MUSIC

• Wayang Kulit - a traditional shadow play featuring two-dimensional leather puppets.
• Puppets - The two-dimensional puppets are certainly the highlights during a wayang kulit performance. Each puppet is a unique Indonesian artwork
• Musicians - plays a significant role in the gamelan performance. They accompany the dalang in delivering the play. They are seated at the back of the dalang behind the screen. The dalang gives signal to the musicians if music is needed in the science.
• Dalang - the puppeteer
• Essential Elements for Wayang Kulit

  • Puppets
  • Lights
  • Gamelan Orchestra
• Lights may be in a form of using a traditional open coconut oil lamp (damar) or electric bulb that serves as light behind the white screen to give shadow to the puppet.
• Wayang Wong or Wayang Orang - The performers act the roles of the puppets on a stage.
• Wayang Golek - The puppets are shaped like wooden dolls with rounded head and arms. This is an imitation of a human actor who in turn imitates a puppet.
• Wayang Topeng or Wayang Gedog - This is different from the other plays because of its focus in the story which narrates the activities of noble men who lived in East Java. This is performed by men who wear masks which are referred to as topeng.
• Wayang Klitik - The wooden puppets are flat, carved in shallow relief, and painted not dressed. The arms are made of parchment.
• The word "kabuki" originated from the Japanese terms "ka" meaning "song," "bu" meaning "dance," and "ki" meaning "skill."
• (Kabuki) It emerged in the sixteenth century as a ceremonial dance called nembutsu odori, created by a woman named Okuni.
• In kabuki, male performers take on female roles known as oayama or onnagata and speak in falsetto voices while chanting praises.
• Debayashi - this is an incidental music played on the Kabuki stage. This is also known as degatari.
• Gidayubashi - this is similar to joruri, a form of Japanese traditional narrative music accompanied by shamisen instrument.
• Shimoza Ongaku – this is played in kuromisu, the lower stage below the stage.
• The dance in the Kabuki theater has unique characteristics patterns and styles in terms of body movements. This uses folk and religious music.
• Costumes in Kabuki may be in robes, kimono, obi and wigs.
• Kumodori - extravegant make up used in the Peking Opera play.
• Pure White - most common color used in Kabuki.
• (Kabuki) They cover their faces, neck, and hands with white paint and apply red paint around their eyes and their lips.
• The Peking Opera was developed in the Qing dynasty during the eighteen century under the rule of the emperor Qianlong.
• Peking Opera - also known as Beijing Opera
• Peking Opera’s vocal production is composed of four levels of song:

  • Songs with music
  • Voice recitation
  • Prose dialogue
  • Non-verbal vocalizations.
• The singing flows mainly two sets of tunes:

  
  

  Xipi - used to express happiness

  Erhuang - used to express mood such as sorrow and melancholy
• Wenchang or civil division - used to accompany singing
• Wuchang or military division - used to accompany acting, dancing, and fighting.
• Laosheng – distinguished older role with kind and cultured personality
• Xiaosheng - young main role who sings in a high shrill voice.
• Wusheng - a martial role who does acrobatics, and produces a natural singing voice.
• Laodan - an old woman
• Wudan - a martial woman
• Daomadan - young female warriors
• Qingyi - elite and virtuous woman
• Wuadan - unmarried woman
• Jing or hualian - is a painted face role in Peking opera.
• Wenchou - civilian roles such as merchants and jailers
• Wuchou - minor military roles
• Mang - This is a phyton court robe worn only by imperial family members, generals, or prime ministers.
• Pei - This is a casual clothing for imperial members or upper class persons.