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100-hour 'campursari' performance breaks MURI record
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A 'campursari' singer performs in a record-breaking 100-hour show held at Alun-alun Giri Krida Bakt, Wonogiri, Central Java, from April 28 to May 2. (JP/Ganug Nugroho Adi)
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100-hour campursari performance in Wonogiri, Central Java, has broken records at the Indonesian Museum of Records (MURI) for being the longest show and for involving the highest number of participants.
About 1,500 artists from 43 groups from various areas participated in the show at Alun-alun Giri Krida Bakti in Wonigiri from April 28 to May 2. The artists hailed from surrounding areas, namely Gunung Kidul, Yogyakarta, Sukoharjo, Sragen and Surakarta.
Famous campursari songs such as “Stasiun Balapan”, “Sewu Kutha”, “Terminal Tirtonadi” and “Layang Kangen” by Didi Kempot, as well as songs by rising dangdut singers such as Via Vallen and Nella Kharisma, were featured in the show.
First introduced by Manthous in the early 1980s, campursari refers to music that combines gamelan, kroncong and dangdut with gendang (traditional drums). It has become a popular genre, especially in Central Java.
“This event was held in conjunction with Wonogiri regency’s 277th anniversary. It is the people’s party and the entertainment is for the people," Wonogiri government secretary Suharno said.
Read also: Surakarta celebrates International Dance Day with more than 5,000 dancers
Suharno said that in addition to providing the public with free entertainment, the campursari performances were part of an effort to preserve culture and open up networking opportunities for Wonogiri artists.
“We have to love our own culture and not overly idolize foreign cultures. [We can listen to] foreign music, but we must never forget our own music,” he added.
The show broke the previous record of longest campursari show without normal breaks at 90 hours in 2016. This year's record-breaking event featured 43 music groups with a total of 320 songs within the 100-hour show. Each group performed about eight songs over two to three hours. During the five-day show, performances only stopped for 30-minute prayer breaks.
Wonigiri resident Gatos Husada expressed appreciation for the event, saying it was “truly the people’s party where people are truly entertained."
"I hope next year there will be another event like this, featuring famous artists like Didi Kempot or Via Vallen. That will be more festive," he said. (asw)
