After all my years in magic, I’d never been to FISM. This year I decided to go, and I’ve been looking forward to the event in Torino (Turin), Italy, organized by Walter Rolfo and his Masters of Magic team. I was warned not to scrimp. If I wanted to see FISM, I should pay for a VIP registration and do it right: the best seats, the most opportunities to see the contests, the shows, the lectures.
So, as a FISM newbie, let me tell you… there’s no other convention like it! The concentration of talent was amazing. The camaraderie was unique, like no other event I’ve attended. The groups, especially the European contingents from Spain, Germany, and Italy, came en masse to support the convention. The energy was wonderful and the magic was brilliant. Over the years, I’d heard about this “special FISM buzz,” and it was fantastic to actually experience it.
The opening show was a great example, and the organizers must have called in a lot of favors to assemble this all-star cast of past FISM champions. There were more than a half-dozen FISM winners setting the tone for the rest of the convention, and the performances were wonderful. Rolfo emceed, and the show featured Jason Latimer, Norbert Ferré, Miguel Muñoz, Yann Frisch, Hector Mancha, Laurent Piron, and Yu Ho-Jin. Each earned a standing ovation.
Opening Gala show performance. LEFT: Norbert Ferré RIGHT: Jason Latimer / Photos by Arto Airaksinen
The convention was beautifully branded and organized. The famous Italian stereotype of not keeping to a schedule was, frankly, a myth. Everything ran neatly and efficiently. The FISM staff was wonderful and helpful. The stage crew was hardworking. The close-up magic was shown off beautifully in a theater featuring raked seating and a large screen. The main theater left a lot to be desired. But I’ll get to that soon.