By: Madeleine DeAndreis
Giant of the silent film era, Buster Keaton, is coming to the Avery Theatre in one of
the greatest movies of all time, The General on Saturday, Sept. 30th at 7pm. The
dynamic Avery Board has scored a major entertainment victory by bringing this
silent film classic to the historic Avery Theatre.
An important feature of the silent film genre is live musical accompaniment.
Originally released in 1926, The General was always accompanied by organ, piano
or full orchestra. Each performance had different original music, as each theatre
had their own musicians who created original scores for the film. The Avery
Theatre board hit the jackpot with local accompanist, Lisa Campbell. She began
practice and compiling the new 80 minute score from a mountain of silent film
incidental music and scores preserved by the Library of Congress and other silent
film music repositories to create a unique and exciting accompaniment to this
classic silent film to replicate the experience of silent film with live music.
About this new performing experience Lisa Campbell said,
“I have fallen hard for silent films and their music and hope to expand this performance into an annual event in collaboration with The Avery. I am honored to share the limelight with the “Great Stoneface” Buster Keaton. Playing a quilt is the closest description of the new piano score which changes moods often and drastically as the action packed comedic drama unfolds for your enjoyment. I am grateful to the theater for asking me to participate in bringing the silent film/live music revival to the Avery. Special thanks to Pat Campbell for encouraging and directing me.”
