So penarrubia lounge has been written about Antoni Gaudi and his association with Barcelona that it is practically inconceivable to undertaking to that pearl of the Mediterranean without having at the very least investing some time admiring the sinuous extravagances of the architect’s fanciful imagination. But Barcelona is full of unusual outlets, bars and dining establishments that have been likely about their organization because just before Sr. Gaudi picked up his very first pencil.
At amount eleven Carrer de la Princesa, a painted be-turbaned head glares out from the curve of a large blue question mark. Under it a glass display circumstance retains taking part in cards, puzzles, wands and intricate explanations of the illusionist’s artwork. This is El Rey De La Magia, established in 1881 and the oldest magic store in Spain.
Soon just before Gaudi commenced operate on the Segrada Familia, Joaquin Portagas turned intrigued with the world of illusion. After a excursion to South The usa the place he realized some new tips and strategies, he decided to just take a total-time phase into the magic globe and opened El Rey de la Magia, a courageous step at a time when only a handful of individuals comprehended and practiced the illusionist’s artwork. At that time magic was mainly done on avenue corners, in marketplaces and bars – it would not become really well-liked until the 1930’s, when it lastly entered the theatres and grew to become a major interest.
In the store, and the little museum of magic nearby, posters likely again to the early several years of the very last century advertise the well-known magicians of the day, a variety of them dressed in flowing Chinese robes. The bright costumes were seen as really exotic when they 1st appeared, and in addition to – there was a lot of room to hide things!
In 1933 the very first magic team in Spain was began in Barcelona, the Asociación Catalana Illusionistas – and achieved in Quatro Gats, the same café the place Picasso, Joan Miró and other artists, writers and poets would meet up with. Magic was seen by numerous as portion of the arts in individuals times.
By the time José Maria Martinez took in excess of the store the magic organization experienced been in decline for a quantity of years – there was even talk of converting the home into a bar. At that time he and his spouse, Rosa Maria Llop, have been professional actors but incorporated magic in their specifically developed performances, some thing they nevertheless do these days.
Magic is now a extremely common pastime yet again, and even even though most people quite like the very grand David Copperfield-type illusions, it really is nevertheless the near-up, a lot more personal stage performances that individuals genuinely desire. And you do not get considerably a lot more near-up and intimate than the performances held at their small theatre, in which toddlers to granddads goggle in awe at the ‘magical’ Sunday demonstrates.
The theatre is element of a museum of historic magic props (the place you can see Rosa’s grinning head mysteriously suspended in a glass case), but in the workshop beneath, José Maria performs devising new methods for buyers planet-extensive, though in the entire world of magic practically nothing really alterations.
Basically magic is outlined by a few guidelines – levitation, changing colour, form or location, and breaking some thing apart and placing it collectively again. Even if you’re chopping someone’s head off you still have to put it back again again or where’s the magic? There just isn’t – it’s then known as murder!
The most critical issue in magic is producing the real truth of one thing that will not exist. That arrives down to method, you need to have to target the public’s consideration exactly where you want it. A single of the most hard illusions to do is levitation due to the fact it demands about 4 minutes to set up, in complete public look at, and 4 minutes is a extremely extended time for a magician to stand on phase and do absolutely nothing.
I am a freelance journalist residing in Valencia Metropolis, Spain, although my work requires me throughout the region. My work is pretty extensive ranging, each in topic and geography, but my coronary heart lies in Spain, which is exactly where most of producing concentrates on. I’ve composed two productive information guides to the Valencian region, on Spain’s japanese coast, Inland Outings from the Costa Blanca and Modest Accommodations and Inns of Jap Spain, as effectively as several content articles for nationwide and intercontinental press. Although most of my perform attributes the idiosyncratic facet of Spain, I have also created thoroughly on wine, gastronomy and accommodations.