Gamelan de Sebatu

Located at the centre of the Indonesian island of Bali, Sebatu is a small village that possess a very rich traditional culture. In Bali, each village has its own style of gamelan. A bit more or a bit less grand or virtuoso, with incredibly varied nuances in the percussive style, it is part of daily life. The town of Sebatu (3,000 inhabitants) is situated on the slopes of the Batur volcano, and its gamelan is internationally famous. But it is rare to hear these artists on stages here in the West. Their first passage in France dates back to 1972.

The first part of the show presents the pearls of Balinese music and dance. Versatile, the gamelan Gong Kebyar modifies its instrumentation of gongs and bronze blades to perform the repertoires of dance styles older than the Kebyar. The latter, pure virtuosity that has influenced numerous composers around the world and that continues to inspire those in Bali, will be represented by an impressive instrumental overture and two Kebyar dance solos. With the voice of the traditional tandak narrator, with overhead subtitling, the second part will present aristocratic narrative dances. The height of refinement, the Legong Keraton "Lasem" royal ballet has a long tradition. In this initiatic ritual, the anti-hero, the king of Lasem (East Java), enters the jungle, where his ego and all duality will be neutralized, and where magnificent and fierce Jauk masks, the mythical creature Barong, the sorceress Rangda, and the iconic Kecak choir of "vocal percussion" are all given their true meaning and function.

Coproduction Orchestre Philharmonique de Paris,
Opéra de Dijon, Orchestre national de Bordeaux
In the context of the Festival Art Danse 2023

Gamelan Gong Kebyar, Pelegongan
and Kecak choir choreography Troup Carmanwati of Sebatu
Chief I Gede Sanjaya
Narration, voice, song Jro Wayan Kartu
Lighting Christophe Olivier
Artistic advisor, subtitling Kati Basset

Show with overhead subtitles in French

First part
Anthology: virtuoso solo and couples dances

Second part
Initiatic tale: royal ballet, ballet of masks and Kecak