"Tinged with cool gothic morbidity and a deft, light and effective theatrical touch" **** London City Nights

A SEMI-STAGED RECITAL OF 14 POEMS BY GOTTFRIED KELLER (1819-1890) WITH MUSIC BY OTHMAR SCHOECK (1886-1957)

OSKAR MCCARTHY (BARITONE) | ROB KEELEY (PIANO)

What would you do if you awoke in utter darkness, enclosed by wooden walls, with no one to hear your cries? This nightmarish scenario is the inspiration for Othmar Schoeck’s stunning 1927 song cycle, Buried Alive, which tells the story of a man who wakes up to find he has mistakenly been buried. Firstly he panics and hopes that his lover or a friendly robber will come to his rescue; then he begins to reminisce about his childhood, youth and first love; finally he casts his soul into eternity in an acceptance of his fate.

Brought vividly to life in a semi-staging by baritone Oskar McCarthy, Buried Alive blends Schoeck’s exquisite, colourful score with poetry by his Swiss compatriot Gottfried Keller to create an unnerving, captivating and ultimately uplifting piece of music theatre.

Performed as part of a double-bill with Created a Monster Theatre's Mortgage at A Festival of Sex, Love and Death.