“The King’s Witch”, composer Tony Prabowo, libretto Goenawan Mohamad, konduktor Joel Sachs dan orkestra: Continuum Ensemble, Jakarta, December 2005.

Tony Prabowo’s opera, which was commissioned by Lloyd Erikson in honor of Eben W. Erikson and Marie B. Erikson, was then premiered by the New Juilliard Ensemble, conducted by Joel Sachs on Nov. 21, 2000, at the Alice Tully Hall in New York, but due to certain limitations at the time, it was presented as a concert rather than an opera.

On Dec. 1 and 2, Tony Prabowo’s opera The King’s Witch will be presented in Jakarta, at Graha Bhakti Budaya, Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM) in a fully fledged innovative opera presentation. On Dec. 3 it will be staged at Usmar Ismail Hall, Central Jakarta.

It will include 22 members of the New York-based Continuum Ensemble led by Cheryl Seltzer and Joel Sachs, who will play the flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, trumpet, horn, trombone, two violins, two violas, cello, contra bass, piano and percussion.

The production is directed by Yudi Ahmad Tajudin from Yogyakarta-based Teater Garasi.

Also involved are the Batavia Madrigal Singers, led by chorus master Avip Priatna, and actors from Teater Garasi.

Korean Bo Chang will perform as Calon Arang, Canadian Abigail Fischer as Manjali, and Briton Michael Smallwood as King Airlangga, while the stage and lighting design by the experienced Iskandar Loedin will be an exciting element in what promises to be a fascinating theatrical experience.

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