Who saves a child,
helps a piece of sky
to illuminate the world
Mago Sales, stage name of Don Silvio Mantelli, was born in Novello (CN) on January 22, 1944.
Salesian priest and magician, he is known for his volunteer missions around the world: through magic, Don Silvio has devised projects and shows to bring a smile to disadvantaged children in Africa, America, and Asia.
Since childhood, he considered school as "a bitter medicine" and almost immediately understood that the path to magic would hold many surprises.
In 1955, while already undertaking Salesian studies, he was deeply impressed by a circus that stopped for a show right in Novello (CN): he even decided to run away with them, but the experience turned out to be a failure as he was brought back home after just a few hours.
In 1957, he staged his first magic show under the name of Mago Mandrake.
In 1963, he joined as a Salesian novice at Monte Oliveto, near Pinerolo: here he became aware of a manual on magic tricks that deeply marked his path as a magician. Soon he began preparing the first shows for the boys from the oratory.
He moved for three years to Canavese, graduating and becoming an elementary school teacher.
During those years, he founded his first magic circle dedicated to the founder of the Salesian Fathers, Don Bosco.
In 1966, he joined the Italian Magic Circle in Turin, where he became acquainted with some great artists in the field of magic tricks.
In 1969, he moved for four years near Naples studying Theology and learning the games of three-card monte and pea and shell. Later he returned to Piedmont, spending time in Saluzzo and Cuneo, graduating in Pedagogy in Turin.
The acquaintance with a young Arturo Brachetti took place in 1980, when the world's most famous impersonator was a boy attending a summer camp at the Salesian colony of Gressoney (AO).
It was the beginning of a deep and long friendship.
These were the years of Mandruga "the Wrinkle-Removing Witch," the clown Sbrendola, the Chinese Magician "To me the eyes," the "Ghost with asthma," and many others.
In 1983, he spent some time in Montecarlo working as a assistant director for two television programs: "Business is Business" and "Bim Bum Bambino".
Shortly after, he concluded this experience to move to Grugliasco (TO), resuming his work as a teacher and magician.
In 1992, with the help of Arturo Brachetti, he staged his first major magic show, a comedy entitled "Around the World in 80 Minutes".
He wasted no time in making the project a reality, starting to travel around the world among African villages, the Andes, Indonesia, and Brazil, carrying tricks, costumes, wand, and magic top hat.
These were the years of the great shows aimed at people in need of help: noteworthy was the one that took place in front of Mother Teresa of Calcutta.
