R

enowned pianist and composer Ananda Sukarlan has been preparing an opera designed as a tribute for murdered human rights activist Munir Said Thalib, who used to reside in Batu, East Java.

A fragment of the opera was performed earlier this week during the celebration of the fifth anniversary of Omah Munir (House of Munir) Museum at the Batu City Hall.

Entitled “M”, the fragment was performed by soprano singer Evelyn Merrelita, with Ananda and a young violinist from Surabaya on strings.

“The story line was inspired by [author] Seno Gumira Ajidarma’s Aku Pembunuh Munir [I am Munir’s Murderer] and Aku Istri Munir [I am Munir’s Wife],” Ananda said.

He said “M” was deliberately chosen as the title of the performance to give the audience members the freedom to interpret it.

“It can be Munir, Menunggu [waiting], Music, Mystery or even Murder,” he said.

The whole performance is planned to last one and a half hours. Ananda, while remaining tight lipped about the character of Munir’s murderer, said Evelyn is to play Munir’s wife, Suciwati, in the
performance.

The opera is scheduled to be performed during the opening ceremony of Omah Munir Museum’s new building by the end of next year. The new building is being developed in cooperation with the Batu and East Java administrations.

On Sept. 7, 2004, Munir, was surreptitiously administered arsenic while in transit in Singapore during a trip to Amsterdam and he did not make it through the flight alive. The mastermind behind his murder remains a mystery.