Smaradahana - The Burning of Love

Puppetry: Matthew Isaac Cohen
Dance: Ekadamayanti
Dance: Aviva Kartiningsih Cohen
New Music compositions: Jon Keliehor, J Simon van der Walt
Traditional Javanese Music arrangements: Joko Susilo
Music Direction: Signy Jakobsdottir
Dramaturgy: Matthew Isaac Cohen
Production for the Gamelan: Luminous Music 

NEW THEATRE, OLD ARTS
Tonight’s performance of Smaradahana: The Burning of Love, is a new production of an old story, based on a narrative poem in Old Javanese written by Mpu Dharmaja in Java (Indonesia) about 800 years ago. The story is told through gamelan, shadow puppetry, masks and dance that are contemporary interpretations of age-old traditions from Indonesia.

The dance that is part of tonight’s performance is a confluence of different streams. Some of the dances are character portraits derived from the Javanese tradition of masked-dance or topeng. There is also clowning, with masks and without, of the sort one would find at a rural topeng or folk drama performance. Additionally, there is contemporary dance (tari kontemporer)—an urban art style associated with educated elites, but drawing upon ancient traditions of mysticism.

The word gamelan refers to both the music in this performance and to the instruments that play it. It is the most significant type of traditional music in Java and neighbouring islands of Indonesia. Gamelan music can be played by itself as a concert art form, but it is more typical in Java for it to accompany theatre, dance and ceremonials.

Gamelan music is stratified and polyphonic, and does not conform to Western harmonic norms. The drummer acts as the orchestra’s conductor, giving signals to start, stop, speed up and slow down, get louder or softer. New gamelan music, by Indonesian and non-Indonesian composers, frequently steps outside conventional norms, incorporating elements from modern music trends, while at the same time enjoying the uniqueness of old style instruments and traditions.

In addition to arrangements of traditional pieces by Joko Susilo, new musical pieces featured in tonight’s performance are by two prominent composers living in Scotland, Jon Keliehor and J. Simon van der Walt.

One of the most important uses of gamelan is in wayang kulit, or shadow puppet theatre, which is Java’s most prevalent traditional theatrical form. Shadow puppets are made from buffalo hide, chiselled and filigreed, and coloured on both sides. These puppets are interposed between a light source (traditionally, an oil lamp) and a white cotton screen, upon which shadows are projected. Audiences in Java watch from both sides of the screen. Thus wayang kulit is both a shadow play as well as a puppet play.

Wayang kulit performances in the royal courts of Java are solemn affairs that strictly adhere to classical norms. In villages, there is more creative interactivity and liveliness. Puppeteers integrate political commentary and bawdy humour, dancers and comedians take centre-stage, non-gamelan instruments are brought out, musicians shout out comments, audiences make song requests. The puppets used tonight are from rural Cirebon (western Java) and the performance style is influenced by village tradition as well.

NAGA MAS (Golden Dragon), THE GLASGOW GAMELAN GROUP, is a community combined arts group, specialising in the performance traditions of Indonesia. The group was founded in 1991 and plays on a gamelan pelog (heptatonic gong-chime ensemble) made in Yogyakarta (central Java), owned by the Glasgow City Council and currently housed in the Tramway. Naga Mas has performed music, dance, dance-theatre, folk drama, and shadow puppet theatre throughout England and Scotland. Members of the group include community and professional musicians, composers and university lecturers in the performing arts. Guest artists who have performed with Naga Mas include Dr Joko Susilo (artistic director 2001-2002), Pudji Astuti Jansen, Dr I Nyoman Wenten and Sunarno Purwolelono. A video of Wayang Cuchulain, an intercultural shadow puppet play by Joko Susilo, Matthew Isaac Cohen and Naga Mas, is available for purchase. For more information about Naga Mas see www.nagamas.co.uk.

LUMINOUS MUSIC develops and presents world music performance projects, international gamelan productions and educational projects for young children. Based in Glasgow, the organisation provides music for contemporary dance and ballet with organisations such as Scottish Ballet, Scottish Dance Theatre, Dance House, Youth Dance Scotland and Dance School of Scotland.

MATTHEW ISAAC COHEN (puppeteer, dramaturge) has been performing as a shadow puppeteer since 1989. He studied wayang kulit for six years in Central and West Java, frequently performing for village audiences, and has written extensively about Indonesian performance. He lectures in theatre studies at the University of Glasgow.

EKADAMAYANTI (choreographer, dancer) is a London-based contemporary choreographer and dancer born in Bekasi (West Java). She graduated from Institut Kesenian Jakarta (Jakarta Arts Institute) with a degree in choreography, and has studied the traditional dances of Sunda, West and Central Java, Bali and Sulawesi. She has performed with many of Britain’s finest gamelan groups since coming to this country three years ago.

AVIVA KARTININGSIH COHEN (dancer, associate choreographer) studied classical dance in Surakarta, Central Java, from childhood. She has performed as Sinta in Naga Mas’ Anoman the Envoy and as Sekar Kedaton in The Tale of Suta Kesuma. She is a member of the Glasgow-based artists’ collective, Artists in Exile, and paints, exhibits and gives workshops in reverse painting on glass.

JON KELIEHOR (composer, musical arranger) is an American born composer and percussionist living in Glasgow. His music for contemporary dance, ballet, theatre and film has produced a unique catalogue of percussion based composition. He is the director of Luminous Music, a company that originates innovative educational projects and percussion performance. His music can be found on various recordings, most notably Celestial Nile, Create Music, Ocean of Dreams, East Meets West and Trance Gong (with Gamelan Pacifica).

SIGNY JAKOBSDOTTIR (musical director) studied gamelan in Seattle with Jarrad Powell and performed for six years with Gamelan Pacifica. In 2001 she joined Naga Mas, studying kendhang (Javanese Drum) with Joko Susilo. She works as a dance musician with Scottish Ballet and Scottish Dance Theatre. Recent performing has included work with Capercaille, James Grant, Michael McGoldrick, the drumming ensemble Rhythmwave and club b.ding. Signy is a co-founder of Luminous Music where she gives workshops in gamelan and hand drumming, and co-devises creative workshops.

MUSICIANS
Kendhang - Signy Jakobsdottir
Saron, demung, suling - Jon Keliehor
Saron, demung - Dania Soedibyo
Bonang - Mary Anne Carroll
Slenthem, demung, flute - Katherine Waumsley
Kenong - Martin Sewell
Gongs, flute - Margaret Smith

SPECIAL THANKS TO…
Haddenham Gallery, English Arts Council, Glasgow City Council, Tramway, University of Glasgow, Simon van der Walt, Joko Susilo