Christian Farla

Christian Farla

Christian Farla is a Dutch illusionist/magician whose homebase is in Barendrecht, near Rotterdam. Christian Farla is one of the few magicians who are specialized in mega-illusions. In 2006 and 2009, he won the Merlin Award, the highest international award for magicians.

Biography

Christian was born in Rotterdam on May 5, 1970. When he was 8 years old, he began performing magic at birthday parties of his schoolmates. When he was twelve, he won the Dutch Junior Championships for stage magic and decided to become an illusionist. During school holidays, he traveled with the circus and learned about performing for large audiences. In 1992, he met his future partner and magic assistant, Bianca, who was performing as a dancer in a same show he was performing in. On August 19, 2008, their son, Ryan, was born.

Christian Farla

In 1993, 1999 and 2001, the magic duo won the first prize in the Dutch Magic Championships. In 1996 they got their first big contract with Vd Ende Events to perform in many large productions in the Studio´s in Aalsmeer. After winning the Henk Vermeyden Trophy, Christian Farla got a contract for 80 shows for the Sunflower Foundation Tour. They got spotted by Frank Wentink who offered them a place in the grand scale Dinnershow in Hilversum. When Hans Klok left the Amazing Efteling Show in the amusement park The Efteling, Christian Farla took over his part in the show. New illusions were created and he won the award for Best Show in an Amusement Park Worldwide in 2003.

After more than 2000 shows in Studio 21 and The Efteling in 2003 and 2004, the duo was invited for a couple of shows in Las Vegas by Siegfried and Roy. David Copperfield (illusionist), who was visiting one of this shows was blown away by Christian's act and soon after, the two become friends. This resulted in the exchange of magic acts like the Drill of Death and Steelplate, where one of Christian's assistants seems to be floating through a plate of steel.

After all the success, Christian Farla started his first tour with a grand scale 2-hour illusion show through Holland in 2006. The International Magicians Society awarded this with the Merlin Award, sometimes called the Oscar in magic, for magician of the year. He also received the Champion d’Europe de Magie in Lido Paris in 2007. After three years performing during summer holidays in the amusement park Drievliet, he switched to the larger Walibi World Themepark in 2009. There Christian received the Merlin Award for the second time in April 2009.

Christian Farla

Awards

• 2006 'Merlin-award for Magician of the year'
• 2007 'Champion de Europe de Magie' in Parijs
• 2008 'Mandrake O Dor Award'
• 2009 'Merlin-award for Magic Show of the Year 2009'

See also

• Magic (illusion)
• Illusionists

References

• Official website
• ARNO GELDER (01-08-2008). "Christian Farla: een geboren goochelaar" (in Dutch). AD.nl. http://www.ad.nl/cultuurenshow/2495229/Christian_Farla_een_geboren_goochelaar.html. 
• "Christian Farla weer Beste Illusionist ter Wereld" (in Dutch). de Volkskrant. 01 Jan 1996. http://www.volkskrant.nl/binnenland/article1184647.ece/Christian_Farla_weer_Beste_Illusionist_ter_Wereld. 

External links

• Official website
• Fansite of Walibi World
• 2008 promo on YouTube
• 2008 Brochure (pdf)

Persondata
Name	Farla, Christian
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Date of birth	1970
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