On Sunday 4th August 2024, I was invited by my friend, Geeta to watch Malam Bulan Di Pagar Bintang @ PJPAC. Malam Bulan Di Pagar Bintang is a triple-bill contemporary dance production, the first for Sutra Foundation for some years. Over the last four decades, besides its association with Indian classical dance, Sutra had pioneered and forayed in many notable contemporary works that define ‘modernity’ from Asian perspectives.
The three dances premiered in Malam Bulan di Pagar Bintang are conceived and choreographed by Datuk Ramli Ibrahim, consisting of:
1.Revelling
Music : Colin McPhee & Lou Harisson.
2.Stand by Me
Music: Alex Dea (Chinese American composer now living in Java working on contemporary gamelan music) World Premiere
3.Malam Bulan di Pagar Bintang (MBdPB)
Music – assortments of vintage film music featuring the voices of the late P Ramlee, Saloma & Normadiah.
“Revelling is vignette impressions of an important period in the 70s, when I was living in Ubud, Bali. It was a period of discovery of Balinese dances and the gamelan. The book ‘A House in Bali’ by Canadian American composer Colin McPhee (1930s) was an eye-opener to Bali. Later, I also met American composer, Lou Harrison, whose compositions, inspired by Javanese gamelan, also had an indelible impression on me,” Ramli Ibrahim.
Stand By Me is inspired by Greek poetry exploring the theme of human relationship of love, the coming of age, aging and separation.
The vignettes of old favourite songs represent the passing of an era which still holds a soft spot in the public’s memory. All the 6 songs featured have a common metaphorical allusion – which is the Moon, being one of the most important metaphors associated with love and beauty. The eclectic choreography is inspired by the old film recordings sung mainly by P. Ramlee, Sloma and Normadiah. The choreography, like the songs evoke the romantic nostalgia of a bygone era.
Everyone in my group of 5 unanimously agreed that the best part of the performance was Malam Bulan Di Pagar Bintang as it brings to mind the Malay movies of yesteryear especially those starring P. Ramlee, Malaysia’s most unforgettable actor.
