The last "chan-tatachán" of Juan Tamariz: the magician who marked several generations dies at 83

Juan Tamariz has died this Tuesday at the age of 83 in the Hospital Clínico San Carlos in Madrid. His daughter Ana Tamariz has confirmed the death of the man who brought magic to millions of homes and turned a deck of cards, a top hat, and an imaginary violin into part of the sentimental memory of several generations.

"With immense sadness, today I say goodbye to my father Juan Tamariz, an incredible person, much loved and admired by all," his daughter wrote. Ana, who inherited his passion and directs La Gran Escuela de Magia, also thanked him for "all the love for Magic he gave us" and had words for the family, friends, magicians, and healthcare professionals who accompanied him until his last day.

Juan Manuel Tamariz-Martel Negrón was born in Madrid in 1942 and discovered magic when he was barely four years old. At 18, he joined the Spanish Society of Illusionism after years of devouring books and trying out tricks in front of any family member willing to watch. He went through the Faculty of Physics and the Official Film School, although cards ended up occupying the center of his life.

His international consecration came in 1973, when he won the first world prize in card magic in Paris. That recognition opened a career that made Tamariz one of the great theorists of contemporary magic. He wrote dozens of books, gave lectures all over the world, and shared his knowledge with successive generations of illusionists. Luis Piedrahita recalled on 'RNE' his "gigantic and excessive generosity" and the card magic school he built around him.

The general public knew him in spaces like 'Un, dos, tres... responda otra vez', where he appeared as Don Estrecho, and found him again for decades in numerous programs and shows. His long hair, his top hat, the "chan-tatachán" and that violin that only he could play broke with the solemnity of the classic magician. Tamariz called his acts "games" and managed to make the spectator forget the most obvious question for a moment to surrender to astonishment.

"The beautiful thing is to share," he said when talking about the relationship between magicians. That's what he did throughout his life. He shared secrets, laughs, books, and a way of looking at the world with wide-open eyes. Now his magic remains in the hands of all those who learned to shuffle by watching him.