Setan Jawa – Holland Festival

The island of Java suffered from grinding poverty at the beginning of the twentieth century. People sought refuge in Javanese mysticism, especially the mystic practices which promised wealth. Setan Jawa (‘Javanese devil’) is the tale of a poor man from the countryside who falls in love with the daughter of an aristocratic family. He makes a pact with the devil to become wealthy and gain her hand in marriage. The price of this happiness unfolds in a tragic love story. Director Garin Nugroho – whose films include Opera Jawa which was screened at the International Film Festival Rotterdam – took inspiration for his new silent dance film from the dark atmosphere and style of classic films including Nosferatu and Metropolis. The soundtrack is performed live by the Rahayu Supanggah Gamelan Orchestra and the Nederlands Kamerorkest. Composed by Rahayu Supanggah, who has previously collaborated with Robert Wilson, and Iain Grandage. A magic-realist masterpiece of contemporary Indonesian cinema. Programme book

Following the focus on Turkey and its neighbouring countries (2015) and on the Edges of Europe (2016), this year’s special focus is on music from Indonesia. In the islands, many styles and genres exist next to each other in a fascinating way. We present a selection of contemporary work: noise from the streets of Yogyakarta and folk from strictly Islamic Aceh, to modern Indonesian composers.

We show collaborations which transcend boundaries from artists from different corners of the archipelago. Rahayu Suppangah wrote the music for Setan Jawa, a new silent dance film by Garin Nugroho. Indonesian composers and musicians work with Ensemble Modern from Frankfurt in Ruang Suara. We are presenting A Night in Indonesia in Paradiso, with the latest music from the Indonesian underground, including the EDM duo Filastine & Nova Ruth and Senyawa’s acoustic metal. At the Holland Festival Proms the visual artist Jompet Kuswidananto is presenting an opera installation about censorship in art. The audience can also enter the Temple of Time by the Indonesian-Dutch composer Sinta Wullur. The context programming explores topics such as Javanese mysticism and joint Dutch and Indonesian historiography.

Discover the sound of modern Indonesia.

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Setan Jawa from director Garin Nugroho is inspired by many things. German, black-and-white classic films like Nosferatu (Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau, 1922) and Metropolis (Fritz Lang, 1927) form one such source of inspiration. Another is wayang: Indonesian shadow

puppetry that is usually accompanied by gamelan music. The traditional yet ever-popular wayang performances are seen by many as the precursor to film because of the way in which stories are told by the shadows of puppets against a large white screen. For Nugroho, these shadows are a type of magic realism; they exist somewhere between reality and shadow reality. Nugroho sees this shadow reality as a world in itself, where colour is made up of an endless number of shades of grey. In his film Opera Jawa (2006), which was subsequently made into a theatre production, Nugroho tells a classic story from the wayang tradition. With Setan Jawa, a silent dance film in black and white and accompanied by live gamelan music, he goes one step further.

Another source of inspiration that Nugroho and art director Ong Wahyu cite is the painter Tjitro Waloejo (1912-1990). He is known for his paintings of pesugihan in the 1940s and 1950s. Pesugihan comes from Javanese mysticism and is a ritual for making a wish come true by making a pact with the devil. These wishes are usually related to money, power or love. During the years in which Waloejo produced his most well-known work, following the Dutch and Japanese occupation and the Indonesian National Revolution, Java was struck by extreme poverty. Pesugihan was a popular refuge at the time.

The Javanese composer Rahayu Supanggah wrote a new soundtrack for the film in collaboration with the Australian composer Iain Grandage; Supanggah was responsible for the gamelan music and Grandage added an orchestral part. Supanggah is known for his popular and modern gamelan compositions. At its world premiere, which will take place at the Asia Pacific Triennial of Performing Arts in Melbourne in February 2017, this soundtrack will be performed live by Supanggah’s own gamelan orchestra with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. The Netherlands Chamber Orchestra will take the place of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra for the performance at the Holland Festival.

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credits

direction Garin Nugroho music Rahayu Supanggah, Iain Grandage assistent music Setyawan Jayantoro music performed by Rahayu Supanggah Gamelan Garasi Seni Benawa, Nederlands Kamerorkest production Jala Adolphus, Rina Damayanti tour manager Fafa Utami producers Garin Nugroho Workshop, Turning World: Kate Ben-Tovim co-producers Asia TOPA - Arts Centre Melbourne, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Esplanade Theatres on the Bay, Singapore director of photography Teoh Gay Hian choreography Danang, Agung 1st assistant director Winaldo Artaraya Swastika 2nd assistant director Arif script-continuity Acho script assistant William assistant producer David Natsumi G., Ade Mindarwan assistant camera Aan Malik camera boy Jason gaffer Imam Yudha Permana cast Asmara Abigail, Heru Purwanto, Dorothea Queen, Luluk Ari Prastyo, Danang Pamungkas, Anggono Kusumo W, Bambang Besur, Ibnu Sukodok, Rusini, M. Fathan Irsyad, Kristiyanto, Adriana, Adi Nugroho, Matheu Mergans, Otniel Tasman, Ari Yandhi art director Ong Wahyu, Edy Wibowo costumes Retno Damayanti editor Andhy Pulung, Dodi Chandra line producer Fafa Utami, Nova Teguh production designer Ong Wahyu art crew Rifat Satya, Candra Brow, Septian Gemboel, Faruq Dhanu, Paicong dresser Ruri Widiarto, Anggit Tyaswari, Ari Yandhi light design Agus Bagong dolly operator Madin lighting guard Karman art driver Pak Rebo

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Watching Party: Aural Archipelago

Palmer Keen

2017

Watching Party: Aural Archipelago

Javanese mysticism

credits