Located at JL. Kalilo No 15 Senen, Jakarta
Pusat, Wayang Orang Bharata performs nightly at 8pm, with a show duration of
about 2 hours which ends at 10 pm. Tickets are available at Rp 30,000/person
for balcony seating, Rp 40,000 for First Class and Rp. 50,000 for VIP.
History
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| sumber foto:photobucket.com |
Wayang Orang Bharata has been established
since 1972. Wayang is derived from the word bayangan
(shadow). It means a mirror to real life. And Bharata means Bawa Rasa Tala. The meaning of Bawa is
singing without music arrangement, Rasa is
feeling, and Tala is bee’s nest that
contains honey. So Bharata means
moving/singing that brings good feeling. The types of performance shown here is
wayang orang, a traditional Javanese
dance-drama that retells the Mahabharata and Ramayana Hindu epics. It also
stages the ketropak--a more modern
version adopting simpler costumes and dialogue--and the fascinating wayang kulit (leather shadow puppet
show). The theater's modest size and interior conceal its significance as home
to the last nightly-performing professional wayang
orang troupe. Once monthly, the group performs at the more elite Performing
Arts Building (Gedung Kesenian). And comparing from its first show in 1970
era, now middle up people is also be viewers of the show.
Improvised
Story Line
Although Bharata original story comes from India, the Indonesian
version is also appreciated by Indian people. With translation to Javanesse
language, the story adopts Indonesian culture without missing the original
source. It promotes the same value:
goodness always wins over evil.
Themes
Various themes are created by the creative
team to attract the audience to come, such as Abimanyu Dadi Ratu, Ramayana: Prahasto Gugur, Janoko Pundak, Palguno
Palgunadi, Wahyu Purbo Sejati etc. They have quarterly performances with
different story lines scheduled in advance for the public to choose which one
they are interested in viewing. No wonder in every performance, not less than
70% from the 250 available seats are occupied.
Special
Performance
In conjunction to Kartini (Indonesian Women
Rights Hero) Day, The Wayang Orang Bharata building is crowded by people who
want to enjoy “Gatut Koco Wisudo” which is performed by all female casts. The
show is not only attended by seniors and adults, but also teen and kids who
appreciate and have interest in Wayang Orang show.
Performers
Background
Wayang Orang Bharata’s performers come from
various professions. They are civil servant, background dancers, master
ceremony and even theme park’s employees. All artists are still related to each
other: Husband-wife, parents-children, and uncle/aunt – nephew/niece. There are
over 80 families living in the building, before they are moving to another
place.
(Soewarna Digest 10th Edition)
