MAPEH notes

WAYANG KULIT
o Wayang refer to kinds of puppet theaters,
sometimes the puppet itself is referred to as
wayang. Performances of shadow puppet
theaters are accompanied by a Gamelan
orchestra in Java, and by Gender Wayang in At the back:
Bali.
o Wayang Kulit, or shadow puppets, are
without a doubt the best known of the
Indonesian Wayang. Kulit means skin, and
refers to the leather construction of the
puppets that are carefully shaped with very
fine tools and supported with carefully
shaped buffalo horn handles and control
rods. Wayang Kulit being manipulated in the back

The stories are usually drawn from the Hindu epics: ELEMENTS OF A WAYANG KULIT SHOW

Ramayana o The gunungan (gunung, mountain) or

kayanon (forest) is the most important part
Mahabharata
of the show. It is used to signal the
Serat Menak - a story about the heroism of Amir beginning and the end of the performance.
Hamza o The gunungan is placed in the center of the
screen before the drama begins, separating
ORIGIN
the opposed groups of characters that lie to
The shadow theatre has existed, in the lands the right and left of the dalang.
between Turkey and China. o Wayang Kulit Performance consists of
shadows cast on a cotton screen and an oil
o Indonesian shadow puppet performances lamp.
originated in India o In Java, most often used as a light source is
o Came to Bali from Java between the 11th a halogen electric light
and 14th centuries. An 11th century o Wayang Sandosa has employed spotlights,
Balinese royal inscription mentions a colored lights and other innovation
wayang performance.
o Earliest record: Central Java, 907 AD with ELEMENTS OF PERFORMANCE
story: Bimmaya Kumara
o The fundamental components of a
o In Bali, Wayang Kulit performances are
performance include:
sacred and form part of many ceremonies in
o the puppeteer, dhalang (Java) / dalang (Bali)
village and family temples.
o He is in charge of manipulating the figures,
3 functions: instructive, entertaining and religious. narrating the story, interpreting the
characters, singing songs, producing sound
ELEMENTS OF WAYANG KULIT:
effects, and giving cues for the gamelan.
At the front: o a hammer used by the dhalang to knock on
the puppet box, cempala
o metal plates that the dhalang hits with his
foot, kepyak
 o a traditional Indonesian orchestra, gamelan The Dalang sings the mood songs (suluk) at regular
o shadow puppets, wayang kulit intervals during performance; in a ninehour
o a light source, blencong wayangkulit, he may sing fifty or sixty.
o female singers and a male chorus, pesindhen Nevertheless, they are considered relatively
and penggerong unimportant except as mood pieces. The same
o a screen frame and screen, gawang and kelir; generalized lyrics may be used in play after play.
the main focus of the performance Suluk are never accompanied by the full gamelan
o banana logs, gedebog; the pointed sticks of ensemble. Often a single instrument accompanies
the singer, never more than three or four. The
the wayang base handle pierce the peeled
major dramatic function of gamelan music is to
trunk of a banana tree and the spongy
accompany stage action. Entrances, exits and fight
substance holds the puppets in place
scenes are executed in time to gamelan music.
o a puppet box, kothak
TH GAMELAN SERVES THREE BASIC
VOCAL AND INSTRUMENTAL FEATURES
FINCTIONS:
Gamelan ensemble is composed mainly by bronze
o It serves as a basic melody that is played in a
percussion instruments, augmented by other
relatively slow tempo.
percussion instruments, strings and flute. A full
o Provides embellishments needed for the
Javanese gamelan ensemble consists of:
plays.
GAMELAN ENSEMBLE o Different kinds of gongs are utilized to
o saron - xylophone of heavy bronze bars emphasize distinct melodies into sections.
o gender - bronze xylophone with resonance CHARACTERS:
chambers beneath
Characters with narrow eyes are refined and
o bonang - set of bronze bowls
elegant. Those with wide eyes are more down to
o gong and kempul – hanging gongs
earth.
o kenong and ketuk – single inverted bronze
bowl Over the head of the dalang there is a special brass
o gambang – wooden xylophone oil lamp(blencong) often shaped like the mythical
o rebab – two-stringed fiddle bird Garuda. The light shining from the lamp on the
o suling – flute head of the dalang- and making possible the
o kendang – horizontal drum beat with the projection of the shadow of the puppets on the
fingers on both ends screen- represents the divine light infused through
o tjelempung – a zither of thirteen double the upper chakra in the dalang(intermediary
between gods and humans)
strings
o The Garuda(Sanskrit: Garuda eagle;Pali
The preponderance of bronze instruments gives
gamelan music a bright, lingering sound, ranging Garula) is a large mythical bird on bird like
from the slow, majestic melodies of the Javanese creature that appears inboth Hindu and
gamelan to the clangorous vibrancy of Balinese Buddhist religion.
gamelan. Fiddle and flute add delicate counterpoint The Ramayana is a popular story to tell with
to a four-square pattern of percussive melody shadow puppets. Here are some of the characters
In addition to setting the mood or atmosphere of a from the Ramayana:
play, music has two major dramatic functions in the Garuda Sita Raksasa
theatre. It accompanies the singing/chanting and it
accompanies stage actions including dance. The Rama Hanuman Ravana
importance of each function varies from area to area VARITIES OF WAYANG:
and from theater form to theater form.
Wayang Klitik→ flat, wooden, carved and painted Xiaosheng actors- are often involved with beautiful
puppets that perform. women by virtue of the handsome and young image
they project.
Wayang Golek→ three-dimensional, costumed,
wooden rod puppets that perform on an open stage. Wusheng- is a martial character for roles involving
on a stage. combat. They are highly trained in acrobatics, and
have a natural voice when singing. Is about the
Wayang Beber→ illustrations on long scrolls that
militant or martial males are skilled in the art of
are unrolled by the puppet master, ‘Dalang’ as he
kung fu.
recites the the story and chants.
Laosheng- is a dignified older role, these characters
Wayang Wong/Orang→ dance and drama
have a gentle and cultivated disposition, and wear
performances that involve live actors who dance
sensible costumes. performed as an aging man or a
and sing and talk.
middle-age man with beards.
Wayang Topeng→ dance and drama performances
Dan- is the general term in Peking Opera for female
that involve live actors who wear masks.
roles. As early as in the Song Dynasty (960-1279),
TRASITIONAL ASIAN THATER MUSIC the Dan role appeared. Southern Drama and
Northern Zaju, which developed during the Song
Peking Opera
and Yuan Dynasties (9601368) Nowadays, the Dan
o China is known for their traditional theater roles are subdivided into Zhengdan (or
art form, the Peking opera, or Beijing opera Qingyi),Huandan, Wudan and Laodan
which combines music, vocal performance, Laodan- old woman. She sings in their natural
pantomime, dance, and acrobatics. voices, in a style similar to that of Laosheng but in
o It started in the late 18th century and became milder tones.
fully developed and recognized by the mid-
19th century. Wudan- martial woman is a female martial or
o During the Qing Dynasty court, it became acrobatic fighter, and most of them are in a young
extremely popular and came to be regarded age.
as one of the cultural treasures of China Daomadan are young female warriors. also a female
Peking Opera training heroic warrior. They would wear the conventional
costume of a female military officer; plus, a halberd
o Pupils were often handpicked at a young age or a long weapon in hands
by a teacher and trained for seven years on
contract from the child’s parents. Qingyi- are virtuous and elite women Also a role of
o After 1911, training took place in more the kind of faithful and moral women, especially a
formally organized schools. faithful wife, lover, or maiden in distress. and
o Students of these schools rose as early as sometime riding on a horse.
five o’ clock in the morning exercises. Huadan- are vivacious and unmarried women.
o Daytime was spent learning the skills of Aalso role of a very lively energetic young woman,
acting and combat and senior students or a young female flirt. Sometimes, a Huadan could
performed in outside theaters in the evening. be in a low social status, but with a comic character.
CHARACTERS AND ROLES: Jing- is a painted face male role who plays either
primary or secondary roles. This type of role entails
Sheng- a male role, usually a leading one, dates
a forceful character, which means that a Jing actor
back to Southern Drama of the Song and Yuan
must have a strong voice and be able to exaggerate
Dynasties (960-1368). This role appears in operas in
gestures. The red color denotes loyalty and
all historical periods. Sheng falls into three sub-
groups: Laosheng, Xiaosheng, Wusheng
goodness, white denotes evil, and black denotes Purple - uprightness, sophistication and cool-
integrity. headedness
o The different colors and designs on the faces Reddish purple - just and noble character
represent males with different
White - dangerousness, suspiciousness and
characteristics. Some are bold and vigorous
craftiness.
and some are sinister, ruthless, crude and
rash. The voice is loud and clear, and the Commonly seen on the stage is the white face for
movements are exaggerated. The roles the
represent men of high social standing and
powerful villain
good behavior, often court ministers.
Green - impulsive and violent and stubbornness
Chou- is a male clown role.The Chou usually plays
secondary roles whose name also means "ugly". It Xiaohualin- It is a small patch of chalk on around
reflects the traditional belief that the clown's the nose. Clowns of traditional drama who wears
combination of ugliness and laughter could drive this special makeup show any mean and secretive
away evil spirits. character.
VISUAL PERFORMANCE ELEMENTS PHYSICAL STRENGTH
Peking-opera performers utilize four main skills. • Until recently, men were only allowed to be
a part of the opera.
1. Song
2. Speech • The actors must be able to perform martial
3. Dance-acting - This includes pure dance, arts and acrobatic dances.
pantomime, and all other types of dance.
4. Combat - includes both acrobatics and COSTUME AND MAKE UP
fighting with all manner of weaponry. • The costumes used in Peking Opera are very
BEIJING OPERA FACIAL MASKS elaborate.

o The facial makeup in Chinese opera, is a • The actors must apply their own make up
every show.
special feature of a national cosmetic. As
each historical figure or a certain type of AESTHETIC AIMS AND PRINCIPLES OF
person has an approximate spectral type, MOVEMENT:
like sing, play music to the music, so called
“types of facial makeup in operas”. On the • The highest aim of performers in Peking
types of facial makeup in operas sources, the Opera is to put beauty into every motion.
general view is from mask. • The art form, gestures, settings, music, and
o Beijing opera types of facial makeup in character types are determined by long held
operas are based on certain personality, conventions
temperament or some special types of
figures for the use of certain colors • Conventions of movement

Black- fierceness and roughness • Walking in a large circle always

symbolizes traveling a long distance
Blue- loyalty, fierceness, sharpness
• Character straightening his or her
Red- courage, bravery, devotion, loyalty, costume and headdress symbolizes
uprightness that an important character is about
to speak
Yellow- ambition, cool-headedness, fierceness
 • Pantomimic opening and closing of Plays that once lasted a full day, but today only last
doors and mounting and descending about 5 hours.
of stairs
Includes themes of feuds, revenge, adventure, and
STAGING ANDCOSTUMES romance
Stage Kabuki is a form of traditional Japanese drama with
highly stylized song, mime, and dance, now
• The stage are composed of square platforms,
performed only by male actors.
action on stage is usually visible from at
least three sides; stages were built above the Japanese, originally as a verb meaning “act
line of sight of the viewers, but some dissolutely,’ later interpreted as: ka – song, bu –
modern stages have been constructed with dance and ki – art/skill.
higher audience divided into two parts by an
Kabuki theater is known for the stylization of its
embroidered curtain called shoujiu.
drama and for the elaborate make-up worn by some
Costumes of its performers. Kabuki is therefore sometimes
translated as "the art of singing and dancing". Since
• Xingtou, popularly known as Xifu, in
the word kabuki is believed to derive from the verb
Chinese origins of Peking opera. Costumes
kabuku, meaning "to lean" or "to be out of the
can be traced back to the mid-14th century.
ordinary", kabuki can be "bizarre" theater. The
• They enable the audience to distinguish a expression kabukimono referred originally to those
character’s sex and status at first glance – if who were bizarrely dressed and paraded on a street.
noble or humble, civilian or military,
KABUKI STAGE FEATURES
officials or private citizens, give expressions
to sharp distinctions between of good and Hanamichi – a flower path, a walkway which
evil or loyal and wicked characters. extends into the audience and via which dramatic
entrances and exits are made; Okuni also perform
Costumes
on a hanamichi stage with her entourage.
• Oblong wings (Chizi) attached to a gauze
Kogakudo - kabuki theaters that have stages both in
hat indicate a loyal official. In contrast, a
front of the audience and along the sides help create
corrupt official is made to wear a gauze hat
a bond between the actors and viewers
with rhomboidal wing.
Mawaro butal -the interior of the theater contains a
Musicians
revolving stage
• They are visible to the audience on the front
Suppon - a platform that rises from below the stage
part of the stage.
Hanamicho – a walkway that cuts through the
Performers
audience seating area to connect the stage with the
• They immediately move to the center north back of the theater
upon entering the stage. All characters enter
Magicians and supernatural beings often make their
from the east and exist from the west.
entrances from trap doors in the hanamichi
KABUKI
Some stages have 17 trapdoors.
Kabuki- meaning “off balance” or “unconventional”
THE THREE MAIN CATEGORIES OF THE
Ka for music, bu for dance, and ki for skill
KABUKI
Okuni drew inspiration from Buddhist dances with
jidai-mono- historical, or pre-Sengoku period
contemporary forms
stories
sewa-mono- domestic, or post-Sengoku stories and complete and partial costume changes and
are done as part of the performances.
shosagoto - dance pieces
• Wigs are important accessories, with each
Jidaimono- or history plays, were set within the
costume having its own type. Specialized
context of major events in Japanese history. Strict
craftsmen shape the wigs to the head. Wigs
censorship laws during the Edo period prohibited
are made of human hair or horse hair or,
the representation of contemporary events and
bear fur or yak-tail hair imported from Tibet.
particularly prohibited criticizing the shogunate or
casting it in a bad light, although enforcement
varied greatly over the years.
WHAT ARE THE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Sewamono- focused primarily upon commoners THAT ACCOMPANY THE PEKING OPERA?
(townspeople and peasants). It is generally related
• PERFORMANCES ARE accompanied BY
to themes of family drama and romance.
MUSIC - usually played on three types of
ELEMENTS OF KABUKI instrument: wind, string, and percussion.
Mie - in which the actor holds a picturesque pose to • The main instruments are Chinese in origin:
establish his character and his house name yagō , is the jinghu, a two-stringed instrument played
sometimes heard in a loud shout (kakegoe) from with a bow, the yueqin, a four-stringed
expert audience member, serving both to express instrument that is plucked, a sanxian, a
and enhance the audience's appreciation of the three-stringed instrument which is also
actor's achievement. An even greater compliment plucked, the suona horn, Chinese flutes, and
can be paid by shouting the name of the actor's a variety of gongs and cymbals. The
father. Keshō melodies are rhythmic and graceful.
ACTORS ARE SEPERATED INTO 2MAIN Jinghu- a two-stringed instrument played with a
CHARACTERS: bow.
Onna-gata - female roles and; Yueqin- a four-stringed instrument that is plucked.
Aragoto - male roles. Sanxian- a three-stringed instrument which is also
plucked.
Most main characters in Kabuki plays are aragoto,
because of its super-stylized masculine, heroic style. suona horn and Chinese flutes.
COSTUMES a variety of gongs and cymbals
• Costumes are swung from sticks or  Geza-ongaku (Music Off-Stage):
manipulated by helpers who come on stage      Geza (along with Chobo) is music played
dressed in black hooded obes so they are offstage behind a curtain (as "background music,
invisible to the audience. The female additional sound effects").  It may also set the mood
characters generally wear an elaborate with a connotative popular tune ("Yuki", ie -
kimono and obi. "Snow").  However, it usually uses little or no
vocals, and is generally more percussion-related.  It
• Pleated hakuma trousers are worn by
can categorized in 3 ways:
characters of sexes. Actors playing both
Uta: ("song"), shamisen with vocals (typically
sexes often have a supported midriff because
multiple singers) 
a straight and curve-less figure are regarded
the essence of beauty. Aikata: Shamisen instrumental
• Costume changing is considered as an art.
There are special teams that take care of
Narimono: Hayashi music (flute and percussion). tones. It is generally shorter and incorporates folk
Visible onstage for Noh theatre, the Hayashi songs, Hauta (short tales), Kiyare (rustic folk
ensemble hidden for Kabuki performances. chanting) and Chobokure (rhythmic patter)
(examples can be found in “Yasuna” and
Shosa-ongaku(Music Onstage)
“Michitose”).
or Debayashi, is music played onstage by the
shamisen and Hayashi flute and percussion Narrative Styles:
ensemble, visibly accompanying the acting and
Ki and Tsuke (Hyoshigi): These are basically
dancing.  There may be a Nagauta group in one
auxiliary "signalling" sounds made with two square
section, a Tokiwazu in another, and Gidayu Jorori
oak boards.  When the two boards are struck
musicians in yet another (or one of these groups
together, they produce the ki sound, when they are
may be in the Geza group).  In Kabuki Shosa-
struck against a hardwood board, they produce
ongaku, several unique styles and forms can be
the tsuke sound. These Hyoshigi sounds also act as
found:
additional accents for fight scenes (aragoto sound
Dance and Exposition Styles: effects).
Takemoto: Accompanies actors as they describe Shamisen
scenic settings. The actors attempt to synchronize
The shamisen or samisen , also sangen, both
their lines with the rhythm of the music in this form.
meaning "three strings"), is a three-
Nagauta (Edo-nagauta): Kabuki’s most important stringed traditional Japanese musical
stylistic offering, and is featured in its dances and instrument derived from the Chinese
scenic music.  It uses a hosozao (thin neck) instrument sanxian. It is played with
shamisen which produces high-pitched tones, and is a plectrum called a bachi.
capable of producing delicate melodies.  A Nagauta
Nokan (Fue)
piece is structured as a series of short, thematic
poetic fantasies (for example “Musume Dojoji”, Nokan - a parallel, bamboo flute (fue) is the only
“Echigo Jishi” from "The Lion Dancer from melodic instrument used in noh. The melody of the
Echigo" (1811) and “Fuji Musume” from "The flute has no specific pitch relationship with the
Wisteria Maiden" (1826)).  Nagauta also melody of the chanting.
includes Ozatsuma-bushi songs (narrative material
accompanied by fiery shamisen technique, as found Tsuzumi
in the plays “Kokaji” or “Kanjincho”, below). Tsuzumi, any of a family of Japanese two-
Recital concert arrangements of nagauta include headed drums with hourglass-shaped (waisted)
“Aki no Irogusa” (1845) and “Matsu no Midori”. bodies. The two most commonly used tsuzumi are
Narrative Styles: the ko-tsuzumi and the ō -tsuzumi, found in the
music of Noh and Kabuki theatres.
Tokiwazu: Here, reciters (tayu) and shamisen-kata
(players) use chuzao (medium-neck) shamisen. The Odaiko
style is slow or solemn and typically found in The Odaiko is a large Japanese barrel-shaped drum.
romantic scenes (“Seki no To”, “Modori Kago”, Taut skins are stretched across each end of the
“Masakado”). body, though usually only one end is struck. It
Tomimoto: Grand and elegant with many passages sometimes rests on a stand and is played with two
of high singing, more fluid and sensuous than sticks whose ends may be padded. The odaiko is
Tokiwazu, this style was eventually replaced by… used as a bass drum in many styles of Japanese
music, especially in the theater and for some types
Kiyomoto: Also for romantic scenes. This style is of festive dances.
similar to Tomimoto (recitation with shamisen) but
is more emotive and recited in very high-pitched shime-daiko drum
The shime-daiko is a small Japanese drum. It has a
short but wide body with animal skin drumheads on
both its upper and bottom sides. The hide is first
stretched on metal hoops, then stretched over the
body.