Oprah Winfrey stepped onto the Adelaide Entertainment Centre stage to roaring applause, befitting a dynamic woman who has helped shape television and media over the past 40+ years. Wearing a stylish two piece set by Aussie designer Zimmermann (a look created by her Adelaide stylist Annabel), Oprah settled into her armchair on the stage, opposite renowned Australian television presenter, author and journalist Melissa Doyle.
To set the mood for the night, the audience was immersed in a sweeping visual tribute to Oprah’s illustrious career, revisiting the defining interviews, milestones and influential moments that have shaped her legacy.
What unfolded over the next 120 minutes was a powerful, intimate conversation that traced the contours of a life built through extraordinary resilience, relentless self-belief, and a commitment to meaning over momentum.
Doyle’s interviewing style was warm and unobtrusive, giving Oprah space to revisit defining chapters of her life. Oprah’s storytelling — candid, often funny, and always intentional — reminded the audience why she has become one of the world’s most trusted voices.
Oprah spoke openly about the experiences that shaped her, from the early days of her career earning just $10,000 a year to the pivotal moment she turned down a higher-paying offer in order to stay and sharpen her craft. It was a decision rooted, she said, in “intention”—a recurring theme that became one of the night’s strongest threads. Throughout the evening she reminded the audience that intention, not desire, is what truly determines the direction of a life. “You become what you believe,” she said, reflecting on the beliefs that carried her through sexism, racism, and the doubts of others. It’s not enough to want success, she said, what matters is the why underneath every choice.
Oprah also explored the idea of presence with striking vulnerability, admitting that despite a life once defined by relentless travel and global demands, she has never valued slowing down more than she does now. In the past, her days were governed by rapid-fire itineraries — moving from place to place without truly inhabiting any of them. Now, she is committed to experiencing life rather than simply passing through it.
It’s why she takes the time to explore the cities she visits. In Adelaide, before stepping onstage, she wandered along the River Torrens, completed a 10-kilometre hike at Mount Lofty, chatted with fans, admired native wildlife, and rounded out her day with a long lunch at Penfolds Magill Estate. These moments, she said, are no longer incidental, they are the point.
She spoke openly about being an introvert with extroverted tendencies — someone who thrives in connection but needs solitude to recharge. These reflections tied neatly into her larger message of living with intention and prioritising experiences that bring meaning rather than noise.
Another powerful theme of the evening was Oprah’s belief that strength is forged through adversity — and that layered strength, built again and again, becomes true power. She recounted her early years as a news anchor, when executives suggested she undergo a “makeover,” not just restyling her hair but — shockingly — altering her face through plastic surgery. She refused the surgery, but agreed to visit an exclusive New York salon to “fix” her hair. The stylists, unfamiliar with Black hair, severely damaged it, clumps fell out, painful scabs formed, and she ultimately lost most of it. The humiliation and trauma of that experience were compounded when she was removed from her anchor role, a loss that devastated her at the time.
Yet, in the way only hindsight can reveal, that heartbreak became a turning point. While working out the remainder of her contract, the station reassigned her to a modest talk show — a role she hadn’t sought, but one that allowed her natural empathy and curiosity to flourish. It was there, she told the audience, that she first felt aligned with her true purpose. “The day I sat on that first talk show, I knew that I had come home to myself.”
The most emotional section of the conversation centred on legacy. Oprah explained that legacy is not fame, it is the sum of every life you touch. She shared how an act of kindness she received as a child, when nuns visited her home one night with a Christmas hamper – during a time when her family couldn’t afford to celebrate Christmas – inspired her “Christmas Kindness” initiative, where she brings joy to children in South Africa. She also spoke about her Leadership Academy for Girls, where 889 students have completed college and 119 are currently enrolled — a living legacy of opportunity, empowerment, and spiritual partnership.
Her mentor Maya Angelou also made a powerful appearance in the conversation, via the enduring advice, “When people show you who they are, believe them the first time.” Oprah tied this to the idea that life’s hardest challenges are invitations to deeper self-understanding, if you’re willing to pay attention.
As the evening wrapped up, you could hear a pin drop, as the audience hung on every word. While I came to hear the stories of Oprah’s incredible journey, I left with an evening of life lessons under my belt, and a renewed sense of purpose.
Oprah’s Australian tour continues to Brisbane on Monday December 8th, and wraps up in Melbourne on Thursday December 11th.
More details can be found at https://premier.ticketek.com.au/shows/show.aspx?sh=BUTHLIYO25
