Send healing thoughts for Volodymyr Martyniuk

Updated April 16th to add: You can leave your well wishes for Volodymyr via comment at the Canada's Got Talent website page titled "Volodymyr Martyniuk announcement."

From 680 news:

After appearing on Citytv's Breakfast Television in Toronto, Friday, Canada’s Got Talent contestant Volodymyr Martyniuk (aka Vladimir the Great) suddenly collapsed while leaving the Citytv building.

He was rushed to St. Mike’s hospital, where is undergoing treatment for a brain aneurysm.
Read more.

We wish Volodymyr a speedy recovery.


[With thanks to @daringderek for letting us know.]

Got Talent: And then there were two!

From Toronto.com:

Volodymyr Martyniuk the magician will join the semifinals on Canada’s Got Talent, host Dina Pugliese announced on Citytv’s Breakfast Television on Friday.

Read more.

You may recall that Vladimir the Great was the first magician put through after the auditions.  As of March 26th, Oslen (Nelson Chang) from BC was the last magician standing when the semifinalists were announced.

Both Vladimir and Oslen will next appear on Canada's Got Talent on April 22nd.

Good luck fellas!

Got Talent: Montréal and semifinalists

The Montréal Canada's Got Talent auditions featured a fun act by Benoit Fournier and David Gaudet.

The second episode of the night had the judges reviewing the 244 promoted acts and attempting to select only 36 acts go to the semifinals. 

Here's a big shout out to all of the magicians featured on the show: Vladimir the Great, Neil Croswell, Ryan Joyce, Mike D'Urzo, Warren Toaze, Jordan Murciano, Edward Stone, Lucas Wilson, Oslen and Benoit Fournier.  You all did a fabulous job of representing the magic community and raising the profile of magic in the mainstream media with your appearances on CGT!

Unfortunately, of the 36 acts, there was a glimpse of only one magician.  It went by fast and looked like it could have been Oslen from the Vancouver auditions.

Congratulations Oslen!  We're rooting for you!



Edited at 7:00am to add:

• From Canada Newswire:
  
  With Canada's overwhelming number of talented performers to choose from, the judges could not contain the number of semifinalists to just 37. Subsequently, two additional acts from the You Tube 'Last Chance Auditions,' sponsored by Nissan, will also be included, bringing the total number of semifinalists to 39. These two acts - the highest vote-getter and one selected by the judges - will be revealed during the first live results show on April 3. 
  Read more.

Got Talent: Vladimir the Great!

Congratulations to Vladimir the Great from the Toronto auditions, for being the first magician to make it to the next level on Canada's Got Talent!  After the act, judge Martin Short said, "I think you are actually a wizard." 
 
You can watch the show streamed from CityTV here. Vladimir appears about 35 minutes in.

From the Toronto Star:

And then there was magician and illusionist Volodymyr Martyniuk, 52. At first it looked like Volodymyr might be a figure of fun, with his long grey ponytail, pirate-like jacket with garish gold embellishments and ruffled shirt. Measha complimented him on his “party in the back mullet.”

But Volodymyr astonished everyone by making candles appear from a handkerchief, and a rose and a small table float in mid-air.

Read more.

 
Will there be anyone we recognize from the Calgary auditions on tonight?