Balabrega’s Last Tour and Death



ARY BEZERRA LEITE

MAGIC SHOWS WERE CERTAINLY THE MOST POPULAR TYPE OF ENTERTAINMENT of the late nineteenth century in Brazil. The audiences favored this kind of spectacle and the first class theater managers accepted the illusionist as a source of large audiences and high profit. Among famous magicians who toured the country at that time, one specially remains in the memory of many: Balabrega - stage name of Swedish-American John Balabrega Miller. Born in Helsinborg, on August 20th 1857, he became well-known for his successful performances but was mostly remembered for his tragic death on stage at the Theater Santa Rosa, in the town of Parahyba do Norte, today João Pessoa, in the Northeast of Brazil.

The Balabrega family was of Jewish descent and built artistic reputation in Sweden and amid European cities thanks to Jacob Balabrega (1793-1859). He successfully toured Europe with a mechanical show featuring optical illusions, mechanical writing, projected images and more. In America, however, they got the public’s attention due to the controversial marriage, in 1800, between Juliana Catherine Balabrega (a beautiful young woman but lacking a distinguished family) and the wealthy aristocratic William Penn, legitimate heir of the early William Penn, founder of Pennsylvania.

In Brazil, the name Balabrega became well-known during the magician’s 1888 tour, when he shared his spectacle (a mix of magic, divination, mind reading acts and illusions) with his partner Emma Lynden whose performance included trained birds and playing unique musical instruments. When they started the tour in Belem - a city in the North of Brazil, - on July 19th, they were submitted to adverse conditions at the small Theatro-Circo. The audience was irreverent, malicious and offensive. The local press blamed the theater owner for the uncomfortable setting but while acknowledging Balabrega’s talent, they still pointed out that he had offered an illusionist spectacle without novelty, and was similar to shows previously presented by artists such as Hermann and Bosco.
Still, his name became very popular in the region, so much that the “Diario de Noticias”, a local newspaper published in Belem, justified the low audience of a new traveling prestidigitator in 1889, by explaining that the spectators were then cautious since “so many charlatans, so many ‘balabregas’ have appeared here”. In spite of these early problems, the 1888 tour was a real success once he arrived in Rio de Janeiro, then the capital of Brazil and the seat of the Imperial Court. There he gained recognition from the press and the applause of a select audience used to frequent the Imperial Theater S. Pedro de Alcantara. The Companhia Balabrega announced a great original program including in its repertoire Thaumar, the Black Art, Vivisection, Oriental Necromancy and Achmed Ben Ali.

Emma Lynden, Balabrega’s charming wife, was acclaimed not only for her musical talent playing instruments such as the xylophone, sleigh bells, glass cup harmonica, and bowls and bottles, but also for the exhibition of their trained canaries and the exercise of divination. She was cheered, for instance, for her exceptional performance of “Miserere”, from the Italian opera Il Trovatore by Giuseppe Verdi.

The Modern Miracles, as announced by Balabrega, included Galathea, a marble statue which became animated with human-like body movements; the Mysterious Cabinet; and real flowers which were turned into marble. The advertisement promised “A great phenomenon which has reached the greatest success in this Court and in all main capital cities around the world - Galathea. The spectator sees a marble statue becoming alive and the transmutation from body and soul into a skeleton, flowers, fish, etc., according to the pagan legend.” (Diário de Noticias, Rio de Janeiro, October 3, 1888, p.3)

The most important newspaper in the court, “O Paiz”, is prodigious in there consideration of Balabrega’s skills. It points out that “The so-called spiritual manifestations are prepared and performed in such an astonishing way that makes the spectator believe to be in front of a supernatural being, a Sybil, a creature truly mysterious”. (October 2, 1888, p. 2) And adds that: “the Mysterious Cabinet pleased very much, as it was expected, because among the different artists who have presented shows of the same kind in Rio de Janeiro, Mr. Balabrega is truly the most perfect one”. (October 6th 1888, p. 4)

After the successful performances in the Brazilian capital, between the 2nd and 7th of October, the magician went to São Paulo, and a short time later, on November 14, 1888, he appeared in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He stayed in the Argentinean capital for months and performed in different theaters. It was at the Theater Goldini, in March, 1889 that Balagrega and his partner Lynden presented a new and astounding attraction: the half-woman alive.

In the following decade, Balabrega toured Latin America, from Mexico to Argentina, always working alongside his beautiful partner. They presented a variety show including music, prestidigitation, mind-reading, necromancy, magic tricks, an extensive array of acts, which explains his popularity and reputation as a prominent magician. His success in Mexico City, from 1890 to 1893, is mentioned by Enrique Jiménez-Martínez in an article published in The Yankee Collector #7. The author states: “Contemporary noted magicians who saw Fu Manchu and Balabrega in performance gave them the status of masters. They deserve a right place in history.” (YMC#7, p. 27).

During the last years of the nineteenth century, the skilled magician, following the trend of the time, included in his shows the best of international artists who traveled through Latin America. His wife and partner Emma Lynden no longer performed with him and he engaged different artists to work in his coming tours.

In 1894, proceeding from Mexico and Central America, Balabrega toured the main Colombian cities. He performed in Bogota, then Barranquilla where he surprisingly announced he was starting a new life, quitting the tours, lights and the stage, to lead a stable and quiet existence as a common farmer among modest peasants. Although nothing came about to realize this dream, this was his declaration to the newspaper “El Anotador” on December 4, 1894. If accomplished, his intention to abandon his long-life dedicated to magic and traveling performances, and to move to agriculture, could have prevented his tragic death.

Balabrega never did leave the fascinating arena that was the essence of his life. At an early age he was taught the art of magic, and by the year 1878 went on stage as “The Swedish Wonder - The Boy Magician” with his own show in New York. Born in Helsinborg, Sweden, the closest point to Denmark and the main passage to Continental Europe, he left to America with his father when he was 11 years old. This young immigrant opened his road to fame performing in America and Europe, then expanding his route to include Latin American countries.

In the 1890’s, as so many other magicians Balabrega also tried to make profit from a new amazing technology, the Cinematograph. In 1897 he toured Central and South America with an Edison’s movie projector - the Vitascope. It was a fascinating spectacle, never before seen in most of the visited places. For this endeavor he included his name among the pioneers who traveled the Americas demonstrating to astonished audiences the admirable reality of images in movement - the Cinema.

On April 4th 1897, he arrived in the port of Colón de Panama, with his Compania Universal de Variedades. They announced a variety show including magic, trained canaries, the famous Serpentine Dance by Madame Elvira, and the special attraction never before seen in the isthmus: the Edison’s Vitascope. No doubt, therefore, Balabrega was the one who introduced the cinematographic spectacle in Panama and Colombia at least, and certainly took it from there to other regions.

Balabrega continued his theatrical vocation and the forces of destiny led him to many different countries on a permanent search for large and favorable audiences. At the closing of the nineteenth century he started his last artistic journey in Brazil. He planned to follow the same route of the successful 1888 tour, from North to South.

On Friday, March 30, 1900 the Companhia Norte-Americana Balabrega makes its debut in Belém, Para, at the Theater Polytheama, with his traditional prestidigitation, divination and variety show. Balabrega introduced his new partners Ela Carlington and Susie Goodwin, announced as celebrated American dancers, and the canzonet singer and dancer Nina Carabelli. Among the dance numbers, the greatest attraction was the Serpentine Dancer, a number, created by the famous American dancer Loie Fuller, which became well-known around the world through early motion pictures.

Continuing the tour, the company performed at the famous Theatro Amazonas in Manaus, a flourishing city in the Amazon. Although a limited run, due to other traveling theater companies in the area, these successful appearances - from April 29 to May 1 - marked Balabrega’s farewell to the North of Brazil. The great magician was now living his last days.

On Monday, May 14, he arrived in Fortaleza, capital of the state of Ceará, Northeast of Brazil, announcing three or four performances. The city had then 48,000 inhabitants and was frequently visited by stock companies, artists and entertainers. Favored for its geographical position, Fortaleza was a natural stop for steamer ships en route from Liverpool, Lisbon, North of Brazil and New York. The audience looked on as the beautiful Butterfly and the Serpentine dances were performed, yet eagerly anticipated the grand finale: Balabrega’s execution on stage, before the eyes of the spectators, by a rifle shot.

The local newspaper “A Republica” (May 18, 1900) made positive comments regarding his debut before a large first audience in the small theater of the Club Iracema, on May 17. The only negative comment was about one of the dance numbers performed by Miss Goodwin. The paper said:

In a crowded house the Companhia de Variedades presented their first performance which pleased generally, being the clou of the artistic function the last part of the spectacle: the serpentine and butterfly dances.

The prestidigitation works were all excellent and deserved the applause for the admirable neatness as they were executed.

The ballet was the dissonant note in the auspicious debut of the Companhia de Variedades. Fault of the orchestra or Miss Godwin’s grancherie, it was not possible to synchronize who danced with who played, and then…

Nevertheless, there was no lack of applause and last night was still very refreshing and shall be followed by the function of next Saturday when the Company promises surprises.

Above all, we would mostly appreciate it if Balabrega would send us, in these beaked times, the mysterious ladder with all those coins.

On the evenings of Saturday, May 19, and Sunday, May 20, the public replied in good attendance. The illusionist repeated his success, even when showing old and well-known tricks. The press recognized his skill, his outstanding perfection when performing. Mr Balabrega is - said one critic - incontestably, a knowledgeable magician.

His farewell show was performed on the night of Saturday, May 26. The night was marked by the presence of the Batalhão de Segurança band. It was a new night of amusing entertainment, but the critics were not favorable to Custodio, the clown, and the canzonet singer and dancer Nina Carabelli. Again all attention and applause was to the magic performance. The most sensational and ingenious trick was the “execution” of Balabrega who escaped by the skin of the teeth when shot by a rifle bullet.

These are some of the last memories of a great artist who dedicated his life to magic. A man who lived on stage, touring important cities and small towns, spreading out the best entertainment to all types of audiences. Balabrega canceled a last performance in Fortaleza in order to prepare his luggage to take the next steamer ship in his route to Rio de Janeiro.

In June 1900, Balabrega and his Company stopped in the State of Paraiba still in the Northeast of Brazil. The capital (now João Pessoa) was then called Parahyba do Norte and had 25,000 inhabitants. There they would perform at the Theatro Santa Rosa, opened in August 1889, and believed to be haunted since the time of its construction.

On Tuesday, June 12, after lunch, the artists and support crew were on the stage preparing that evening’s show. In the theater there were also the theater’s administrative and support staff and some curious people who found a discreet place in the audience to watch the rehearsals.

On stage a continuous bustle of people prepared the scenery and placed the mechanical and electrical apparatus used in the performance in the appropriate place. Meanwhile the dancers were doing a dress rehearsal. Nothing indicated that danger was so close to this artistic troupe and that the hand of death was preparing such a tragedy.

The lead performer, who dedicated more than half of his life to the magic arts, focused his attention on perfecting the light effects that were indispensable to the Serpentine dance number. In this performance the dancer wore gauzy garments and huge veils and by waving their arms would draw swirls in the air, constantly changing with the movements and enriched by the projection of successive and varied colored lights.

It was minutes before 5pm when Miss Susie Goodwin and other artists left the theater for the hotel. Balabrega and a close member of the crew, Louis Bartelli, stayed to test the projector for the color effects. The reservoir of gas of the hydrogen machine was not working well. It seemed to be caused by an obstruction in one of the tubes. Balabrega increased the pressure of the gas and inclined his face to blow into the tube, probably mixing the fire with the sulfuric acid or the gas. It was exactly 5 pm when a big explosion occurred. The loud boom was heard throughout the town and called the attention of the stunned population.

The stage instantly turned into an indescribable chaos, a tragic scene of fire and ruins, blood and mutilated bodies, cries and moans of pain from the injured. People passing by the downtown plaza ran to the theater. Lieutenant Antonio Miguel, businessman Antonio Paes Albuquerque, the theater janitor Joaquim Polari and the Turkish Miguel Assi were among those who volunteered to remove obstacles and saw the human bodies, apparently dead, in a Dantesque scene. The apron stage, the last drop curtain and the scenery were either smashed or on fire. The ceiling disappeared into flames, all the light fixtures were broken and the closest gallery, balcony and the right side box were destroyed.

The desolated rescuers saw the face of a young man who was dead, his body completely carbonized. Next to his right hand there was an amputated ear. Other two young employees in Balabrega’s company were covered in blood, suffering with broken limbs and other injuries, but still alive. They were Frank Maxwell and Allen J. Moore, both suffering light burns. A Brazilian spectator, named Frederico Gentil Esteves, born in Ceará - where the company had previously performed, was also injured and had a broken leg.

In the center of this scene was Balabrega, blood-stained, but still alive, he suffered severe injuries, including broken limbs and exposed viscera.

Dr. Sá Andrade arrived promptly for the initial medical care and confirmed the gravity of Balabrega’s condition. He had broken legs and arms and injuries throughout his entire body. It was urgent to remove the victims to the Hospital Santa Casa de Misericordia. That was done despite the fact that the city did not have appropriate vehicles for emergency transportation. Shortly after the hospital informed that Balabrega had died.

The following day the local people were desolated and the press mourned the tragic episode, describing the heroic fight of the fire brigade, members of the 17th Battalion, which succeeded in a prompt action to combat the flames and avoid the destruction of the theater. The newspapers Comercio and União, although diverging about the names of the victims, lamented the death of Magician Yau Balabrega, 43 years old, and the American citizen Louis S. Bartelli, 22 years old.

On Wednesday, June 13, at 4pm, by initiative of some American citizens living in the city, both victims of this tragedy received an honorable funeral ceremony, followed by a large number of people who mourned their deaths.

Close the curtains for Balabrega. Yet his name has remained in the popular language of the region. As he was a master of illusion, a great artist in the art of tricks to delude sensible audiences, the common people at the time created a new word in the Portuguese language, used in the Northeast of Brazil: balabrega - a noun meaning impostor, charlatan, deceiver… Indeed, Balabrega was in the best sense of the word a deceiver, because he was the most prominent professional in this eternal and fascinating art of illusion.

This article is dedicated to my daughter Ana Cristina Leite Powell who - gently - revised it.



Retired University professor and journalist ARY BEZERRA LEITE lives in Fortaleza, Ceará, in the Northeast coast of Brazil, and dedicates his time to historical research. He has published the books “Fortaleza e a Era do Cinema” and “História da Energia no Ceará” and maintains a website dedicated to the memory of the 7th Art [www.memoriadocinema.com.br]

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ARTIGO TRANSCRITO COM AUTORIZAÇÃO DE – YANKEE MAGIC COLLECTOR # 13 (NOVEMBRO 2008), ÓRGÃO OFICIAL DA NEMCA – NEW ENGLAND MAGIC COLLECTOR ASSOCIATION, EDITADA POR ED HILL E ANDREW J. PINARD.

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