TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - On Sunday night, November 3rd, 2019, a museum in Moscow, Russia had became a warm place because of a gamelan performance held by the Indonesian Embassy.

"Night at the Museum" became the theme adopted by the Indonesian Embassy in Moscow, by presenting gamelan performances. Russian citizens arrived to watch the gamelan performance at night.

They were invited to watch the gamelan performance for one full hour, which started exactly at 21:00 Moscow time or at 01:00 West Indonesia Time (WIB).

Moscow's cold weather approaching 0 degrees Celsius accompanied by heavy rain, did not prevent Russians from coming to the museum to watch the gamelan performance.

The show space with a capacity of 110 seats was full of visitors. They were enthusiastic to hear gamelan would appear in their city. The visitors not only came from among the parents, but also from groups of teenagers, even children.

The show was presented by the Gamelan Dadali Art Team guided by the Indonesian Embassy in Moscow. The soft touch of the skilled hands of the gamelan musicians, delivered the symphony of the Gamelan orchestra brilliantly. The sound made by the gamelan instruments made the audience really felt the atmosphere of "Night at the Museum". It was able to thrill and gave joy to the visitors.

The event was held thanks to the cooperation of the Indonesian Embassy with The State Museum of Oriental Art. The result was a neat show called "Night at the Museum with Gamelan" in one of the prestigious and historic museums in Russia which was founded in 1918.

All gamelan musicians, including Sinden (vocalists) are Russian citizens who love Indonesian culture. They are Anna Dyurina (saron), Anton Pinchuk (saron), Ekaterima Kamilova (bonang successor), Ekaterina Mednikova (kenong), Elizaveta Moskvina (demung), Nikita Serdyuk (gong), Larisa Lazareva (peking), Yulia Ryzhaya (bonang barung), and Ekaterina Makanina (bonang barung).

They are skilled at playing not only one gamelan instrument, but others too. They can play instruments alternately so that a musical instrument, especially a key musical instrument, does not depend on a particular person.

Ekaterina Makanina, for example is very good at playing kendang and bonang barung. Yulia Ryzhaya is not only deft in playing bonang barung, but also as a sinden with the melodious strains of her voice. Among the players, only one Indonesian citizen, Tri Koyo, ISI Yogyakarta graduate, became the gamelan trainer. He played the drum.

The numbers staged were like the Singa Merah (Red Lion), Ladrang Sigra Mangsah and Pangkur-Playon Sanga, Slendang Biru, Waru Doyong, Bendaran Bendrong, Grodril, and Ayak Ayak Talu.

The First Deputy Director General of The State Museum of Oriental Art, Tatyana Metaksa, said that the museum has a close relationship with the Indonesian Embassy in Moscow and often organizes various activities such as an Indonesian photo exhibition last summer and gamelan performances this time.

"We have listened to a very interesting and extraordinary gamelan concert. Thank you very much to the Indonesian Embassy in Moscow and the art team who have presented beautiful cultural arts at this museum," said Tatyana Metaksa.

The Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus, M. Wahid Supriyadi, stated he was very impressed and expressed appreciation for the very high enthusiasm of Russians towards Indonesian culture.

"It's a long holiday right now in Russia from Saturday to Monday, shows are held at night, where there are cold weather and rain. But we saw Russians still flocking the museum to watch the gamelan," said Ambassador Wahid.

Ambassador Wahid also said that Russians uphold art and culture and also like oriental culture, including Indonesia. He also added that Indonesian cultural cooperation with Russia, such as through holding various performances, including gamelan performance, is not only to introduce Indonesia more to Russian society, but also to strengthen relations between the two nations.

At the Indonesian Festival in early August, the Governor of Yogyakarta, Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, handed tricycles and antique bicycles to The State Museum of Oriental Art, enriching the collection of cultural art objects from Indonesia.

TEMPO.CO