In Xanadu is a Mongolian fantasy about Khublai Khan and his wife, Chabui. They are inseparable partners. When she dies, he attempts to bring her back from the underworld.
The piece blends Tibetan, Chinese and Indonesian theater techniques into a unique form of theater that recalls the language of film with lap dissolves, montages, bleak Bergmanesque horizons and a Kurosawa style portrait of the controlled chaos of war. “In Xanadu” features live music, with original compositions by Miguel Frasconi, as well as traditional Tibetan and Mongolian music by Tashi Dhondup, Tsering Wangmo, and Chen Shi-Zheng.
“In Xanadu” takes place on a 30' x 15' rear projection screen, with a cast and crew of fifteen people. It uses specially designed lighting sources to project the shadows of masked actors, puppets, and scenery.
“The Making of In Xanadu” reveals what goes into the conceptualization and performance of this complex and visually exciting piece of theater. From interviews with the people who speak the parts, to the physical skill required by the “onscreen” actors to transmit gestures, this short film will deepen the enjoyment and appreciation of “In Xanadu.”
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