Y. Bintang Prakarsa, Contributor, Jakarta
Classical performances in Jakarta by resident musicians have never been so varied as in the last few years, thanks to the creative programming and the new artists and ensembles that keeps coming on stage.
This week's upcoming events are just a few instances of what can be expected nowadays.
After several acclaimed appearances since last year, Sudirman Leman has established a reputation rather quickly as an exceptional guitarist whose playing has been characterized by a balance between refinement and brilliance.
Sudirman, a recent graduate from the University of Music and Dramatic Arts in Graz, Austria, will give a recital this Wednesday at Erasmus Huis, with a program of Bach, Giuliani, de Falla, Albeniz, Turina, and Villa-Lobos and Iwan Tanzil. Tanzil is an Indonesian guitarist and composer who now lives in Berlin, and two of his compositions, based on Indonesian folk songs Sarinande and Kicir-kicir, will be heard at the recital. For Villa-Lobos Concerto for Guitar and Small Orchestra, Sudirman will be joined by Miwako Fukushi on the piano. Fukushi, a graduate from Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music in Budapest, Hungary, will play the composer's own version for guitar and piano.
Another musical treat will take place this Friday at Bentara Budaya: Schubert's song cycle Die schne Mllerin (the beautiful miller-maid), performed by tenor Christopher Abimanyu and pianist Iswargia R. Sudarno.
This recital forms a part of the continuing Art Song Series, for which Iswargia and Abimanyu have appeared previously. Iswargia himself is involved in its programming and many of its performances, Abimanyu is most often associated with operas and musicals, but he is a versatile singer who has handled various styles from Baroque through to pop. So why not Schubert this time, and a complete cycle indeed?
The cycle consists of 20 settings of poems by Wilhelm Mller, a contemporary of the composer. He is comparable to Schubert in his youthful maturity and premature death. By his 30th birthday he was already popular, even befriended by the great Goethe. Die schne Mllerin was published in a single book along with another famous poem, Die Winterreise (the winter journey), and that duo would become the texts of Schubert's most celebrated song cycles. He died in 1827 when he was only 33, and Schubert the following year at 31.
* Guitar recital with Sudirman Leman and pianist Miwako Fukushi will be held at Erasmus Huis, Jl. H. R. Rasuna Said Kav. S-3, on Wednesday, March 20, at 7:30 p.m. Admission: Rp 30,000.
* The recital Die schne Mllerin featuring Christopher Abimanyu (tenor) and Iswargia R. Sudarno (piano) will be held at Bentara Budaya, Jl. Palmerah Selatan 17, on Friday, March 22, at 8 p.m. Admission: Rp 30,000 (adult), Rp 20,000 (student).
Contact persons for both events: Shinta (0815 8821719) or Anto (0812 9325806).
