Matan Porat

International Brucknerfest Linz 2025. Buster Keaton's The General Pianist and composer Matan Porat improvises the incidental music to Buster Keaton's legendary silent film comedy The General.

FFor the patriotic Southerner Johnnie Gray - played by Buster Keaton - only two things are really important in life: his locomotive called 'The General' and his lover Annabelle Lee ... in that order! When the American Civil War breaks out, Johnnie is not allowed to join the army as he is needed as a train driver. Annabelle then wants nothing more to do with him. But when she and the locomotive are kidnapped by Northern troops, everything suddenly changes: Johnnie gets deeper and deeper into 'enemy territory' in order to get his locomotive and his beloved back. Based on William Pittenger's book The Great Locomotive Chase Buster Keaton's now almost 100-year-old silent film comedy The General 1926 is a stroke of genius that combines ambitious dramaturgy, impressive imagery and slapstick humour. The music for the film is improvised by Israeli pianist and composer Matan Porat, a proven expert in accompanying silent films.

Venue: Verborgener FestSpielOrt