Khmer Opera Being Saved
Friday, August 08, 2008 - by seiha
One art centre is trying to modernize the opera. And they’re attracting new audiences.
Khmer opera was known through melody, costumes full with golden jewelry, and techniques of dancing. Music of ‘Revitalizing Monkey and Giant’, this is the Monkey Opera that was modernized to fit the present interests.
Cultural coordinator at Amrita performing Art, Sou BunRith says some parts of New Monkey have been changed such as clothes and decoration. He added that actors no need to wear the heavy mass, wear black T-shirt, hole a flashlight; they could act more natural because no narrow clothes tied their bodies like before and young people just come to watch the traditional Operas.
Sou Bunrith said, “all of what I had done is to preserve the culture and tradition.” Different people, different times, and difference interests, young people should have right to choose what they want. Revitalizing Monkey and Giant is a sing of development and by the presence of it, all Khmer opera will survive later on.
Eng SiThal, director of Cambodian Arts Association, thought that the Revitalizing Monkey and Giant and some other reproducing do not affect Khmer Opera perform greatly, but it shows the movement of Khmer art. “If we know and recognize what is the original and modern are that is enough.” Eng Sithal stated that nothing could be concern and keeping the same is the enemy of art, yet changing is the improvement. Unless Angkor Wat temple is tear down, that is the time could be concerned that may lose everything of art.
Many operas have now been redesigned to grab the crowd attention. Especially, traditional music instruments is being played with modern instruments and made both national and international surprise.
In connecting to theses vice president of Department of Culture and Art, Pock Saran, has directed some new operas. But he thinks they need to be done with care. The vice president added it would be good if there were associations that work on checking and editing new performance of art because so far there are some performances played in improper way, some try to make opera to make more attractive and modern without thinking understand what is opera. They cause many problems and it was acceptable. He says the Ministry of Culture and Art is planning warrant to check out all improper art performing.
Extracted from Mr. Chey Sambath, student of Media -08 August 2008.
