Press releases

GRODNO, 20 January (BelTA) – An international festival of illusionists will be held in Grodno for the first time, BelTA learnt from illusionist, coordinator of the Belarusian club Illusion in Grodno Oblast Nikolai Nardi.

The festival will be held in open concert and competition format on 8-9 February.

On 8 February prominent illusionists from around the world will hold seminars, lectures and master classes for beginners. They, however, will not open the secret of their tricks to the general public. A competition of illusionists will be held on the same day. Applications for the participation in the festival are received from different countries. It is already known that partaking in the competition will be magicians from Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia. The contest will be held in three nominations (Card Tricks, Micromagic and Salon Magic) and two age categories – under and over 25.

Two gala concerts will be held on 9 February. The stars of the genre will perform on the stage of Grodno Oblast Drama Theater. According to Nikolai Nardi, among the performers will be well-known illusionists such as Chairman of the Russian Association of illusionists Vladimir Rudnev, prize-holder of international competitions in Monte Carlo and Baden-Baden Piotr Stasevich from Minsk, winner of the TV show Phenomenon Vlad Krivonogov from Kyiv. Magician-prestidigitator, finalist of the Amaze Me TV show Vasily Trunov from Minsk will show one of the most complicated and mind bending tricks – levitation. Yuri Monchak from Kyiv will demonstrate his show Laser Man. The program will also include the performance of Ukrainian artist, contemporary Houdini from Lugansk Mikhail Yasko and others. It is expected that partaking in the festival will be about 70 artists from different countries.

According to Nikolai Nardi, the festival will provide a good opportunity to discuss an issue of creating the Belarusian Association of illusionists. According to him, there is not such an organization in the country. Belarusian magicians cannot represent their country at international competitions and have to perform on behalf of the associations of other countries.

The festival will be held under the auspices of the Belarusian club Illusion. Among the organizers of the forum are also the Cultural Center of Grodno and the department of ideology, culture and youth affairs of the Grodno City Council.