|
Sept. 9, 2007, The Jakarta Post 'Opera Jawa': Traditional mixed with contemporary Cynthia Webb, Contributor, Gold Coast, Australia Garin Nugroho, director of the feature film Opera Jawa, says that for him it is "not only a film, but a library," meaning that it is a valuable historical record of Javanese culture, both ancient and modern.
It is Garin's 14th film, and he is probably the best-known living film director from Indonesia. It is a retelling of the Sinta Obong section of the Ramayana Story, (The Abduction of Sinta) -- that you can see performed at Prambanan, Yogyakarta, under the full moon during the dry season. Here it is told in Javanese dance, song and gamelan music, composed by musician Rahayu Supanggah, from Surakarta, who uses the Karawitan traditions. It is an opera, and has no spoken dialog. It also features a singing storyteller, Slamet Gundono, who helps move the story along. There is also a quartet of men at a warung (food stall), talking (in song) about political and social matters, who also function like the chorus in classical Greek drama. The dances include the Bedoyo, a sacred dance performed by nine female dancers that depicts the encounter of Panembahan Senopati with Kanjeng Ratu Kidul, Queen of the South Sea. Tradition says that if you watch very carefully you can sometimes see a 10th dancer, when the Queen herself joins the dancers. There is some amazing modern choreography. Opera Jawa uses spectacular art installations as film sets, designed by some of Indonesia's leading contemporary artists -- Agus Suwage, Nindityo Adipurnomo, S.Teddy D, Hendro Suseno, Titarubi, Sunaryo, and Entang Wiharso. Modern setting, ancient theme The story has been translated to a setting around 1997/98 as Indonesia rises up in popular demonstration against the Soeharto dictatorship after the financial crisis. Sinta is now Siti, and Rama is now Setyo, a married couple who earn their living as potters, perhaps at Kasongan, the pottery village of Yogyakarta. However, in the past they were both performers in the Ramayana ballet. Siti no longer dances, as it is customary that when a Javanese female dancer marries, she retires from dancing out of respect for her husband. The fiery Ludiro represents Rahwana, the abductor. He, too, once danced with them in the role of Rahwana, and has always desired the lovely Siti. Now he pulls out all stops to seduce her. Meantime, her husband's fortunes are sinking and so are his spirits, as he loses his money, his business fails and he realizes that he's losing his wife's heart as well. No wonder Siti is tempted by the exciting and dangerous Ludiro, since he's wealthy and powerful and her husband is moping and seems to be at the end of his tether. The confident Ludiro insults her, caressing her face with his foot and flicking his endless lengths of red cloth in her face, yet still she is fascinated. Ludiro is one hell of a dancer, and steals the show in his visceral dance scene in the abbatoir and in several scenes featuring the stunning art installations. Eventually, Setyo has nothing left to lose and joins the angry demonstrators leading troops of his own, mounted on a symbolic stallion emblazoned with the slogan "Viva la Muerte" (Long live Death). The troops angrily chant about being tired of being taken for granted, treated like oxen. The costumes and locations are a treat for the eyes, and the retelling of this timeless tale uses metaphors, many of them taken from ancient tradition. Siti represents the earth itself, as she is fought over, pulled this way and that, in the conflicts of men. She sings, I am the earth, tilled by the plow, I am replete with blessings. I, Siti, am praised. In me grow flowers and crops ... While all the turmoil outside unfolds, in the ancient kraton, (sultan's palace) the stillness is maintained, the singers chant, in rhythm with a beating heart: When comes the time of fallow earth, of death and dust and barren land, Just as it was for Rama and Sinta, who no longer recognized their world, what remains is faithlessness. Praises and prayers, woven with life. And yet one may as well wait for stones to float on water. Only God is almighty. The kraton's traditions endure and provide emotional/spiritual security in a rapidly changing world. Visual feast At the live Ramayana performance at Prambanan, Yogyakarta, there is a happy ending, with Rahwana killed and the lovers reunited, Sinta's purity proven. Rama and Sinta recall the Loro Blonyo couple, which Javanese like to have in the home as a blessing. However, Siti's final "test of fidelity" is a fatal revenge and Setyo sings in my heart lies justice as he is led away, having possessed her heart for a short time -- holding it in his blood-soaked hands while he sings, "You are the setting of a dispute, an object without boundaries, Oh hati, hati, scream, speak". Rice sprouts in the sand on the beach where Siti's blood was spilled, confirming her status as symbolic of the fecundity of the earth. The final scene shows a Labuhan procession on the beach, as seen a couple of times a year, between Parangtritis and Parangkusumo, when the Yogyakarta Kraton and the people of the Pesisiran (beach vicinity) give thanks in the form of elaborate offerings to Ratu Kidul, the Queen of the South Sea. Setyo is played by Martinus Miroto, a well-known dancer from Yogyakarta. Siti is portrayed by Artika Sari Dewi, while internationally known dancer Eko Supriyanto plays Ludiro with great passion. (Eko has danced with Madonna in her Drown World Tour of Europe and the U.S.) Sukesi, the mother of Ludiro, is played by Retno Maruti who once performed in the Ramayana presented at Prambanan temple. Funding to make this gorgeous film came as part of The Vienna Mozart Year 2006, the 250th anniversary of Mozart, who was Austrian. Part of this massive celebration was The New Crowned Hope Festival, and artistic director Peter Sellars decided to commission entirely new works from contemporary international artists, in the fields of music, theater, dance, architecture, visual arts and film. All that was required was to use Mozart's themes as both inspiration and a springboard. Opera Jawa is like nothing you've ever seen on screen before -- a tremendous visual feast. Garin Nugroho has indeed created a valuable document of Javanese traditional story, music and dance and blended it with modern Indonesian history and contemporary arts, in a wonderful way. This is a must-see movie for art, music and film lovers; if you know and love Yogyakarta, you will lose yourself in it and never want to come out. It certainly helps to come to it with prior knowledge of Javanese culture. Perhaps it's almost a little too rich and opulent for some, but I am waiting impatiently for the DVD. Opera Jawa has been seen in film festivals around the world during the past year, to great acclaim from critics everywhere. **** (out of *****) |
|
