Art summit offers respite from crisis

JAKARTA (JP): Forget the crisis. Forget the weakening rupiah and the soaring prices of rice and other basic commodities. The time is approaching to indulge yourself with prime performing arts.

Sixteen quality local and international groups are in town to perform at the second art summit with the theme: Enlightment in the Crisis.

Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare and Poverty Eradication Haryono Suyono is scheduled to open the month-long event at Taman Ismail Marzuki arts center in Central Jakarta on Sept. 19.

Hailed as the most prestigious art festival here, it will present dances, dramas and music concerts from nine countries: Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Spain, the Netherlands and the United States. Participants will perform at Taman Ismail Marzuki's Graha Bhakti Budaya and at Gedung Kesenian Jakarta (Jakarta Playhouse).

Noted choreographer Gusmiati Suid, founder of the Gumarang Sakti Dance Company, will kick off the festival with the group's latest work, Api Dalam Sekam (Fire in the Chaff), at Gedung Kesenian Jakarta.

The group is famous for its contemporary choreography with notable influence from the Minangkabau, or West Sumatra.

Alvin Lucier, a pioneer of contemporary music in the United States, will perform with 12 highly reputable musicians, including local gamelan experts, on Sept. 21 and Sept. 22. They will also perform at the playhouse.

While performing at the arts center, Rendra and his Bengkel Theater are scheduled to stage his 1975s work, Suku Naga (Dragon Tribe), on Sept. 22 and Sept. 23.

Yukio Waguri of Japan's experimental dance company Butoh will perform on Sept. 25 and Sept. 26 at Taman Ismail Marzuki.

On Sept. 25 and Sept. 26, composer Toni Prabowo will play his compositions Autumnal Steps and Pembakaran Sinta (Sinta's Burning) at the playhouse.

A contemporary theater group, El-Warsha of Egypt, will perform Spinning Lives, an epic with eastern and western Arabs on stage, at the arts center on Sept. 29 and Sept. 30.

German dance group Bremer Tanztheater will feature their latest works, Also Egmont Bitte and Frauenballett/Heisse Luft, at the playhouse on Oct. 1 and Oct. 2.

French composers Musicatreize will entertain audiences with their "humoristique" compositions at the arts center on Oct. 2 and Oct. 3.

A modern-classic music concert by Dutch artists Theo Loevendie and Insomnio group on Oct. 3 and Oct. 4 will be staged at the playhouse.

This will be followed by local choreographer Miroto's presentation of a riot-inspired dance performance, Kembang Sampah (Garbage Flower) on Oct. 6 and Oct. 7 at the playhouse.

Jin Hi Kim and three other composers from the United States will demonstrate their skills at the arts center on Oct. 7 and Oct. 8.

Gamelan-dominated compositions Wulan and Bamban created by Suka Hardjana will be staged on Oct. 9 and Oct. 10 at the playhouse, while playwright Putu Wijaya and his Theater Mandiri will perform Ngeh (Understand), a compilation of his worst experiences during the May 14 riots, at the arts center on Oct. 11 and Oct. 12.

Spanish dancers will also take part in the summit by performing dances at the playhouse on Oct. 13 and Oct. 14.

Japanese composer Tsuchitori Toshiyuki and the Spiral Arms will play their compositions on Oct. 15 and Oct. 16 at the arts center.

The last performance will feature Finish female composer Kaija Saariaho and her Petal Ensemble, on Oct. 18 and Oct. 19 at the playhouse.

A dialog: The Problem of Multiculturalism and Exploration of Local Sources, will also be held at Alia Hotel in Central Jakarta on Sept. 23 and Sept. 24. Speakers include Alvin Lucier, who is a lecturer at Connecticut's Wesleyan University, Dieter Mack of Germany, Sal Murgianto of Indonesia, Chua Soo Pong of Singapore and Takahashi Yuji of Japan.

The Ministry of Education's and Culture Director General of Culture Edi Sedyawati said the second art summit was expected to be better than the first one held in 1995.

"In terms of quality, the first art summit was warmly greeted... many people complimented the performances. So at least, we hope the second art summit will be of the same quality as the first one," Edi told journalists on Tuesday.

The event is held every three years to allow organizers enough time to make preparations, including the selecting of prospective performers, she said.

"If we're going to hold a third art summit, we should start making preparations right after the second art summit," Edi said.

Tickets are available at the venues at prices ranging from Rp 25,000 to Rp 10,000. Students get a 50 percent discount from the lowest rate. (ste)