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Teater Tetas stages 'Prometheus Bound' in European tour
The tour marked a great achievement for Teater Tetas, which was founded in September 1978 by its artistic director, the late Agus Arya Dipayana. The group is popular in Indonesia, especially at the Bulungan Youth Center in South Jakarta. It has grown and expanded, with 646 members to date.
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Ancient tale: The tragedy based on myth of Prometheus is the center of Teater Tetas troupe’s latest play, Belenggu Prometheus (Prometheus Bound), performed on its European tour. (*/Dony Suryatin)
“Hier sitz ich, forme Menschen Nach meinem Bilde,
Ein Geschlecht, das mir gleich sei,
Zu leiden, zu weinen,
Zu genießen und zu freuen sich,
Und dein nicht zu achten,
Wie ich!”
(Here sit I, forming mortals; After my image; A race resembling me; To suffer, to weep; To enjoy, to be glad; And thee to scorn; As I!)
It’s the last verse of the poem Prometheus by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Prometheus is a Titan who defies Zeus and gives fire to mankind, acts for which he is subjected to perpetual punishment.
The tragedy based on the myth of Prometheus is at the center of Teater Tetas troupe’s latest play, Belenggu Prometheus (Prometheus Bound).
The troupe performed the play on July 26 in Slovenia at the 28th Summer in Ljubljana Old Town Festival. Their next stops are in Gmund and Grunbach, Austria on July 29 and 31 before heading to Fertorakos, Hungary.
The group left Jakarta for its tour on July 15. On account of the Turkish coup attempt, it was stranded for 24 hours at Antalya Airport, Turkey before finally arriving in Athens on July 17 and directly going to Kavala in northern Greece by bus provided by the Indonesian Embassy in Athens.
In Kavala, Teater Tetas presented Belenggu Prometheus at the 59th Philipi Festival in the ancient theater of Philippi on July 21 and at the 26th Ancient Ilis Festival in Aigio on July 22. Both shows in the open air theaters in Greece were a success.
Some 350 people occupied the seats in Kavala, an open air theater built 2,400 years ago. Legendary band Pink Floyd once performed at the same place. In Aigio, 500 people came to the venue to see the troupe’s performance.
The tour marked a great achievement for Teater Tetas, which was founded in September 1978 by its artistic director, the late Agus Arya Dipayana. The group is popular in Indonesia, especially at the Bulungan Youth Center in South Jakarta. It has grown and expanded, with 646 members to date.
Teater Tetas has also contributed to the shaping of contemporary theater in the country through its performances, many of which were inspired by the epic Mahabharata.
In the summer of 2012, it produced the play Mimpi (Dream) for its first European tour. It presented the play in Greece, Austria and Hungary.
Under the guidance of Werner Schulze, it produced Belenggu Prometheus for this year’s tour. Werner is a composer, scientist and professor at the International Center for Harmonics of the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna, Austria. Schulze has been the theater troupe’s artistic director since 2012.
Under Schulze, Tetas’ play is a fusion of traditional Javanese music, contemporary dance and Greek myth.
Through the prism of current social issues, music and dance, the myth of Prometheus came to life. The story of an ancient Greek myth, combined with gamelan traditional Javanese orchestra and dialogue in Indonesian (with subtitles provided on a screen) indeed strengthen the bond between Greek and Indonesian cultures.
