The Scarecrow (story)
The Scarecrow, also referred to as The Wicked Trilogy, is a story composed of three music albums by Tobias Sammet's rock opera project Avantasia. The story started with their 2008 release The Scarecrow and was concluded with their 2010 albums The Wicked Symphony and Angel of Babylon.[1]
Plot
The story behind the Scarecrow albums is largely open to interpretation. Tobias Sammet has stated "I don't wanna ruin the myth. It's not possible to tell the story like a fairytale. I can't go "once upon a time" because it's not as simple as that. You don't have to understand the story, you have to feel it." [2] The booklets of The Scarecrow and The Wicked Symphony provide an overview of the setting and protagonist and an interview in the special edition of "The Wicked Trilogy" details the characters portrayed by the guest musicians. The rest is left for the listener to interpret.
- "The Scarecrow is a tragic story of a lonesome creature, emotionally isolated from his environment and suffering from a distorted sensory perception. His feelings for the love of his life unrequited, he sets off on a journey exploring the left-hand path, striving for inner peace, sloughing his way to approval and eventually facing temptation at the inner depths of the human soul..." - The Scarecrow booklet
- "It's a tragedy about getting caught between two worlds. Here are the good intentions, visions, the dream of creating something divine and pure that is meant to result in love. And there you've got the demons that go along with the acclaim and approval that all of us vain and proud creatures mistakenly might call love sometimes...The scarecrow is you, the scarecrow is me..." - The Wicked Symphony booklet[3]
Cast
- Tobias Sammet - The Scarecrow / The Protagonist
- Roy Khan - A psychiatrist treating the protagonist
- Jørn Lande - A Mephistopheles figure, the embodiment of vanity and temptation
- Michael Kiske - The mentor of the protagonist
- Bob Catley - The protagonist's good conscience
- Amanda Somerville - The unrequited love of the protagonist
- Alice Cooper - A tycoon who flogs off art to the desperate
- Oliver Hartmann - A man who introduces the protagonist to the dark side of life (listed as 'Fornication')
- Russell Allen - Inspiration
- Ripper Owens - Fury
- Klaus Meine - A glorious future vision of the protagonist
- Andre Matos - Acedia, irresponsibility against yourself
- Ralf Zdiarstek - The sheltering and healing aspect of fury
- Jon Oliva - A loony ghost who sold his soul for eternal wealth long ago
- Cloudy Yang - A character in a side story ("In reality, there are millions of scarecrows out there" - Sammet)
References
- ↑ Tobiassammet.com Interview with Tobias Sammet
- ↑ Tobias Sammett's Assistant 'The Wicked Trilogy,' a photographic documentary
- ↑ http://www.theorchard.com/assets/release/885686020388_The_Wicked_Symphony.pdf
- ↑ Based on 'The Scarecrow' booklet and an interview conducted by Harmon Caldwell in 'The Wicked Trilogy' booklet
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