The SDSU Javanese Gamelan Ensemble presents the mesmerizing art of Indonesian shadow puppetry

Rarely experienced outside of Indonesia, Javanese wayang kulit is a form of Indonesian shadow puppet theatre that brings ancient stories to life. Featuring intricately carved and painted leather puppets, vibrant live gamelan music, and the masterful storytelling from the puppet master or “dhalang,” it is a truly immersive performance that captivates audiences.

The San Diego State University School of Music and Dance will present the SDSU Javanese Gamelan and wayang kulit performance on May 5 with two showings at 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. at Smith Recital Hall. Tickets are $10 - $15 and are available through the online box office.

Lecturer Laurel Grinnell-Wilson, an SDSU alumna and curator of the SDSU World Music Concert Series, has served as the director of the SDSU Javanese Gamelan Ensemble since 2018.

“I just fell in love with the culture and the music,” Grinnell-Wilson said. “Each week when we get together on Tuesdays, it’s just a place to explore language, culture, and nuance, and I get to share my passion for the culture with the students.”

Wayang kulit is a tradition that dates back centuries and portrays the epic stories from Ramayana and Mahabharata, two foundational Indian texts about the triumph of good over evil. The art form blends mythology, philosophy, and humor into a unique and culturally rich experience. 

“This particular performance is extremely unique and special,” Grinnell-Wilson said.

“Wayang” comes from the word “bayang,” meaning shadow in Indonesian, and “kulit” refers to the use of buffalo hide to create the puppet, a process which requires precise handwork and can take several weeks. 

Grinnell-Wilson said the Javanese Gamelan program at SDSU has given her, her students, and community members the opportunity to “explore instruments that sound different, look striking and unique, and learn over one semester to gain authority on a musical tradition that’s just so unlike Western music and Western instruments.”

Indonesian shadow puppet theatre is considered the oldest freestanding puppet form, and in 2003, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) designated it as a “Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.”

The SDSU Javanese Gamelan Ensemble will perform alongside special guest artist Midiyanto and his son Hanggoro Murti (visiting artist from Central Java, Indonesia), who will serve as the puppet master for the show.

While the puppet master operates the puppets and sings, he or she also gives vocal cues, directing the gamelan ensemble and the music played throughout the show.

Midiyanto, an acclaimed Central Javanese musician and puppet master, currently works as a lecturer and co-director of the Gamelan Sari Raras performing ensemble at the University of California, Berkeley.

Born in Indonesia, he is a descendant of generations of gamelan musicians and puppeteers. He has worked as a guest artist and instructor throughout the U.S. and Indonesia, as well as in Singapore, New Zealand, Australia, and Canada.

Grinnell-Wilson first met Midiyanto in 2009 when she visited Indonesia to study gamelan as an SDSU student. Midiyanto held a wayang kulit show at his house, and it was the first time she had ever experienced that type of performance art.

“It’s truly an honor to welcome him back to the school where I teach now,” Grinnell-Wilson said. “It feels very full-circle.”

Through Midiyanto’s skillful artistry, he has cultivated an appreciation of unique Javanese traditions in many places outside of Indonesia, passionately sharing his culture with the rest of the world.

“We in San Diego have not had a Javanese wayang kulit in the whole county for over 30 years, since the 90s,” Grinnell-Wilson said. “It’s an extremely rare event to see and experience viscerally outside of Indonesia.”

In addition to the guest artists, SDSU anticipates the arrival of four additional Indonesian artists who are currently in the process of obtaining their visas to also join the performance.

“It’s just so special that we get to experience that right here at SDSU,” she continued.

Grinnell-Wilson expressed her gratitude to the College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts (PSFA), which presented her with a professional development grant last year, allowing her to travel to Indonesia in Summer 2024.

“Because of that grant, I was able to help foster this relationship to make this wayang kulit happen,” she said, bringing in “great artists that benefit not just the school community, but the greater community.”

To see Midiyanto’s shadow puppetry in action, click here.

To purchase tickets for the event, click here.