The world's top magicians will get up front and personal with Chinese audiences later this month. Different from the big stage illusions performed by David Copperfield, close-up magic is performed with the audience close to the magician, possibly in physical contact. It relies mostly on sleight of hand to realize skilful manipulation of cards, coins and other props.

"In recent years, with many famous stage magicians, such as David, coming to China to make performance, Chinese audiences are already quite familiar with the stage magic. But they rarely have chance to feel the high level of close-up magic performance," said Lin Jian, vice-president of China Acrobats Association.

He hoped the masters could ignite the Chinese passion for magic before the 2009 World Magic Championships to be held in Beijing, the largest magic festival in the world and organized by Federation of International Magic Societies (FISM).

Some world well-known close-up magicians are invited to come to Beijing.

Lennart Green from Sweden is one of the best card magicians in the world and has lectures and performed in more than 20 countries.

Dan LeFay from the Netherlands is a magic artist with a very distinctive style, almost treating close-up magic as if it were a small stage show.

Armando Lucero has been performing magic in Las Vegas for many years. His card system and matrix coin work are praised by everyone that has seen them.

The magic all happens at the Beijing Exhibition Centre Theatre on October 31.

(China Daily October 13, 2006)