'I La Galigo' finally back home

'I La Galigo' finally back home

Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

I La Galigo, a theater work based on the 14th century epic poem
Sureq Galigo (Galigo Manuscripts), will be staged at home for the
first time.
The production has already toured major cities including
Singapore, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Paris and New York.

Head of the City Culture and Museum Agency Aurora Tambunan
said on Thursday that I La Galigo, the story of which originated
with the Bugis, an indigenous people from South Sulawesi, would
be performed from Dec. 10 to Dec. 12 at Taman Mini Indonesia
Indah's (TMII) Teater Tanah Airku.

"I La Galigo directed by theater visionary Robert Wilson has
been successfully performed all over the world. Jakartans will
soon have an opportunity to see the great work," Aurora told The
Jakarta Post on Thursday.

Aurora said the work featured a cast of some 50 Indonesian
performers, including actors, dancers and musicians.

Besides Wilson, the creative team comprises a group of
international artists including American filmmaker Rhoda Grauer,
Indonesian musician Rahayu Supanggah and Indonesian dancer Restu
Kusumaningrum.

Longer than the Hindu Mahabharata manuscripts, Sureq Galigo
details the creation of Earth, its inhabitants and six
generations of gods. Its story focuses on a twin brother and
sister who fall in love in their mother's womb.

The New York Times called I La Galigo a "stunning work" when
it was performed in June as part of New York's Lincoln Center
Festival.

Spokesman for the organizing committee Yusi Avianto Pareanom
said that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Vice President
Jusuf Kalla would attend the opening night of the performance
here.

According to Yusi, lights for the show were being hired from
Germany.

"We are now very busy as opening night approaches. We must
ensure the performance is a success," he told the Post on
Thursday.

He said tickets for the three-hour performance were priced
from Rp 250,000 (US$25) to Rp 750,000.

According to one of the organizers, who requested anonymity,
the organizing committee is still seeking sponsorship for the Rp
6 billion production.

"We will invite more sponsors to fund the event because we
cannot rely on ticket sales alone," said the organizer, adding
that renting theater lights from Germany would cost Rp 2 billion.