Music concert to be staged at Borobudur

Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A huge stage will be set up at Borobudur temple compound for a concert titled Borobudur Live in Concert, complete with full orchestra and choir, on April 23, 2005.

The concert, organized in a bid to attract more tourists to one of the world's 11 wonders, will present singers from Jakarta and local artists from Central Java.

"I'm proud to be participating in this concert. With this concert, I hope people, particularly foreigners, will see that Indonesia is safe and beautiful," child singer Tasya said to applause at a media conference recently.

Besides Tasya, the concert will feature internationally acclaimed singer Ruth Sahanaya, vocal group Moluccas, rock singer Nugie, singer Christopher Abimanyu, singer Iyeth Bustami, Javanese singer Didi Kempot, and others.

The singers will be accompanied by the 150-strong Vista Symphonic Orchestra and the 170-strong Surya Vocalia choir.

Organized by the office of the State Minister of Culture and Tourism, the Central Java Tourism Agency, and cellular provider Telkomsel, the concert will use the silhouette of Borobudur temple as its backdrop.

"We are limiting the audience to only 1,000 because we want the concert to be exclusive," Agusrita H. Nirwanasari, director of event organizer Yuta Communication, said.

Borobudur Temple's status as a place of cultural heritage, which has to be preserved, also adds to concerns to limit the audience.

Recently, the Buddhist temple has been receiving an average of 8,000 domestic tourists and about 200 international tourists per day. During its heyday it received 12,000 domestic tourists and more than 1,000 foreigners daily.

The organizers, who expect to stage the concert annually, will be selling tickets starting from Rp 200,000 (US$22.20). For its VVIP audience, Yuta Communication will offer tickets at Rp 500,000, which includes a gala dinner.