On Saturday, 22 September 2018 at 8 pm the Humboldt Forum, in cooperation with the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, will be presenting a German premiere: the festival production of Setan Jawa at the Haus des Rundfunks Berlin. The Javanese gamelan ensemble Garasi Seni Benawa and the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin will provide live musical accompaniment to the silent film Setan Jawa, directed by Garin Nugroho. The music has been composed by Rahayu Supanggah and Iain Grandage. The film concert will conclude both the exhibition [sound] Listening to the World and its accompanying programme.
The concept behind Setan Jawa is utterly unique: a silent black-and-white film with Indonesian shadow puppetry, modern dance and a traditional gamelan orchestra with five singers, supplemented by a European orchestra – all coming together to create a fascinating Gesamtkunstwerk. In this love story, a poor villager called Setio tragically falls in love with the beautiful Javanese princess Asih. In order to win her love he makes a pact with the Devil. Set in colonial-era Indonesia, the tale is inspired as much by the island kingdom’s vibrant mysticism as it is by 1920s silent German film.
The classic film Nosferatu, directed by Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau, provided the springboard for well-known Indonesian avant-garde director Garin Nugroho to reinvent the world of shadows. This encounter between tradition and modernity culminates in the contemporary composition by the influential Indonesian composer Rahayu Supanggah – who is regarded as having breathed new life into gamelan music and has worked with Robert Wilson, among others – and the prize-winning Australian composer Iain Grandage. The music, which has been written specially for this film, is to be performed by the Javanese gamelan ensemble Garasi Seni Benawa and the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, and conducted by Iain Grandage. The film concert, which premiered at the Arts Center Melbourne in 2017, will be performed for the first time in Germany and in this particular constellation.
Words of welcome from general director Prof. Dr. Hartmut Dorgerloh and an introduction by Humbold Forum’s Stefan Schmidtke. Organized by Stiftung Humboldt Forum im Berliner Schloss in cooperation with Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin. A co-production between Garin Nugroho Workshop and Turning World, Asia TOPA – Arts Centre Melbourne, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Esplanade – Theatres on The Bay, Singapore.
Setan Jawa – The Javanese Devil. Silent Film with Live Orchestral Music
Saturday, 22nd September 2018 | Doors 18:30 CET | Starts 20:00 CET
Haus des Rundfunks Berlin | Masurenallee 10 | 14057 Berlin
Humboldt Forum | Event @ Facebook | Tickets
