Restaged leftist ‘Tan Malaka Opera’ more poetic, imaginative

26 April 2011 | (0 view)

Any mention of the communist movement nowadays is still likely to send shivers down many Indonesians’ spines. But in the hands of prominent poet Goenawan Mohamad, communism has become the subject of an opera that invites audiences to reassess their view on the ideology in a deep, poetic and imaginative form.

Opera Tan Malaka, a collaboration between libretti Goenawan and international-acclaimed composer Tony Prabowo, tells the story of Tan Malaka, one of the country’s founding fathers, a communist whose life is still shrouded with mystery.

The latter was reportedly shot dead years after the Independence because of his ideological stance and the whereabouts of his grave are still unknown.

The opera that was first staged at the Salihara Theater in October last year will be presented to the wider public once again at the Graha Bhakti Budaya (GBB) in the Ismail Marzuki Cultural Park, Central Jakarta, on April 23 to 24, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Tempo magazine. Goenawan is also the magazine’s co-founder.

“It’s [the restaging of the opera] a series of events that have been organized to celebrate my 70th birthday,” the poet who will turn 70 on July 29, told The Jakarta Post, on Saturday.

Many nowadays may find opera, a form of art that combines singing, dancing, orchestra music and theater, a difficult form of entertainment to enjoy. Its popularity has certainly dwindled in its place of birth, the Western world.

However musicals like Onrop, Laskar Pelangi, and Ali Topan, which bear certain similarities with opera, are currently hip here.

“Musicals are more entertaining than opera,” Goenawan says.

Goenawan’s opera, which doesn’t follow the traditional format of the genre with a plot, is likely to be difficult to follow too.

“It’s an essay opera, a form that maybe has never existed before,” said Goenawan, one of the country’s best essayists who regularly writes for Tempo. His essays have been collected into books titled Catatan Pinggir (Sidelines)

The opera is an essay about important segments of Tan Malaka’s life, retracing his underground movement, his absence from the preparation of the country’s proclamation of Independence on August 1, 1945, the circumstances around his murder, and everything about him which remains a mystery.

“Reading the text maybe might help understand [the opera]. It will be distributed before the show,” Goenawan said.

He explained the opera had been improved for the GBB show, with more choreographies, a choir and a new acapella to appeal to a wider audience. Salihara Theater can accommodate about 125 people, compare to 800 at the GBB.

The audience and performers are very close at the Salihara blackbox theater while there is a clear separation between both at the GBB. In the upcoming show, the musicians will be placed in front of the stage like in a conventional opera, while during the performance staged at Salihara, the musicians were mixed in with the audience.

“This show will be more poetic and imaginative. It’s probably because Landung is involved,” Goenawan explained, referring to senior actor Landung Simatupang who will replace the more “conventional” Ardi Kurdi who played in last year’s show.

The opera will feature duos by soprano Binu Sukarman and Nyak Ina “Ubiet” Raseuki as well as choreographies by Fitri Setyaningsih.

The Salihara Contemporary Chamber Orchestra conducted by Filipino Josefino “Chino” Toledo will accompany the Paragita University of Indonesia student choir.

Toledo said Tony Prabowo’s composition this year would differ from last year’s show.

“Since the composer is still here with us, we can make changes. It’s different from [restaging] old operas by composers who have already passed away.”

Earlier, local military commanders asked TV stations in Kediri and Malang, East Java, not to air the show, most likely because of the nature of the opera’s content which explores the life of the communist leader. National broadcaster MetroTV also cancelled its plans to air the recorded show.

Tempo former chief editor Thariq Hadad said he had asked the military about the show’s banning.

“There has been no national instruction to ban the show. It was just local military chiefs being ‘creative’.”

But banning anything related to communism, such as books and artwork, is not new in this country. After the 1965 failed coup blamed on the Indonesian Communist Party, Soeharto who then replaced the country’s first president Sukarno, prohibited all activities related to communism. The People’s Consultative Assembly even issued a decree to ban communist teachings.

Despite Soeharto’s downfall in 1998, the specter of communism still lurks in this country. President Abdurrahman Wahid once tried to revoke the decree but Islamist groups rejected it in parliament. Books on communism were still being burned just a few years ago in Solo, also known as Surakarta. Three years ago, a militant group protested against the shooting of a movie about the female leader of PKI’s women wing organization.

Last month, a discussion held at the HB Jassin Literary Documentation Center in Ismail Marzuki Cultural Park, on the work of an artist and member of Lekra — the cultural organization linked to the PKI — was cancelled because of a protest led by poet Taufiq Ismail. Taufiq, one of signatories of the Manifesto Kebudayaan (cultural manifest) which goes against Lekra, appears unwilling to let go of his “anger”.

But “anger” or “revenge” never crossed the mind of Goenawan who also signed the manifest against Lekra, which was pioneered by the late prominent author Pramudya Ananta Toer.

Opera Tan Malaka

Asked whether the restaging of the Tan Malaka had anything to do with the opera being banned on several TV stations, Goenawan replied, “No, it’s been planned for long.”