The 'Malam Bulan Di Pagar Bintang 2.0' show, featuring Ramli (right), will play at the Shantanand Auditorium, Temple of Fine Arts in Kuala Lumpur from Jan 31 to Feb 2. Photo: S. Magendran
Tan Sri P. Ramlee’s timeless musical legacy is set to come alive in Malam Bulan di Pagar Bintang 2.0, a dance theatre production blending golden age Malay songs and contemporary movement.
After premiering last July, the Sutra Foundation’s triple-bill dance production returns to the stage at the Shantanand Auditorium, Temple of Fine Arts, Brickfields in Kuala Lumpur from Jan 31 to Feb 2.
Helmed by Datuk Ramli Ibrahim, founder of Sutra Dance Theatre and the Sutra Foundation, the production's main programme takes a journey through Malaysian cinema and pop culture, moving beyond traditional Indian classical dance performances.
"Many people think contemporary dance is serious and intimidating, but that’s not the case," says Ramli, who is also the show's artistic director and choreographer.
"This production is light, youthful, and festive. For fans of Tan Sri P. Ramlee’s music and films, it offers a fresh take on his legacy, complete with intricate costume designs and styles for the audience to enjoy," he adds.
Malam Bulan Di Pagar Bintang 2.0 is a sizeable production that gathers an ensemble of 18 dancers, each contributing their unique artistry to the stage.
Ramli, whose wealth of experience in dance, adds depth to the performance. The rest of the line-up includes mainstay performers and emerging talents: Rathimalar, Geethika Sree, Tan Mei Mei, Nishah Govind Kumar, Renuka, Vanizha, Nithya, Jyotsnaa, Tharanitha, Kaaviyashri, Janusre, Kushbu, Mahta, Shemmy Kumar, Melvin, Nevin Kumar, Hareen Loganathan, and Jagyandatta Pradhan.
The headlining showcase Malam Bulan Di Pagar Bintang takes music and dance lovers on a nostalgic journey through the P. Ramlee film songbook world (including Saloma classics), while the first two segments explore resonant and poetic new horizons.
The Sutra Foundation production, with a contemporary direction, features three dance programmes: 'Malam Bulan Di Pagar Bintang', 'Revelling', and 'Stand By Me'. Photo: S. Magendran
On paper, Revelling and Stand By Me offer a broader cultural experience on stage. The former, a 20-minute piece, pays tribute to Balinese culture and gamelan heritage.
The Revelling segment spotlights the work of Canadian-American composer and ethnomusicologist Colin McPhee (1900-1964) and multi-faceted American composer Lou Harrison (1917-2003), whose compositions merge Asian and Western influences.
"Revelling explores the balance between good and evil. The black and white checkered cloth, known as poleng, symbolises this duality in life. Lou Harrison’s Javanese gamelan composition was the perfect choice for me to express and convey this philosophy in dance," says Ramli.
Stand By Me, a work by American-Chinese composer Alex Dea, draws inspiration from the gamelan and ancient Greek poet Sappho, renowned for her evocative lyric poetry. This minimalist piece, with Greek harp, bells from Bali, Myanmar and India, explores the theme of transformation in human relationships.
“I was asked to create something contemporary, abstract, and minimalist. I am used to Sutra’s luscious Indian classical music and so I was delighted to offer something different from my corner of the avant garde sonic world," says Dea.
"My composition expresses the theme of transformation through 20th century contemporary music techniques," he adds.
Five dreamy P. Ramlee songs in the 'Malam Bulan Di Pagar Bintang' segment look set to evoke the Moon, a metaphor for love and beauty. Photo: S. Magendran
The contemporary pieces, such as Stand By Me, offer a challenging workout for the dancers.
"This piece involves a lot of improvisation, which requires a high level of skill and technical mastery. Younger dancers often struggle with expressing themselves freely, but it’s a vital learning process," says Ramli.
With some original cast members unable to participate in this run, the show welcomes new dancers from Sutra’s dance outreach programme, launched in 2013 to nurture emerging talent.
"Although Sutra doesn’t have full-time dancers, many of these young talents have developed into key performers alongside seasoned artists. This is the perfect opportunity for understudies to step up and shine – this is how stars are made," concludes Ramli.
Malam Bulan di Pagar Bintang 2.0 is supported by the Arts for All Seasons (ArtsFAS) 2024 initiative by Yayasan Hasanah and the Ministry of Finance Malaysia.
