The Black Rider

A gripping true-crime tale featuring the unmistakable music of Tom Waits and the chillingly poetic libretto of William S. Burroughs. The story of a bold young man who strikes a devilish bargain for the sake of a fateful love. A cult journey across a landscape of passion, buried memories, and dangerously tempting possibilities—premiering for the first time on the Czech stage.

Wilhelm loves Katynka. Katynka loves Wilhelm. But Katynka’s father refuses to give her away, for Wilhelm is no huntsman. How do you teach a man to master a rifle when he has only ever held a pen? It takes but one mysterious stranger and a handful of magic bullets. Yet, the devil’s bullets know best who their true target is.

Mexico City, September 1951. The "Marksman" sits in a bar. He loves Joan. Together, they play a game of William Tell. But one day, even the Marksman misses. He sets down the gun and attempts to transfer his magic to paper with a pen. But how can one speak a truth they never wish to admit even to themselves? A pact with the devil framed by the murder of Joan Vollmer—a woman who, both loved and hated, will forever be bound to the life of William Burroughs, tied to him by the author himself: her killer.