GUSTAVO SANTAOLALLA 'S Arrabal

Argentina's Gustavo Santaolalla is a prolific and highly accomplished musical shape-shifter. He has not only been the frontman for several influential bands -- including his most recent Bajofondo -- but also an accomplished producer and an Oscar-winning film composer. 

Santaolalla joins Jian to discuss his first foray into musical theatre with the new Mirvish production, Arrabal; his upcoming projects, including a musical adaptation of Pan's Labyrinth; and how he's managed to squeeze so many interests -- including rock and punk music -- into one lifetime. 

Santaolalla also stresses the value of understanding both our collective and individual identities, and appreciating both our similarities and diversity. 

"The better you understand yourself and what you're made of, the better you'll be able to understand somebody else that probably is not wired like you." 

Aiming for more than 'tango tourism' with Arrabal 

Santaolalla tells Jian he didn't want to create just another work of tango tourism, but rather contribute to a more artistic interpretation of the genre. He hopes audiences will appreciate the uniqueness of pairing Bajofondo music and Julio Zurita's choreography, and also see Argentina's political history as a microcosm for larger struggles in Latin America. 

Here's a glimpse at Arrabal, a story told entirely through dance.

Gustavo Santaolalla