Movies & Music

The First Opera - Laki-Laki SejatiAnanda Sukarlan is one of Indonesia's most prominent pianists. The son of Sukarlan and Poppy Kumudastuti, he began his music lessons at the age of 5 under the tutelage of his older sister, Martani Widjajanti. After graduating from Jakarta's prestigious Canisius College in 1986, he continued his education at the University of Hartford in Connecticut, the United States, on a scholarship from Petrof Piano. Sukarlan then went to Europe when he was just seventeen, graduating with summa cum laude from the Royal Conservatory of Den Haag in 1993 under the guidance of Naum Grubert, winning numerous prizes at various international competitions, including the Nadia Boulanger Award of Orleans.

Sukarlan has performed at many concerts and festivals overseas, with such notable ensembles and symphony orchestras from Berlin, Rotterdam, Paris and Wellington as well as with nearly all of Spain's symphony orchestras. He has also appeared on radio and TV programs throughout Europe. Sukarlan was the first Indonesian artist to re-establish the cultural relationship between Portugal and Indonesia after the resumption of diplomatic relationships between the two countries, by performing as a soloist with the Portuguese National Symphony Orchestra in 2000. He is the only Indonesian musician listed in the book "2000 outstanding musicians of the 20th century" and "The International Who's Who in Music" published in Cambridge. As of 2010, he has recorded 14 CDs, including the complete piano works of Jesus Rueda, David del Puerto, Santiago Lanchares, Toru Takemitsu as well as works by Theo Levendie, Peter Sculthorpe, Trisutji Kamal, Amir Pasaribu, in addition to his own work.Interior of the Central Bank Auditorium

Despite Sukarlan's international reputation and his being a resident of Spain, he never forgets his Indonesian roots. He travels frequently from Europe to his homeland to oversee Yayasan Musik Sastra Indonesia, or the Indonesian Classical Music Foundation, and the Ananda Sukarlan Center for Music & Dance, which he set up in 2009. Through this foundation, Sukarlan helps young people of less fortunate means and backgrounds gain access to classical music, its education as well as instruction in musical instruments. He also aims to activate the Indonesian classical music scene by providing support to young Indonesian musicians, while developing a stronger identity for Indonesian classical music so that the country's future classical musicians are introduced to the world.

In cooperation with Ikatan Pegawai Bank Indonesia (IPEBI), or the Central Bank's Employee Association, Sukarlan staged this year's Java New Year Concert 2012 on January 8, 2012 at the Central Bank Auditorium. Sukarlan presented a breakthrough program for Indonesia: two operas in one show. Both operas were based on short stories by Indonesia's "father of short stories", Putu Wijaya, who has written more than a thousand stories. Both operas were set to Sukarlan's own music. The performers count among Indonesia's best classical singers, and include the winners of all the categories at the National Vocal Award "Tembang Puitik Ananda Sukarlan" 2011 (Ananda Sukarlan's Poetic Songs) held last April in Surabaya.

Ananda SukarlanThe first opera was entitled Laki-Laki Sejati, or True Man, and featured the coloratura soprano Evelyn Merrelita Sumilat, and the mezzosoprano Eriyani Tenga Lunga. The performance started without dialogue for the first few minutes when the daughter, a role played by Tenga Lunga, chantingly interjects "Mother, mother...what does a true man like?" Sumilat, in her role as the mother, replies with her strong voice "Why did you ask, my dear?" Throughout this first performance, Sukarlan exhibits his mastery, talent and maturity in musical composition for Indonesian opera. Some of the pieces surprise the audience with a short pentatonic scale, a uniquely Indonesian form of intertwined classical music.

Wijaya's short stories, as adapted by Sukarlan, inject elements of social critique for this particular piece, with lyrics that made the audience burst into laughter from time to time. In the search of a true man, Wijaya highlights that although men can be powerful, smart and rich, they are still fundamentally untrustworthy, indeed a quite cynical take on present day man. As for the performers, Sumilat's upper register was particularly excellent, soaring easily to interpolated high notes, while Tenga Lunga gave us a dazzling performance with her distinctive voice and heartfelt song.From left to right: Pharel Silaban, Eriyani Tenga Lunga, Ananda Sukarlan, Evelyn Merrelita Sumilat & Adi Nugroho

After a fifteen-minute intermission, the second opera, Mendadak Kaya, or Instantly Rich, was performed by Sukarlan on piano, accompanied by tenors Adi Nugroho and Pharel Silaban. This particular show, intended as slapstick comedy by Wijaya, is the story of a man who wanted to become instantly rich by asking help from a dukun, or witch doctor. As for the boys, Silaban has been blessed with a steady, smooth yet powerful voice that charms even when singing high notes. Nugroho, Silaban's co-performer, gave an animated performance and expressed an utterly passionate act to the final recital, in perfect accompaniment to the libretto. Three supporting dancers, a female and two males also appeared in the background for certain scenes. As the show came to its finale, the standing ovation from the audiences was inevitable!

The conductor of Twilite Orchestra and Indonesia's top musician, Addie MS commented, "I always have a positive response for what Sukarlan has been doing with his music. I appreciate his tireless effort to bring Indonesian style opera to the local public. Unfortunately we still don't have a proper music hall like Sydney's famed Opera House. You know, we never run out of talented musicians in this country. Congratulations to Sukarlan and the other performers for their marvelous show tonight!"