ARTISTS 2026
GUEST OF HONOR:
SHIGEO FUTAGAWA (JP)
Shigeo Futagawa is a living legend of Japanese close-up magic. His influence on close-up magic in Japan and on the country’s magic community is undeniable.
Born in Yokohama in 1943, Futagawa became interested in magic at a young age. While studying at Keio University, he met the legendary Shigeo Takagi, who became his teacher, mentor and friend. Futagawa also had the opportunity to learn from such masters as Edward Marlo, Fred Kaps and Tenkai, and as early as 1972, he toured the United States and Canada lecturing on magic.
Futagawa is particularly known for his elegant, natural and exceptionally refined coin and card magic. His Introduction to Coin Magic, published in English in 1978, has become a classic of coin magic. Futagawa was ahead of his time – he showed an entire generation of Japanese magicians that coin magic could be a serious branch of close-up magic in its own right, rather than simply a collection of individual tricks. He has since published numerous books and effects, and in 1984 he received the prestigious Tenkai Prize.
Now, after more than six decades in magic, Shigeo Futagawa will travel from his hometown of Yokohama to Finland for the very first time to perform and lecture at Magia 2026!
This unique visit is made possible by Oy Taikaministeriö Ab!
YANN FRISCH (FR)
World Champion of Close-Up Magic Yann Frisch is one of the most significant magicians of his generation. Frisch is known as one of the leading figures of the French Magie Nouvelle movement, where magic meets theatre, contemporary circus and clowning.
After winning the Grand Prix in Close-Up Magic at FISM in 2012, Frisch rose to international fame among both magicians and general audiences.
His legendary Baltass act has taken him around the world, and alongside appearances at magic conventions, he has created several successful solo shows in his native France and founded his own theatre company, L’Absente.
At the Magia Gala Show, Frisch will perform his legendary Baltass act, and in his first lecture in Finland, he will share his thinking and approach to creating original magic.
DENIS BEHR (DE)
Germany’s Denis Behr is one of the most respected masters of card magic today, with a depth of knowledge and technical skill that is hard to match. The New York Times wrote of him, “Behr is a superstar in the world of card magic,” while Genii magazine has called him “the most interesting man in magic.”
Magicians will know Behr best from the Conjuring Archive and Conjuring Credits databases, as well as his Handcrafted Card Magic book series. In 2025, he was awarded the Max Maven Award at the FISM World Championship of Magic.
Behr’s full-evening show The King on Cards in Munich regularly sells out, and he has lectured and performed extensively around the world: at major conventions, the Magic Castle in Hollywood, and 69 Atlantic in New York.
Now he finally arrives at the Magic Days to lecture and perform. If you’re interested in close-up magic, card technique, or building strong routines, this is not one to miss!
MAESTRO VORONIN (UKR)
Ukraine’s Yevgeniy Voronin is considered one of the finest comedy magicians in the world – and for good reason. He is one of those performers who is almost impossible to describe with just one title. He is a magician, comedian, actor and director, but above all a unique entertainer who has been charming audiences for decades with an act that has become a true classic of variety entertainment.
After graduating from the Kyiv Circus School in 1988, Voronin has built an exceptional international career, taking him to some of the world’s most prestigious variety and dinner show stages, including Wintergarten in Germany and Crazy Horse in France. Even today, he remains one of the most sought-after variety performers in the world.
We have been trying to bring Voronin to Finland for years, and finally the schedules worked out. He will not only perform in the Gala Show, but will also give one of his first lectures for magicians. In his lecture, Voronin will share his thoughts on creativity, comedy, act construction, improvisation and even restaurant magic.
This is an opportunity not to be missed!
CHARLIE CAPER (SE)
Sweden’s Charlie Caper is one of the most internationally successful magicians in the Nordic countries. He has performed in 76 countries and in seven different languages.
In 2009, Caper won Sweden’s Talang, becoming the first magician in the history of the international Got Talent format to win the competition. Later that same summer, he won the silver medal in Parlour Magic at the FISM World Championships of Magic. In 2011, he was awarded the prestigious Mandrake d’Or.
Caper’s magic, however, is difficult to sum up through competition success alone. He has travelled the world as a street performer, appeared in London’s West End, headlined the world’s largest magic convention in Blackpool, and created numerous full-evening theatre shows. His productions have won awards at the Fringe festivals in Edinburgh, Adelaide and Perth. At this year’s Edinburgh Fringe, every one of Caper’s performances was sold out.
Before becoming a professional magician, Caper worked as a programmer, and his career has since extended into the worlds of robotics and artificial intelligence. Among other things, he has worked as Chief Creative Officer at Furhat Robotics, a company developing social robotics, and has been working with language models since years before the current AI boom.
At Magia, Charlie Caper will perform in the Gala Show and, for the first time in Finland, give a lecture on creating powerful magic, performance, and his theory of magic.
AXEL ADLER (SE)
Sweden’s Axel Adler is an innovative voice in contemporary magic, blending illusion, object manipulation, and contemporary circus into a striking form of visual theatre. In his work, movement, space, and rhythm are just as important as the magic itself, creating performances that feel almost dreamlike – somewhere between a traditional magic show, contemporary dance, and visual theatre.
Adler has appeared twice on Penn & Teller: Fool Us and released a highly acclaimed Penguin Live lecture. He has also performed and lectured around the world, including at the Magic Castle, Magic Live, FISM, the Blackpool Magic Convention, and The Session.
At Magia 2026, Adler will premiere his brand-new full-evening show ”Axel Adler: Enchantments”!
CHRISTIAN ENGBLOM (FI)
Christian Engblom is one of the most internationally renowned names in Finnish magic. Over the decades, he has performed, lectured and taught around the world, leaving his mark on modern card magic. Engblom’s new show, Salaisuus, premiered at Magia 2025.
Engblom has fooled Penn & Teller twice, toured the world with his lectures and worked as a magic consultant for David Blaine. He is also known as a member of the Fat Brothers, a FISM judge, and the creator of the Anti-Faro technique and The Cooler deck switch. His Penguin Live lecture, released this summer, has received outstanding reviews.
On Saturday night at Magia, you won’t see a typical Christian Engblom lecture. An Evening with Christian Engblom is a glimpse into Engblom’s magic and the stories behind it. We’ll talk about magic, his career, people, ideas and everything that comes with decades spent in the international world of magic.
This evening has not been scripted in advance – and that’s exactly why anything can happen. Only at Magia!
PETE POSKIPARTA (FI)
Pete Poskiparta is Finland’s most internationally awarded mentalist, who has amazed audiences both on television and on numerous theatre tours. In 2019, the professional mentalists’ organization PEA honoured Poskiparta with the prestigious Dunninger Memorial Award.
Poskiparta has served as President of the Finnish Magic Circle, and is also known to the general public as a radio personality and as an annual performer on the Maagikot tour.
In 2025, Poskiparta amazed the Magia Gala Show audience with his incredible mind reading. This year, he returns to Hanasaari for the Stand Up Magic Night to perform something at least as amazing – and just as funny!
TAIKURI LUTTINEN (FI)
A living legend of Finnish magic, often considered Finland’s national magician – Taikuri Luttinen comes to Hanasaari for the very first time!
Luttinen is probably best remembered from the legendary children’s TV show Pikku Kakkonen, but at Magia you will see a side of him you never knew existed: Stand Up Magic by Jarmo Luttinen!
At the Stand Up Magic Night, Luttinen takes the audience on a nostalgic journey into his world of magic, filled with his unmistakable humour and backed by more than 40 years of experience.
These are not the tricks you saw on TV as a kid – see Luttinen live at Magia!
KRISTIAN NIVALA (FI)
Kristian Nivala is known for his distinctive approach to close-up magic, and his magic has taken him around the world, from the prestigious invitation-only FFFF convention to the Magic Castle in Hollywood.
In 2009, Nivala represented the Finnish Magicians’ Association at the FISM World Championships of Magic in China, bringing home the silver medal in Card Magic.
This award-winning act has not been seen in Finland for years, but finally, at the Magia Gala Show, Nivala has promised to perform a new version of his FISM act. Only at Hanasaari – don’t miss it!
HUGO KOMARO (FI)
Hugo Komaro is a 15-year-old magician from Helsinki, specialising in intimate close-up and stand-up magic. He is particularly interested in combining the beauty of classical magic with the diversity of contemporary magic.
Hugo has also worked as an actor in television and film, and his natural performance style and stage presence, together with his exceptional skills in magic, have delighted and amazed both audiences and fellow magicians.
At the Magia Gala Show, you will have the chance to experience Hugo’s incredible magic!
J-P PIRINEN (FI)
J-P Pirinen is a long-time professional magician from Kouvola, whose passion for magic began after seeing Markku Purho, the father of Taikapäivät, perform. Alongside his work as a magician and balloon artist, J-P has also appeared on the popular TV show Lego Masters Finland.
J-P performs around Finland as children’s magician JiiPee – Keksijä Pirinen – and now he brings his hilarious family magic show to Hanasaari!
Children’s magician JiiPee performs in Hanasaari’s Celsius Hall on Saturday, October 10, 2026 at 2:30 PM. Bring the whole family and start the autumn holiday with some magic!
ELMO HUOVILA (FI)
Elmo Huovila is a Helsinki-based magician and magic creator, known for his original, creative magic that fools even other magicians.
Elmo describes himself as a jack of all trades in the world of magic. Alongside organising Magia every year, he serves as President of the Finnish Magicians’ Association and Vice President of the Finnish Magic Circle, and works as an organiser of numerous magic events, performer, writer, magic history archivist, consultant and host.
At Magia, you can find Elmo hosting the public shows, performing in the Stand Up Magic Night, leading a workshop for young magicians, keeping the programme on schedule, stuffing convention badges into bags at the information desk – and enjoying lectures by some of his favourite magicians.
MARKUS TERVO (FI)
Markus Tervo is one of the leading names in modern Finnish magic. A six-time Finnish Champion of Magic, Tervo is a founding member of Helsinki’s own magic theatre, Taikatemppeli, a former President of the Finnish Magicians’ Association, and a magician who has performed and lectured internationally. He has also appeared on the hugely popular Penn & Teller: Fool Us.
At the 2025 Magia Gala Show, Tervo charmed the audience with his stage magic. This year, he returns to perform an exclusive Close-Up Show for the VIP guests of the Gala Show!
Some of the finest close-up magic in Finland, right in front of your eyes – don’t miss it!