Dead or Alive - the ballad about Kate Warne is a brand-new musical about the world’s first female detective, based on real events.
As a 23-year-old widow, Kate Warne was hired in 1856 at the newly formed Pinkerton National Detective Agency in Chicago. At a time when it was unthinkable for a woman to be a detective, she managed to make the owner Pinkerton realize that she could access information no man would be able to access.
He never regretted it. Kate Warne became his best agent. Kate managed to stop the first assassination attempt on Abraham Lincoln and got decisive information that helped the Northern Army win the American Civil War. Pinkertons also supported the work of the Underground Railroad, the network that helped slaves escape the south.
The musical was commissioned by Malmö Opera. The title role of Kate Warne is played by Sara Lehmann. Oscar Pierrou Lindén is seen in the role of one of the agency's owners, Jeff Pinkerton.