Opera Jawa
Encyclopedia
Opera Jawa is a 2006 Indonesian
-Austrian
musical film
directed by Garin Nugroho
that features traditional Java
nese classical music
and dance
in a setting of opera
that is inspired by the "The Abduction of Sita" episode from the Ramayana
.
The film was commissioned for Peter Sellars
' New Crowned Hope festival in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the birth of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
.
In addition to music by Rahayu Supanggah, the film features installation art
production design by Nanang Rhamat.
) and Setio (Martinus Miroto) are a married couple living in a small village. They were once dancers in plays depicting the Ramayana
, but have since retired from the stage to sell earthenware pottery.
Siti used to play the part of Sita
, the wife of Prince Rama
, whom Setio portrayed. In an episode from the Ramayana, Siti becomes the object desire of evil King Ravana
and is abducted by him.
The events of the Ramayana are paralleled in the characters' real lives when Ludiro (Eko Supriyanto), a butcher who rules over all the village's business affairs, tries to seduce Siti.
for the New Crowned Hope Festival in 2006 in Vienna
to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
. Other films commissioned for the project included I Don't Want to Sleep Alone
by Tsai Ming-liang
and Syndromes and a Century
by Apichatpong Weerasethakul
.
The film had its world premiere on August 7, 2006 at the Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival. It was then screened at several film festival
s, including the Venice Film Festival
, the Toronto International Film Festival
, the Vancouver International Film Festival
and Nantes Festival of Three Continents. In 2007, its festival screenings include the International Film Festival Rotterdam
, Belgrade's FEST
, the Cleveland International Film Festival
, the Singapore International Film Festival
, the Cambridge Film Festival
and the Era New Horizons Film Festival
.
There were theatrical releases in 2007 in the United Kingdom
, the Netherlands
. It received a limited theatrical release in January 2008 at the Museum of Modern Art
in New York City
.
, based on 13 reviews.
at the inaugural
Asian Film Awards
. It was also one of six nominees for Best Film at the 1st Asian Film Awards.
It was nominated for Best Feature Film at the 2007 Asia Pacific Screen Awards
.
It won the Silver Screen Award for Best Film at the 2007 Singapore International Film Festival
.
Cinema of Indonesia
Though the cinema of Indonesia has a long history, the industry is currently struggling and developing.-Colonial era:The first film made in Indonesia was the 1926 silent film, Loetoeng Kasaroeng, by Dutch directors G. Kruger and L. Heuveldorp...
-Austrian
Cinema of Austria
Austria has had an active cinema industry since the early 20th century. Sascha Kolowrat-Krakowsky was among the Austrian pioneers of this art. Several Austrians pursued a career in pre-Nazi Germany and later in the United States, among them Fritz Lang, Josef von Sternberg, Billy Wilder, Fred...
musical film
Musical film
The musical film is a film genre in which songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, though in some cases they serve merely as breaks in the storyline, often as elaborate...
directed by Garin Nugroho
Garin Nugroho
Garin Nugroho Riyanto , better known as Garin Nugroho, is an award-winning Indonesian film director.-Biography:Nugroho was born in Yogyakarta, Special Region of Yogyakarta on 6 June 1961. He was the fourth child of postal workers Soetjipto Amin and Mariah, who eventually had seven children...
that features traditional Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
nese classical music
Music of Indonesia
The music of Indonesia demonstrates its cultural diversity, the local musical creativity, as well as subsequent foreign musical influences that shaped contemporary music scenes of Indonesia. Nearly thousands of Indonesian islands having its own cultural and artistic history and character. This...
and dance
Dance of Indonesia
Dance in Indonesia reflects the country's diversity of ethnicities and cultures. There are more than 700 ethnic groups in Indonesia: Austronesian roots and Melanesian tribal forms are visible, and influences ranging from neighboring Asian and even western styles through colonization...
in a setting of opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
that is inspired by the "The Abduction of Sita" episode from the Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
.
The film was commissioned for Peter Sellars
Peter Sellars
Peter Sellars is an American theatre director, noted for his unique contemporary stagings of classical and contemporary operas and plays...
' New Crowned Hope festival in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the birth of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
.
In addition to music by Rahayu Supanggah, the film features installation art
Installation art
Installation art describes an artistic genre of three-dimensional works that are often site-specific and designed to transform the perception of a space. Generally, the term is applied to interior spaces, whereas exterior interventions are often called Land art; however, the boundaries between...
production design by Nanang Rhamat.
Plot
Siti (Artika Sari DeviArtika Sari Devi
Artika Sari Devi was born in Pangkal Pinang, Bangka-Belitung Islands, at September 29, 1979. She became Puteri Indonesia 2004 when she was 25 years old, represented Kepulauan Bangka Belitung, and crowned on August 6, 2004, in the Jakarta Convention Center.-Miss Universe 2005:She represented...
) and Setio (Martinus Miroto) are a married couple living in a small village. They were once dancers in plays depicting the Ramayana
Ramayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
, but have since retired from the stage to sell earthenware pottery.
Siti used to play the part of Sita
SITA
SITA is a multinational information technology company specialising in providing IT and telecommunication services to the air transport industry...
, the wife of Prince Rama
Rama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
, whom Setio portrayed. In an episode from the Ramayana, Siti becomes the object desire of evil King Ravana
Ravana
' is the primary antagonist character of the Hindu legend, the Ramayana; who is the great king of Lanka. In the classic text, he is mainly depicted negatively, kidnapping Rama's wife Sita, to claim vengeance on Rama and his brother Lakshmana for having cut off the nose of his sister...
and is abducted by him.
The events of the Ramayana are paralleled in the characters' real lives when Ludiro (Eko Supriyanto), a butcher who rules over all the village's business affairs, tries to seduce Siti.
Film festivals
Opera Jawa was one of several films commissioned by Peter SellarsPeter Sellars
Peter Sellars is an American theatre director, noted for his unique contemporary stagings of classical and contemporary operas and plays...
for the New Crowned Hope Festival in 2006 in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
. Other films commissioned for the project included I Don't Want to Sleep Alone
I Don't Want to Sleep Alone
I Don't Want to Sleep Alone is a 2006 Malaysian-Taiwanese romantic-drama film written and directed by Tsai Ming-liang...
by Tsai Ming-liang
Tsai Ming-liang
Tsai Ming-liang is one of the most celebrated "Second New Wave" film directors of Taiwanese Cinema, along with earlier contemporaries such as Hou Hsiao-Hsien and Edward Yang...
and Syndromes and a Century
Syndromes and a Century
Syndromes and a Century is a 2006 Thai drama film written and directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul. The film was among the works commissioned for Peter Sellars' New Crowned Hope festival in Vienna to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart...
by Apichatpong Weerasethakul
Apichatpong Weerasethakul
Apichatpong "Joe" Weerasethakul is a Thai independent film director, screenwriter, and film producer. His feature films include Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, winner of the prestigious 2010 Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or prize; Tropical Malady, which won a jury prize at the 2004...
.
The film had its world premiere on August 7, 2006 at the Jogja-NETPAC Asian Film Festival. It was then screened at several film festival
Film festival
A film festival is an organised, extended presentation of films in one or more movie theaters or screening venues, usually in a single locality. More and more often film festivals show part of their films to the public by adding outdoor movie screenings...
s, including the Venice Film Festival
Venice Film Festival
The Venice International Film Festival is the oldest international film festival in the world. Founded by Count Giuseppe Volpi in 1932 as the "Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica", the festival has since taken place every year in late August or early September on the island of the...
, the Toronto International Film Festival
2006 Toronto International Film Festival
The 2006 Toronto International Film Festival ran from September 7 to September 16, 2006. Opening the festival was Zacharias Kunuk and Norman Cohn's The Journals of Knud Rasmussen, a film that "explores the history of the Inuit people through the eyes of a father and daughter."In a press release...
, the Vancouver International Film Festival
Vancouver International Film Festival
The Vancouver International Film Festival is an annual film festival held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada for two weeks in late September and early October...
and Nantes Festival of Three Continents. In 2007, its festival screenings include the International Film Festival Rotterdam
International Film Festival Rotterdam
The International Film Festival Rotterdam is an annual film festival held in various cinemas in Rotterdam, Netherlands held at the end of January. It is approximately comparable in size to other major European festivals such as Cannes, Venice, Berlin, and Locarno...
, Belgrade's FEST
FEST (Belgrade)
FEST is annual film festival held in Belgrade, Serbia since 1971. The festival is usually held in the first quarter of the year.It was the only film festival in socialist countries that attracted big Hollywood stars such as Jack Nicholson, Kirk Douglas, Robert De Niro and directors like Miloš...
, the Cleveland International Film Festival
Cleveland International Film Festival
The Cleveland International Film Festival, first held in 1977, is the largest film festival in Ohio. The 2010 festival featured over 300 films. Since 1991 the festival has been held at Tower City Cinemas in downtown Cleveland.-Roxanne T...
, the Singapore International Film Festival
Singapore International Film Festival
The Singapore International Film Festival was launched in 1987. The festival is an annual film event, held around April/May each year, and screens about 300 films from over 45 countries...
, the Cambridge Film Festival
Cambridge Film Festival
The Cambridge Film Festival is one of the biggest film festivals in the UK. The festival historically took place during early July, but now takes place annually during September in Cambridge....
and the Era New Horizons Film Festival
Era New Horizons Film Festival
New Horizons Film Festival is an international film festival held annually in July in Wrocław, Poland. It has been organised since 2001.- Festival programme 2009 :* Opening gala – Michael Haneke's The White Ribbon...
.
There were theatrical releases in 2007 in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. It received a limited theatrical release in January 2008 at the Museum of Modern Art
Museum of Modern Art
The Museum of Modern Art is an art museum in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, on 53rd Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. It has been important in developing and collecting modernist art, and is often identified as the most influential museum of modern art in the world...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Critical response
The film has generated praise from critics, with a rating of 100% (fresh) on Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
, based on 13 reviews.
Awards and nominations
Opera Jawa won the Best Composer award for Rahayu SupanggahRahayu Supanggah
Rahayu Supanggah is an Indonesian composer of more than 100 pieces, known mostly for his part in the international collaboration Realizing Rama and the music score composed for Robert Wilson's I La Galigo. His compositions for Opera Jawa won the Asian Film Award in 2007. Since 2007 he is resident...
at the inaugural
1st Asian Film Awards
The 1st Asian Film Awards were given on 20 March 2007 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, on the opening night of the 31st Hong Kong International Film Festival....
Asian Film Awards
Asian Film Awards
The Asian Film Awards are presented annually by the Hong Kong International Film Festival Society to recognize excellence of film professionals in the film industries of Asian cinema.-History:...
. It was also one of six nominees for Best Film at the 1st Asian Film Awards.
It was nominated for Best Feature Film at the 2007 Asia Pacific Screen Awards
Asia Pacific Screen Awards
The Asia Pacific Screen Awards is an international cultural initiative of the State Government of Queensland, Australia, through Events Queensland, to honour and promote the films, actors, directors, and cultures of Asia-Pacific to a global audience and to realise the objectives of UNESCO to...
.
It won the Silver Screen Award for Best Film at the 2007 Singapore International Film Festival
Singapore International Film Festival
The Singapore International Film Festival was launched in 1987. The festival is an annual film event, held around April/May each year, and screens about 300 films from over 45 countries...
.