Ki Purbo Asmoro
Reflections: Ki Purbo Asmoro as a superstar figure
a reflection by Purbo Asmoro, April 2006:
“Beautiful poetry, profound philosophy, impressive movements, dramatic characterizations, extensive knowledge of gendhing and suluk, clever solutions to conflicts in the story—you know what? None of it means anything if a dhalang doesn’t reach his audience. I consider my performance a failure if in the end I don’t speak to my audience. Now that doesn’t mean I will go to all ends to humor the spectators—that’s different. But I strive, number one, to communicate with my audience, and reach them in a way that makes a difference in their lives, while still retaining my own integrity as a performer. That is nowhere near as easy as it may sound, and involves as many different approaches as there are audiences.”
(jotted down by K. Emerson during a private communication and subsequently translated)
"...wajah dalang menjadi milik wayang..."
While on tour in the USA, Purbo Asmoro was asked by Jody Diamond, member of gamelan Manunggal Rasa, "don't you ever want to turn around and see the people watching you and what's going on behind you?" And Ki Purbo replied,
"Once a wayang begins, the dhalang's face belongs to the characters in the wayang [wajah dalang menjadi milik wayang...] and to no one else, not even to himself." A number of participants in the tour witnessed his answer around the dinner table and were struck by the thought he posed.
Perhaps the photos below reflect how this statement plays out in his performances:
(photos by Hananta)
