[ This Just In! ]

For Immediate Release
Date: January 27, 2005

NEWEST OPERA PRESENTED BY SALVAGE VANGUARD BRINGS OUT THE HUMAN SIDE OF GENGHIS KHAN

AUSTIN, TX-- Genghis Khan is the newest opera presented by SVT with music by Graham Reynolds and a libretto by artistic director Jason Neulander.

After conquering half of the planet's land masses, uniting his Mongolian people, and striking fear in the hearts of his foes, Genghis Kahn finds himself wanting one last prize: eternal life. The production opens in March and poses the question "How do you want to be remembered?"

The inspiration for the title character came from one of pop culture's most revered icons, Darth Vader.

"I wanted to have a dramatic figure that was huge and imposing. Someone that history viewed as evil," says Reynolds.

"He's a total badass, but we mostly know about him through hearsay. So here's this guy who's conquered half the planet's land masses and all we know about him is snatches and snippets. And that he killed a LOT of people, " adds Neulander.

The focus for the production is emphasizing the human side of Genghis Khan.

"When I picked Genghis Khan I did it so I could play the obvious: aggressive, dramatic music. Everything about Genghis Khan is epic," says Reynolds. "At the same time I want to give him humanity--show the passionate characteristics that aren't always obvious when people think about Genghis Khan."

Neulander sees ties between present day political figures and Khan. "He's part George Bush, he's part Osama Bin Laden. He's a terrifying, powerful, fascinating person, with real sympathetic qualities. He's the perfect subject matter for today's terrorized, globalized world."

Equally important is transporting the audience from their seats to Khan's present day.

"Since we don't have a giant screen to show pictures of mountains, people, horses, we have to create it with sound," says Reynolds.

The opera will be a unique concoction of sound mixed with music. Arrows, horses and screams will blur effortlessly into compositions consisting of layered tracks of prerecorded music accompanied by a live orchestra.

Reynolds and Neulander have collaborated on past projects, such as SVT's MotherBone and Cry Pitch Carrolls, but this is the first original production they have created together.

"This project has been the longest and most democratic collaboration I've ever been involved with. I couldn't be more excited, nervous, passionate, caring, emotional about it," says Neulander, who will direct the opera.

Reynolds agrees, "It's been a very easy, very fluid process."

Genghis Khan features sound design by Buzz Moran (Death of a Cat, The Intergalactic Nemesis), a set created by Chase Staggs (tempOdyssesy, Know Dog), lights by Diana Duecker (MotherBone, Tilt Angel) and costumes by Laura Cannon (Death of a Cat).

Salvage Vanguard Theater's production of Genghis Khan opens on March 17th and runs through April 9th. Performances will be Thursday through Sundays March 17th- April 3rd and Wednesday through Saturday the final week. Tickets are on a sliding scale of $12-$35. All performances are at 8:00PM at the Off Center, 2211-A Hidalgo St. For tickets and information, call (512) 474-SVT-6 or visit <http://www.salvagevanguard.org>.

###