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A good mot in Las Vegas (USA) Says, “If you open the page with the search word‹ Showman ›in the lexicon, you will find a picture of Roy.” I can (almost) confirm it. It was not a lexicon, but it was a magazine that I started with the manager of Siegfried (80) and Roys († 75) Bernie Yuman (73) in September 2003. The title? Of course “Siegfried and Roy Magazine”. At that time, the German wizard duo was not overshadowed by any other stars in the game’s metropolis sky. Roy was on fire. Siegfried, as is his nature, careful. Less than a month later, Tiger Montecore, of all people, who was something of a kid on stage and his life partners, gave the final dream on Las Vegas Boulevard.
Years passed before Roy was strong enough to be seen again in public. What helped were the memories of Germany. When the American branch of the Hofbräuhaus was opened in Las Vegas, Roy, although born in Nordenham, never missed an opportunity to show solidarity. At the first Oktoberfest in the game’s metropolis, he punctured the first barrel with Siegfried as the guest of honor and then returned every year. Roy loved being in contact with his fans as often as possible, although talking hasn’t been easy since his stroke.
The most expensive show in Las Vegas
Until the abrupt end in October 2003, the “Siegfried and Roy Show” at the Mirage was years ahead of its time. In the words of hotel magnate Steve Wynn (78): “There has never been anything like this before.” Las Vegas’ most expensive show with a production cost of $ 30 million became the pioneer of subsequent mega-productions like Cirque du Soleil. The publication of the funeral of show legend Wayne Newton (78) showed how important the German duo was to the city and their colleagues: “I met Roy and Siegfried on the first day of their arrival in Las Vegas. I cannot put into words how much Roy meant to our city.
The first time in Las Vegas was in 1967 and he appeared as a guest at the Folies Bergere at the Hotel Tropicana. It was the starting signal for Siegfried and Roy, who had a 30-minute appearance at the Stardust Hotel three years later. From 1974 to 1978 they performed magic at the MGM Grand before becoming their first major act with “Beyond Belief” at the Frontier Hotel. In 1988 Wynn hired wizards made in Germany for his new hotel The Mirage. The first of 5750 appearances by Siegfried and Roy took place in 1990 in the specially built 5000-seat theater. All shows until the last one on October 3, 2003 sold out.
Dismissed in 2009
What many don’t know: Siegfried and Roy gave an official farewell presentation almost six years later. Magicians of the century performed on February 28, 2009 at the “Keep Memory Alive – Power of Love” gala in Bellagio, where they made a tiger disappear. It was Montecore.
The duo has spent most of the past 17 years on their 40-acre “Little Bavaria” estate. In 2013, Fischbacher showed a reporter from the local newspaper “Las Vegas Review-Journal” a mini-presentation of Roy as he had first appeared on the Mirage with Montecore. He also played a song called “Meditation,” Roy’s favorite song. Siegfried had played it for his partner in 2003 when he was struggling with his life in the intensive care unit.
Contact with fans was important to him.
Despite all the health restrictions, “The Fighter Roy”, as his partner called him, did not miss the opportunity to surprise his fans at “Siegfried and Roy’s Secret Garden Tiger Habitat” at the hotel “The Mirage”. Most recently, on his 74th birthday, he celebrated with his beloved tigers and once again explained his life motto to everyone: “When I’m at the door, I act. The show never ends! »Now the curtain has dropped on the” Showman, “but the Siegfried and Roy legend will always remain part of Las Vegas history.
