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Undaunted Duo

Siegfried and Roy to Return

Five years after one of the members of the famous "Siegfried & Roy" duo was bitten in the neck by one of their famous show's white tigers, the pair has announced a one-time-only comeback event for February 2009.

Famed German-born illusionists Siegfried Fischbacher and Roy Horn have announced a surprise one-night-only event five years after Roy was attacked by one of their show's white tigers before a horrified live audience.

The one-night-only comeback event is scheduled to take place next February as part of an Alzheimer's fundraiser for the Lou Ruvo Brain Institute's "Keep Memory Alive" event in Las Vegas.

The duo were famous for their long-running production on the Las Vegas Strip, which was a mix of magic, illusions and animal stunts, using primarily white lions and tigers.

Details of the content of their planned show have not been released, but it is believed that animals will play a role. Publicist Dave Kirvin told the Associated Press that he would be "very surprised if animals were not part of the performance." "Siegfried and Roy and white lions and other endangered animals go hand in hand," he added.

The pair's show was suspended in October 2003, when Montecore, one of their performance's star tigers, bit Roy's neck and dragged him offstage at The Mirage hotel.

When asked by the Las Vegas Review-Journal in December what he does in his spare time, Roy said, "I hang out with my lifesaver," referring to Montecore. Both Siegfried and Roy have repeated their belief that the white tiger sensed Roy was having a mini-stroke and was merely removing him to safety, rather than attacking him.

jtw/ap