Luís de Matos (born 23 August 1970, full name Luís Manuel Curcialeiro Godinho de Matos)[1] is a Portuguesemagician. He was the co-winner of the "Golden Grolla" in 2013 alongside Lu Chen and Dynamo.[2]
He was the youngest magician ever to receive "The Devant Award" from The Magic Circle (October 19, 2013).[3]
He had his first guest appearances on television in 1990; then, two years later, he hosted his own television series entitled "Isto é Magia!" ("This is Magic").[2] This was followed by several other TV magic shows.[1]
In 1995, he predicted the winning numbers of Portugal’s national lottery one week's time in advance and, as one journalist put it, went overnight “from being ‘the cute kid who does tricks’ into the David Copperfield of Portugal.”[4]
In the following years, he won several international prizes, such as the "Magician of the Year" (Hollywood Academy of Magical Arts−999) and the “Mandrake d’or” (French Society of Magicians−2000).[2]
In 2003, he cooperated in preparing the opening ceremony for the Estádio do Dragão in Porto. During that ceremony, he had bags with pieces of blue silk distributed to the audience and asked them to hold the pieces aloft simultaneously. Then, he made all the 52,000 pieces of silk vanish, a trick that entered the Guinness Book of Records.[4]
He has made appearances and starred as a regular in TV shows worldwide, like "Shalakabula" in Spain, BBC”The Magicians”, and its latest Spanish version, “Por Arte de Magia”.[5] He had a program for ten years on TVG.[1]
In 2010, in collaboration with David Britland and Marco Tempest, Luis de Matos organized The Essential Magic Conference, at that time the first online magic conference.[2] His most ambitious project to date is the creation of ESTÚDIO33 in Ansião, which is at the same time a TV studio, workshop, documentation center, and museum.[1]
Luis de Matos "Special Fellowship Award" by the Hollywood Academy of Magical Arts, April 2013.
In 2013 Luis de Matos received his third award by the Hollywood Academy of Magical Arts, the “Special Fellowship Award."[6]
He organizes the annual “Street Magic Festivals” in Portugal.[7]
Television
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1990. First professional appearance on RTP1 Christmas Special ('Natal dos Hospitais') as the ceremony's host.
1991. Hosts a ten-minute spot on a morning show called 'Espaço Mágico' (13 episodes) on RTP1.
1992. Writes and hosts 'Isto é Magia' ('This is Magic') series (40 episodes) on RTP1.
1991. Participates as game show host on 'Caça ao Tesouro' ('Treasure Hunt') for 96 episodes on RTP1.
1992. Writes and hosts 'Isto é Magia' ('This is Magic') (26 episodes) on RTP1.
1994. Writes and hosts 'Noite Mágica' ('Magic Night') (26 episodes) on RTP1.
2011. Participates on RTP1 live gala show 'PORTUGAL APLAUDE' dedicated to arts.
2012. This is Magic, (2 TV Shows) recorded for MBCSouth Korea.
2013. Por Arte de Magia recorded in Spain for Antena 3.
2017. Luis de Matos Impossível live on RTP1 Portugal.
Tours
1999. "A Magia de Luis de Matos" ("Luis de Matos Magic"/"Mobile Theatre Tour") - first national tour (Portugal), 45 cities, 245 shows took place in a special venue created and designed by Luis de Matos called “Teatro Móvel” ("Mobile Theatre").
