GAMELAN

A gamelan orchestra accompanies all wayang kulit (leather shadow puppet), wayang golek (wooden puppets) and wayang orang (live dancers) shows. Javanese-Mataram style gamelan compositions – quite different from Balinese gamelan – is featured.

JAVANESE POETRY

Javanese poetry recitals are taken from the Kawedanan Hageng Punokawan Widya Budaya books.

Every Friday 9:00 – 11:00 am at the Bangsal Sri Manganti pendopo (meeting hall) at the Keraton.

JAVANESE DANCE/WAYANG ORANG (human performers)

The Ramayana and Mahabharata epics originated in India and came to Java with Hindu Indian traders. Both are filled with drama and intrigue and have played important roles in shaping traditional Indonesian values. Written about 2,000 years ago by a poet, Ramayana is actually a morality tale about a great love and is filled with instruction and examples of how to live a good and moral life. Mahabharata, written later, depicts a war believed to have been fought in northern India in the 13 th century BC. Its complex morality themes show that life is not simply black and white. Heroes may have bad traits and bad characters may have redeeming qualities. Although good usually conquers evil in both epics, both sides suffer losses.

While some visitors may shy away from “tourist shows”, keep in mind that these venues offer places for dance students to perform which in turns helps keep traditions alive.

Keraton (Sultan’s Palace)
Sacred dances or fragments of the Ramayana or Mahabharata epics are held every Sunday 9:30 am – 12:00 noon at the Bangsal Sri Manganti pendopo (meeting hall) at the Keraton.

Javanese court dances are performed every Thursday 10:00 am – 12:00 noon at the Bangsal Sri Manganti pendopo (meeting hall) at the Keraton.

nDalem Pujokusuman
Jl. Brigen. Katamso (south of Purawisata).
Contact: Siti Satiyah Sasmita Dipura, HP: 0813-2852-5057.

Borobudur
Events, including performing arts, are held on the Aksobya open stage next to Borobodur. Recent events include: “The Legend of Mahakarya Borobudur”, a dance depicting the history of the monument; an International Folk and Dance Festival; Waicak Ceremony celebrating the birth enlightenment and death of Buddha; and the ASEAN Ramayana Festival, an epic dance dialog with India, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia and Indonesia.

For reservations call +62 (0274) 496-408 or 497-771. Contact: pujosuwarno@borobudurpark.co.id or see schedules at www.borobudurpark.com or click on What’s On Jogja – Theater & Dance for the current schedule. Click on Attractions & Info – Tourist Attractions for more information about Prambanan Temple.

Prambanan Temple & Trimurti Theater Prambanan
The Ramayana Ballet is performed in the Prambanan Temple Complex starting at 7:30 p.m.:

May-October on or around full moon evenings on the open-air stage in the Prambanan complex. A cast of 200 artists performs with the magnificent temple as its backdrop.

November-April on or around full moon evenings on the indoor stage at Trimurti Theater in the Prambanan Temple Complex. A cast of 50 artists puts on a stunning performance.

There are two versions of the production of the epic poem. The “episodic story” consists of four parts performed on four consecutive nights. Each episode lasts about 1.5 hours. The “full story” is a compilation of the four episodes and lasts about 2 hours, with a 15-minute refreshments break. Both versions of the dance-drama have been modified for tourists by omitting lengthy Javanese dialog. Refreshments are available on-site.

For reservations call (0274) 496-408 or 497-771.
Visit www.borobudurpark.com for complete schedules or click on What’s On Jogja – Theater & Dance for the current schedule. Click on Attractions & Info – Tourist Attractions for more information about Prambanan Temple.

Purawisata Open Theatre, Jl. Brigjen Katamso,
Tel: (0274) 375-705, 380-643, 374-089, Fax: 417-620, www.purawisatajogja.com, e-mail: info@purawisatajogja.com. Nightly Ramayana performances from 8 - 9:30 pm. The introduction to the performance and characters is in English. Restaurant on the premises serves lunch and dinner. Dinner & performance packages available.

WAYANG KULIT (leather shadow puppets)

In addition to weekly performances at the Keraton (click on Tourist Attractions/Jogja City for schedules) wayang kulit shows can also be found at the following venues:

Sasana Hinggil
South Palace Square (Alun Alun Selatan)

Performed every second Saturday of the month, 9 pm - 5.30 am.

Sonobudoyo Museum
Jl. Trikora No. 6, Jogja. Tel: (0274) 376-775. Open Tuesday – Thursday 9 am – 2 pm, Friday 8 – 11 am, Saturday 8 am – 1 pm.

Daily except Saturday, 11 am - 1 pm. Entrance fee.

WAYANG GOLEK (wooden puppets)

This wayang golek (wooden puppets) performance was created by Ki Trunadipura from Surakarta (Solo). The Menak story was inspired by a Persian Islamic epic that has been adapted for local audiences by using Javanese or Maduranese characters.

Every Wednesday 10:00 – 12:00 noon at the Bangsal Sri Manganti pendopo (meeting hall) at the Keraton..

OTHER PERFORMING ART VENUES

Bagong Kussudiardja Art Centre
Kembaran Rt.04 Rw. 21 No. 148 Tamantirto, Kasihan, Bantul (in southern Jogja). Tel./Fax. (0274) 376-394. Email: info@ybk.or.id,
Website: www.ybk.or.id

Pak Bagong Kussudiardja, a former student of the renowned Martha Graham, was a maestro of modern Indonesian dance. Since his death in 2004, his studio has been managed by Yayasan Bagong Kussudiardja, and is now a performing arts center that advocates the performing arts as a medium for inclusive dialogue and learning in order to stimulate the creativity of artists and the general community.

Bagong Kussudiardja Art Centre offers monthly performances free to the public (i.e Jagongan Wagen, contemporary dance performances, theater performances, music performances), hosts workshops for artists, and devises programs that increase community engagement with the arts. The center also houses the activities of permanent resident artists represented in four different groups: Kua Etnika and Sinten Remen (music), Teater Gandrik (theater), and Padepokan Seni Bagong Kussudiardja (dance).

Indonesia Institute of Fine Arts Yogyakarta (ISI)
Jl. Parangtritis Km. 6 (south of Ring Road Selatan).
Tel: (0274) 371-233, 373-659, 379-133, Fax: (0274) 371-233.
E-mail: arts@isi.ac.id, Website: www.isi.ac.id.

The largest art institute in Indonesia, ISI Yogyakarta is home to the Yogyakarta Symphony Orchestra and many master artists who are former ISI students. Faculties include Visual Arts, Performing Arts and Media Arts, with graduate studies in both Creative and Research Arts. The campus houses a gallery with a vast collection of visual art and photographic masterpieces, which are open to the public. Performances are regularly held. Check ISI’s website for schedules.

Kedai Kebun Forum
Jl. Tirtodipuran No. 3, Tel: (0274) 376-114.

Kedai Kebun is a restaurant cum art center that offers innovative contemporary visual arts exhibition and performances.

Performing Arts High School (SMKI)
Jl. PG Madukismo, Bugisan. Tel: (0274) 374-627

This is one of five government tertiary-level schools in the nation, training the most promising young dancers from the Yogyakarta area. Performances include dance, music, theater and wayang kulit (show puppet plays).

Taman Budaya Yogyakarta (Yogyakarta Cultural Park)
Jl. Sriwedani No. 1 (near Pasar Beringharjo). Tel: (0274) 523-512; 580-771.
Open daily 9.00 am – 19.00 pm.

Facilities include a large concert hall, a small theater (formerly a Dutch music hall), a large art gallery and a café.