SINGAPORE – In 2017, award-winning Indonesian director Garin Nugroho brought to life the intricacies of Indonesian folklore through black-and-white silent movie Setan Jawa (2017).
More than just a film, it was screened at Pesta Raya in 2017 together with performances by a traditional Javanese gamelan ensemble and a modern symphony orchestra.
Garin’s latest venture, Samsara, revisits the concept of such “cine-concerts”, this time by marrying cinema, wayang kulit, Balinese gamelan, traditional Balinese art and experimental electronic music.
The tale of a man who amasses wealth by making a deal with a mystic being, the Monkey King, but ends up paying a heavy price, the screening is accompanied by live music from two Balinese musical acts – gamelan ensemble Gamelan Yuganada and world-renowned electronic duo Gabber Modus Operandi.
The film’s cast includes accomplished actors Ario Bayu and Juliet Widyasari Burnett.
A commission by the Esplanade, Samsara is one of the marquee productions of the Singaporean arts centre’s annual Malay arts festival, Pesta Raya. It will be shown at Esplanade Concert Hall on May 10.
Garin, 62, was inspired by how Bali started becoming famous around the world in the 1930s, not just as a tourist destination, but also as a hot spot for magic realism, a form of art that blends fantasy and reality.
“The story focuses on magic realism. I made the decision to use many elements from Bali because, at that time, many artists from around the world came to Bali because they want to know about magic realism,” he says in a Zoom interview from the Indonesian island.
For the film’s visuals, Garin looked to mooi indie, a style of art popular in the early 1900s that depicted pastoral images of Indonesian landscapes such as padi fields and mountains.
By bringing together what he describes as Gamelan Yuganada’s expressive dynamism and the adrenaline rush of Gabber Modus Operandi’s music, Garin wanted to create an experience that will be unique for the audience.
“Every time I make a film or theatre or dance performance, I use the philosophy of ‘nasi campur’,” he says, referring to the Indonesian dish in which rice is eaten with various side dishes.
For Gabber Modus Operandi, whose fusion of abrasive electronic sounds and gamelan scales led to a collaboration with Icelandic music icon Bjork on her album Fossora (2022), working on Samsara was a chance to expand its artistic horizons.
Kasimyn, one-half of the duo, says he was excited by the prospect of working with the founder and owner of Gamelan Yuganada, Wayan Sudirana, whom he regards as one of the “senpai” (Japanese for “master”) of gamelan music.
Using the film’s script as a guide, the musicians treated the music as an art project.
“The music goes in a really strange direction,” the 41-year-old says in the same Zoom interview. “We try a lot of things – sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t work.”
Wayan, 43, says that trying to blend two seemingly disparate genres was akin to mixing water with oil.
“For me, it’s a good challenge because from the beginning of my journey, I have always liked to try something new, something that has never been done before.”
For Gabber Modus Operandi vocalist Ican Harem, the magical essence in Samsara’s story is right up its alley.
The 36-year-old says: “The essence of Gabber Modus Operandi is always about bringing mysticism into the music and, with this, we are taking it to another level.”
Besides Ican on vocals, the live performance for Samsara will also feature singers Gusti Sudarta, Dinar Rizkianti and Thaly Titi Kasih.
Garin plans to take Samsara worldwide, just as with Setan Jawa, which travelled to Australia, Japan, Germany and the Netherlands.
Setan Jawa has expanded into theatre performances and art installations.
“I hope Samsara will be developed and transformed into many different art forms,” he says.
Samsara – A Cine-Concert
Where: Esplanade Concert Hall, 1 Esplanade Drive
When: May 10, 8pm
Admission: From $28, go to str.sg/sZLY
Pesta Raya workshop
What: Angklung Workshop
Where: Esplanade Rehearsal Studio, 1 Esplanade Drive
When: May 12, 2pm
Admission: $15, go to str.sg/8xnB
Info: Participants learn to make music with the angklung, the centuries-old percussion bamboo instrument from Indonesia recognised as an Intangible Cultural Heritage item by Unesco. Those with young ones will want to join the Parent-Child Workshop: Angklung Fun! instead. This version of the workshop, held at 11am, is recommended for children aged between six and 12, and they have to be accompanied by adults. Both workshops are organised by music group Angklung Empire.
