Renowned shadow drama master Purbo Asmoro and his troupe of gamelan musicians will present Javanese traditional theater (wayang kulit) with a performance, two workshops and a lecture. The remarkable visual effects of wayang, to the sounds of a full gamelan ensemble, will be accompanied by projected English translations of the narrative. Often lauded as the pinnacle of aesthetic achievement in Indonesia, wayang is one of the world’s great classical theatrical forms. The glittering cast bronze instruments of the Indonesian gamelan orchestra match every detail of the puppeteer’s performance with an elaborate musical response. Our performance presents an episode from the Javanese version of the ancient Hindu epic the Ramayana, featuring the beloved Prince Rama and the white monkey Hanuman and their heroic attempts to rescue Rama’s wife Sita from a powerful demon king.
LECTURE
Saturday, March 10, 2012 from 10:00am to 11:30am, Rackham Amphitheatre
Javanese Shadow Drama: The Challenges of Translation with Kathyrn Emerson and Purbo Asmoro
Free to the Public
WORKSHOP
Saturday, March 10, 2012 from 1pm to 3pm, East Quad 126, 701 E. University St.
Techniques of Moving and Breathing Life into Wayang Characters (Javanese shadow puppets) with Purbo Asmoro
Free to the Public
PERFORMANCE
Saturday, March 10, 2012 at 8pm, Michigan Union Ballroom
Hanuman Aflame: An episode from the The Ramayana (English Subtitles)
Performed by the Javanese Troupe of Ki Purbo Asmoro with the U of M / Stearns Gamelan
Free to the public, but tickets are required from the Michigan Union Ticket Office
WORKSHOP
Sunday, March 11, 2012 from 10am to Noon, Multi-purpose Room, U of M Museum of Art (UMMA)
The Art and Craft of How to Make a Wayang (Javanese shadow puppet) with Purbo Asmoro
Contact Ryan Bodiford (bodiford@umich.edu) for information on free workshop tickets.
