Revisiting the Golden Age of New York Magicians

All Of It with Alison Stewart | Mar 5

The late 19th and early 20th centuries were a special time for magic in New York, coinciding with the rise of vaudevilles, circuses, and mainstream theaters, as well as innovations in publishing and science. A new exhibit at the New York Public Library, "Mystery and Wonder: A Legacy of Golden Age Magicians in New York City," presents rare items from the NYPL's Library for the Performing Arts. Annemarie van Roessel, assistant curator of the Billy Rose Theatre Division, discusses what's on view, and the long history of magicians in New York.

Image: A promotional photo of Harry Houdini. Courtesy of Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

Be alert for scams. WNYC never asks for nor accepts money for coverage or interviews. Anyone making such a request does not represent WNYC.

Top Stories

Mayor Zohran Mamdani on the Stakes of the Midterms

Who’s Running This Place |

"These weren't just barn owls. This was a family."

A family of barn owls on the Upper West Side faces an uncertain future after their nesting site was disturbed by construction work.
WNYC News |

Defending the Midterms from Donald Trump

The reporter Barton Gellman discusses threats to the upcoming elections.
The New Yorker Radio Hour |

NJ's Best Pizza Joints; Brenda Iijima's New Brooklyn-based Haunted Thriller Novel

All Of It with Alison Stewart |
YOU ARE ONLINE