Lionel Dellberg is a magician from Valais. He amazed the world of magic with a milk carton and won the prestigious “Fool Us” award in Las Vegas. Now he was able to accept it.
Autor:
Rachel Spirig
03.09.2024, 09:25
It was 2021, in the middle of the corona pandemic, when Lionel Dellberg joined the American magic show “Fool Us” via video call. With a carton of milk, he achieved the unimaginable: He conjured up various drinks from the carton, including wine and apple juice.
A trick that amazed even professionals
How could Lionel pour different drinks out of the same container and then tear it apart in front of everyone without damaging it? What was special about this trick was not only the perfection with which it was performed, but also the fact that even the experts and magicians Penn & Teller could not figure out how the trick worked.
Caption: Lionel Dellberg shows his milk trick on stage in Las Vegas instagram / lioneldellberg
A new, unprecedented method that secured Dellberg’s victory. “The magic trick is now certainly more internationally known than I am,” says the Valais native.
A victory with great consequences
The success of “Fool Us” has changed Lionel Dellberg’s life and career forever. Since then, demand for his performances has increased dramatically. His most recent performance in Las Vegas was particularly impressive, where he not only accepted his award in person a few days ago, but also had the opportunity to present his trick live on the big stage.
Caption: Lionel Dellberg shows the winner’s trophy of the talent competition “Fool Us”. Also present is the magic duo of the show: Penn & Teller. instagram / lioneldellberg
In a city known for its numerous magic shows and a discerning audience, Dellberg made a lasting impression.
Beginnings and detours
At the age of eight, he performed magic tricks at family celebrations, but his training initially took him in a different direction. After an apprenticeship as a geomatician, he earned a master’s degree in economics and at the same time laid the foundation for his artistic career by training as a movement actor at renowned schools in Zurich and Paris.
Legend: Lionel Dellberg is the first Swiss to win a prize with his performance in Las Vegas. instagram / lioneldellberg
Since graduating in 2010, Lionel has worked full-time as a magician and cabaret artist and has made a name for himself through appearances on TV shows and talent shows in Europe.
Valais or Vegas: Privately he prefers Switzerland
Dellberg originally comes from Brig-Glis and now lives in Bern. He is married and has two small children. The Swiss cannot imagine living in Las Vegas: “You’re in the middle of the desert.”
Legend: On September 6, 2024, the Valais magician will celebrate his premiere at the legendary Broadway Theater in New York. instagram / lioneldellberg
The magic of Las Vegas
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- David Copperfield: He had a permanent show at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, sold over 40 million tickets and made the Statue of Liberty disappear on live television.
- Penn & Teller: The duo Penn & Teller are known for their unconventional approach to magic. Their show at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino mixes clever illusions with humorous skepticism and has a loyal fan base.
- Siegfried & Roy: They shaped family-friendly entertainment in Las Vegas with their spectacular illusions and white tigers. They performed over 5,700 times at the Mirage. Their 13-year run ended on October 3, 2003, when Roy was seriously injured by a white tiger during a show on his 59th birthday.
The secret to success: linguistic versatility
Lionel is now an integral part of the Swiss cultural scene. In 2021 he was named “Valaisian of the Year” and in 2024 he received the Valais Cultural Prize. The 41-year-old Valais native is a true master of languages - he performs not only in German and English, but also in French and Spanish.
Lionel Dellberg says: “The structure and sentence order is different in every language. It is very difficult to adapt this to magic. Timing is everything.”
Caption: The magician through time. instagram / lioneldellberg
He seems to be mastering the challenge. His most recent programs such as “Your Truth” and “Rien que la vérité” were sold out. Lionel has been enjoying great success in western Switzerland in particular since autumn 2023, where his French-language program was enthusiastically received. He will continue his tour in late autumn 2024, while his new stage program will premiere in Bern in November.
