Wayang Bharata: Striving to Preserve Traditional Arts

Published on 4 Jul 2016 4:00:49 PM

The Jakarta Post paid a visit to the Bharata Purwa building in Senen, Central Jakarta, to watch Wayang Orang Bharata, the one and only wayang orang (human puppet) troupe in the metropolis. The troupe has been preserving Indonesian traditional art by holding a wayang orang show every Saturday evening, and this particular performance is titled Remong Batik.
During the four-hour performance, every actor with a wayang role only speaks in Javanese. Gamelan is still used as the main musical instrument and the storyline is mostly based on the Ramayana or Mahabharata saga.Established in 1972, Wayang Orang Bharata has mesmerized audiences in the Netherlands, Germany, Australia, Turkey and France. They have also performed at International Ramayana festivals as a part of a cultural mission from the Indonesian government.

Keywords
wayang bharata, asean now, arts and culture, jakarta post, indonesia, classical dance

Keywords:
wayang bharata, asean now, arts and culture, jakarta post, indonesia, classical dance