MEXICO CITY -- Houdini: La Magia del Amor (Houdini: The Magic of Love), the Mexican musical biography, celebrated its 200th performance at Mexico City's Teatro Benito Juarez Aug. 5.
It's a tradition in Mexico to celebrate each 100 performances of a show by inviting special guests to unveil a commemorative engraved plate that is later mounted in the foyer of the theatre. With this tradition, foyers of Mexico City's theatres are like museums with plates honoring all their successful productions.
This time, two of Mexico's most popular entertainment journalists, Mayra Saucedo and Juan Jose Origel (host of the TV show "La Botana"), unveiled the commemorative plate that celebrates the success of this musical, which tells the passionate and romantic life of the legendary magician/escape artist Harry Houdini.
Among the theatre folks the visited Houdini that night were Kitty de Hoyos (currently in Quien, Yo?), Marga Lopez, Rosita Quintana, Isaura Espinoza and Alejandro Tomassi (from Aventurera).
According to Antonio Calvo, composer and co-producer of the show; he is currently in negotiations with producers around the world who are interested in producing this musical in their cities, and said that "Madrid, Buenos Aires, Tokyo, New York and London are the cities that might feel Houdini's Magic of Love in the following years." The cast recording with highlights from Houdini was released by AC Records April 11. Songs included in the 15-track recording are "Las Tres Bodas" ("The Three Weddings"), a number in which Harry Houdini (Enrique Chi) and Bess Rahner (Lorena D' la Garza) get married; "La Magia del Amor" ("The Magic of Love"), a love theme sung by Harry Houdini (Enrique Chi); "Siempre te Amare" ("I'll Love You Forever") sung by Bess in a scene set at Houdini's grave; and "Mi Decision" ("My Resolution"), a quartet sung by Houdini, Bess, Houdini's Mother (Lupita Sandoval) and Theo Houdini (Luis Elizondo).
This CD can be purchased outside Mexico through Footlight Records in New York, Dress Circle in London and Sound of Music in Germany.
Houdini: La Magia del Amor appears at Mexico City's Teatro Benito Juarez, Thursday and Friday 8:30 PM; Saturday 5:30 PM and 8:30 PM; Sunday 6 PM. For tickets ($150-$80 Mexican Pesos) call Ticketmaster at (52-5) 325-9000.
-- By Claudio Carrera
Mexico Correspondent
