Opera Jawa

I saw this film at the Toronto International Film Festival. The name of the movie should have warned me that the movie will be an Opera! The movie was all song and dance, more in the lines of Phantom of the Opera. I would have enjoyed the movie more if I knew the language. Listening to the songs and reading the subtitles just doesn't give the correct feel. The dances were traditional Indonesian. The movie was a visual treat and the dance performances were really good. The story is a modern interpretation of an Indian Hindu mythological story called the Ramayana. In Ramayana, Sita, the wife of Prince Rama, is abducted by a the king of Lanka, Ravana. Ravana wants to have Sita for himself. Prince Rama and his brother Lakshmana fight Ravana to reclaim his wife. In Opera Jawa, the role of Ravana is played by Ludiro who tries to lure Siti into his life despite her marriage with Setio. The classic victory of good over evil story of Ramayana has been very nicely adapted for the modern day.

This movie is not for everyone. In fact, I have my doubts about how many people are capable of appreciating it. Those who are ready to experience something completely new are in for a real treat. This is the only movie I have ever rated a 10. Why this one? Because there is nothing else remotely like it. It is not possible to write a spoiler for this movie. The more you know about it ahead of time the better you will be able to appreciate it. However even with no preparation this film has the power to move you in hard to explain ways. Even if it had no subtitles... I am not a fan of dance, or of musicals, but the combination of the 2 here along with stunning visuals and symbolism is irresistible. I could not take my eyes off the screen! This movie is amazing!

I went to watch this movie with a lot of excitement in the Estonian film festival but to my surprise the movie, presented in the style of opera, did not come close to my expectations. Even after knowing the story of Rama and Sita, I could not understand parts of the plot. It seemed the director had tried to put everything in one movie and somewhere forgot to connect the parts. A few scenes didn't seem to have any connection with the movie. This is not my attempt to completely bash the film , I will also add that there were some good musical parts and dance sequences but still the movie couldn't keep me or others watching the movie glued to the screen or even interested. Close to the end we were just looking at our watches to get out of the theater.

"OPERA JAWA"

Garin Nugroho, the 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 fourteenth film, and he is probably the best-known film director of Indonesia.

It is a re-telling of a section of the Ramayana Story, (The Abduction of Sinta) - the same story that you can see performed at Prambanan, Yogyakarta. In the film it is told through traditional Javanese dance, song and Gamelan music, composed by musician Rahayu Supanggah, of Surakarta, Java. It's an opera, and has no spoken dialog. It also features a singing storyteller, Slamet Gundono, who helps to move the story along. And there is a quartet of men in a roadside food stall talking (in song) about political and social matters, who also serve that purpose.

The dances include the sacred Bedoyo, performed by nine female dancers which depicts the encounter of Senopati, with Kanjeng Ratu Kidul, the Queen of the South Sea. Tradition says that if you watch very carefully you can sometimes see a tenth dancer, when the Queen herself joins the dancers.

"Opera Jawa" uses spectacular sets of art installations, designed by some of Indonesia's leading contemporary artists, Agus Suwage, Nindityo Adipurnomo, S.Teddy D, Hendro Suseno, Titarubi, Sunaryo, and Entang Wiharso.

The story has been translated to a setting around 1997/98 as the nation of Indonesia arose in popular demonstration against the Suharto dictatorship after the financial crisis.

Sinta is now Siti, and Rama is now Setyo, a couple who earn their living as potters. However in the past they have both been performers in the Ramayana Ballet. It is customary that when a Javanese female dancer marries, she retires from performing, out of respect to 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, 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. Eko Supriyanto (Ludiro) is one hell of a dancer, and steals the show with his dance scene in the abattoir, several sequences featuring the stunning art installations, and dancing on the table in the food stall).

Eventually Setyo has nothing left to lose, and joins the angry demonstrators leading troops of his own, mounted on a symbolic stallion emblazoned "Viva la Muerte". The troops are angrily chanting about being tired of being taken for granted, treated like oxen under the dictatorship which had prevailed for so long.

The costumes and locations are stunning, and the re-telling of this tale uses many metaphors taken from ancient Javanese tradition. Siti represents the earth itself, as she is fought over, and torn by 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."

In Java the Kraton's traditions endure and provide emotional/spiritual security in a rapidly changing world. While all the political turmoil outside unfolds, in the ancient Sultan's Palace 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 fidelity. Praises and prayers, woven with life. And yet one may as well wait for stones to float on water. Only God is almighty."

At the real Ramayana performance at Prambanan, Yogyakarta, there is a happy ending, with Rahwana killed and the lovers reunited, Sinta's purity proved. However, here Siti's final 'test of fidelity' is a fatal revenge and Setyo sings, as he is led away, "In my heart lies justice. You are the setting of a dispute, an object without boundaries, Oh heart, heart, scream, speak". Rice sprouts in the sand on the beach where Siti's blood was spilled, confirming her status as a symbol of the fecundity of the earth.

The final scene shows a Labuhan procession on the beach south of Yogyakarta, as is still seen twice a year, when the Sultan and the people give thanks and elaborate offerings to Ratu Kidul, the Queen of the South Sea, guardian of the city.

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 the 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 Indonesia's period of social reform, and with her contemporary arts, in a wonderful way. It's a must-see movie for art and music, and film lovers and 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.

First, I want to gently contradict one statement, often made of this film and repeated here. There ARE other movies like this. If you want to see a reasonable model of what Garin Nugroho has done, I would direct you to the work of Carlos Saura, especially "El Amor Brujo." But that being said, the stunning richness of this movie far eclipses Saura at his best. There are visuals both large and small, dances both grand and intimate, songs both poetic and profane, and story-telling elements both epic and contemporary. The frame shifts rapidly between modern and ancient, between emotional and refined, and on and on.

Now, permit me to ask a question of any Indonesian readers. Who was the intended audience for this film? I ask because I am far more familiar with Javanese culture than most Americans, but found the cultural references and symbolism far deeper than I could catch. It made me think that this was created for a strictly Indonesian and a predominantly artistic/intellectual audience. But with its extensive European connections, is that right? Did he create it for people like me, educated artsy types the world over?