Wayang performance for 50 nights

Wayang performance for 50 nights

SURAKARTA, Central Java: The city, one of the centers of
Javanese art and culture, is hosting wayang (traditional leather
puppet) performances for 50 consecutive nights beginning July 15.

Ichwan Dardiri, the head organizer of the 1995 Greget Dalang
Festival, said the event is being held to mark the 50th
anniversary of Indonesia's independence.

The performance will be conducted, in turns, by 50 puppet
masters.

Ichwan said the organizers had originally planned to conduct
the performance non-stop for 50 days and nights because it had
enlisted the participation of 150 dalangs (puppet masters).

But at the suggestion of Soesilo Soedarman and Harmoko -- both
senior cabinet members -- the organizers agreed to keep 50
dalangs in Surakarta to perform for 50 consecutive nights and
send the other 100 to perform in other cities, Antara reported.

The performance in Surakarta will be opened by Ki Anom Suroto
Lebdocarito and closed by Ki Mantep Sudarsono, both top puppet
masters. (emb)