Billie Jean (Baroque Version)

What does Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” sound like in a baroque reinterpretation? Countertenor Alois Mühlbacher and his ensemble take on this genre-defying experiment – visually brought to life by filmmaker Antonin B. Pevny.

Countertenors are typically associated with heroic roles in Handel operas or Bach passions, rarely with pop or folk music. Although male pop and rock singers often perform in high registers, they use very different vocal techniques. Alois Mühlbacher, who gained fame as a soloist with the St. Florian Boys’ Choir, continues to push boundaries as an adult countertenor. He is a sought-after soloist in the baroque music scene (currently at Zurich Opera House) and also explores romantic and contemporary repertoires.

In 2022, Mühlbacher and the Spring String Quartet released a much-praised video blending Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now” with Mozart in a bold arrangement by Georg Wiesinger. This success led to the concert program “Counter & Strings” and a continued collaboration.

“Don’t Stop Me Now” became both a motto and a shared artistic vision – one that also connected Mühlbacher with director and audiovisual artist Antonin B. Pevny. Born in Vienna and working internationally from Berlin, Pevny has made a name for himself with visually striking works such as the video “AFTER” for U.S. artist Moby, shown at the New Directors Showcase in Cannes. His iconic videos for the Austrian band Bilderbuch are considered groundbreaking in the German-speaking music world.

Arranger Georg Wiesinger has now reimagined “Billie Jean” in the style of Antonio Vivaldi for Alois Mühlbacher and the Spring String Quartet. The ensemble is joined by stars of the early music scene: Hubert Hoffmann (lute), Erich Traxler (harpsichord professor at mdw Vienna), and Christina Kaser (Bruckner Orchestra Linz) on double bass.

By merging pop and rock with classical and baroque sounds, the team sets out to define a new genre. Pevny’s cinematic language adds a unique visual layer to this modern Gesamtkunstwerk – a total work of art that is both unconventional and captivating.

Link to the video: https://youtu.be/6S5gVCPflPg?feature=shared