members of their previous crew to work the show. The crew reported for work at 8:00 AM Thursday morning to load in big cats, bigger illusions and even bigger sets. There was a feeling in the air of a class reunion, with much hugging and “remember when” storytelling. The group had not been together since the show closed in 2003 following Roy’s tragic accident.
S & R rehearsed with the crew yesterday. Tonight was the first and only performance. Look for hilights from the show on ABC’s 20/20, Siegfried and Roy: The Magic Returns this Friday.