Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Three questions for high-wire royalty Lijana Wallenda-Hernandez

Liljana Wallenda-Hernandez

Nam Y. Huh / AP

Lijana Wallenda.

The Details

Absinthe
Tuesday, Thursday-Saturday, 8 & 10 p.m., $79-$109.
At Caesars Palace, 800-745-3000.

If you thought the Absinthe backstory couldn’t get any crazier, think again. Lijana Wallenda-Hernandez--great granddaughter of high-wire daredevil Karl Wallenda and seventh-generation member of the Wallenda circus family--is joining the cast. More specifically, she’s filling in through May 1 for her husband, Tony, one of the Esteemed Gentlemen of the High Wire.

What would you do if you weren’t a tightrope walker? Would your family disown you?

No, they’ve always pushed me to follow my dreams and do whatever I wanted. I’m a costume designer, too, so if I weren’t a tightrope walker, I’d probably do that ... but performing is my first love.

How did you meet Tony?

We met when we were 6 and 8. Our families were performing at a circus together. And then we re-met when I was 17 and he was 19 at the dollar movies—that’s where all the circus kids hung out. We’ve been together ever since.

Are they going to have to change the name “Esteemed Gentlemen of the High Wire”?

Um … yeah! Or maybe just add “Lady.”

Join the Discussion:

Check this out for a full explanation of our conversion to the LiveFyre commenting system and instructions on how to sign up for an account.

Full comments policy