The only thing we knew for sure was that there would be many grand costume changes, and we weren’t disappointed. Cher went through 11 Bob Mackie-designed outfits during opening night of her all-new Las Vegas residency production Classic Cher at Park Theater on February 8—including the iconic (and revealing) sheer, black ensemble she wore in the 1989 video for “If I Could Turn Back Time.” Now 70 years old, Cher rocked the look—and all the others—like no one else can, delivering a consistently powerful performance throughout the night. But it was during that memorable late-’80s track—paired with another rock ballad from the era, “I Found Someone”—that the colorful, career-spanning show hit its peak. The crowd of 5,000-plus went wild.
“Are you overcome with my talent, or just astonished that I’m here?” she joked after arriving onstage singing “Woman’s World.” She seamlessly transitioned back and forth from early hits like “The Beat Goes On” and “Half-Breed” to more contemporary club favorites like “Strong Enough.” Cher has held a Vegas residency before, but her new show is a creative reinvention, which makes sense considering the way she has reinvented herself throughout 50 years in the spotlight. She clearly isn’t finished yet. Classic Cher at Park Theater, February 14-25.
