Chamber magician Steve Cohen recently delivered an unforgettable private performance at Villa Senar, the former Swiss home of legendary composer Sergei Rachmaninoff.
The special evening was held during the Lucerne Festival and celebrated a milestone in the life of Cohen’s longtime friend, world-renowned violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter. The intimate audience included Mutter’s family, friends, distinguished figures from the world of music—and one particularly unexpected guest.
Seated in the front row was Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission.
One Important Instruction From Security
Before the performance began, von der Leyen’s security team gave Cohen one clear instruction: he was not to involve the president in his show.
Cohen respected the request, but when he needed to borrow a ring for his signature “Lemon, Egg & Walnut” routine, von der Leyen unexpectedly volunteered her own.
As Cohen later explained, he had not involved the president—she had involved herself.
Cohen accepted the ring and proceeded with the routine. The borrowed jewelry vanished before reappearing under increasingly impossible conditions: inside a walnut, which was sealed inside an egg, which was itself found inside a lemon.
Von der Leyen enthusiastically followed the performance and reportedly told Cohen afterward that she had never met a real magician before.
Cohen assured her that she had now.
Personalized Magic for Anne-Sophie Mutter
While the unexpected participation of the European Commission president created one of the night’s most memorable moments, the performance was designed primarily as a personal celebration for Anne-Sophie Mutter.
Cohen and Mutter have been friends for more than 20 years. Rather than simply presenting his regular New York show in Switzerland, Cohen created several new and customized pieces for the occasion.
One mystery was inspired by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s interest in magic and conjuring. A series of apparently free choices led to the number 25,826—a prediction representing the date of the gathering, August 25, 2026, written as 25-8-26.
Cohen also performed a visual effect in which he took a bite from a red apple. In an instant, the apple changed to green while retaining the bite mark.
A Magical Tribute to a Beloved Dog
One of the evening’s most personal routines centered on Mutter’s dog, Bonnie, who had recently survived a serious illness.
The veterinarian credited with saving Bonnie’s life was among the invited guests. Cohen asked the veterinarian to participate in an effect involving an invisible die and a series of randomly selected words.
Taking the second letter from each chosen word eventually spelled one unmistakable name:
BONNIE.
With Mutter, her family, and the veterinarian all present, the routine became much more than a conventional magic trick. It transformed into an emotional tribute created specifically for the people in that room.
A New Finale Created for the Celebration
Cohen concluded the evening with another original presentation.
Throughout the show, several apparently unrelated objects had been introduced, including a violin, piano, Grammy Award, musical clef, and even a figure of Yoda.
In the finale, light and shadow brought the objects together. Their separate silhouettes gradually combined to form a portrait of Anne-Sophie Mutter.
The private show reportedly began around 11:30 p.m. and continued until nearly two in the morning. For Cohen, who has performed thousands of shows during his career, this was one evening unlikely to blend into the rest.
It combined world-class music, highly personalized magic, an extraordinary historical setting—and the unexpected moment when one of Europe’s most prominent leaders handed a magician her ring.
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