Following the acclaimed success of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Ashley Hribar returns with a bold new program celebrating the genius of silent film icon Buster Keaton.

To set the stage, the concert weaves together a vibrant set of solo piano pieces, including Bolcom’s The Serpent’s Kiss, with two new soundtracks composed and performed LIVE by Ashley: The Scarecrow, in which Keaton’s resourceful farmhand navigates comic chaos, and Sherlock Jr., an inventive “film within a film” blending detective adventure, romance, and Keaton’s signature physical comedy.

Buster Keaton Alive! brings these timeless cinematic works to life through a dynamic and immersive live performance combining virtuosic piano, inventive electronics, and an array of playful, unexpected gadgets.

A special guest appearance by Chris McPhee on the Capri’s iconic Wurlitzer organ adds an extra twist, promising an experience that is both imaginative and unforgettable.

Testimonials:

“Cops (1922 - 18 mins and Sherlock Jnr. (1924 - 46 mins, are two classic and hilarious moments of 1920s silent film culture brought to vivid new life by Ashley Hribar with a new soundtrack for piano and electronics composed in 2024. Ashley is one of Australia's most remarkable musicians. With his fingers on the keyboard, Buster Keaton's trademark ‘deadpan face’ has lost none of its punch, even after a hundred years.” — CIMF, 2024)

‘Hribar's accompaniment was exceptional...original, energetic, musical and always completely appropriate... I was amazed at the speed of his fingers on the keys and the perfectly timed sound effects”— Canberra City News, 2024