Maestros lead Bali extravaganza - Jakarta Post

In a secret location well away from the bright lights of Ubud, a group of special guests were treated on Monday evening to the grand rehearsal of an event that will be seen by millions of viewers around the world come September.

Under the art direction of Indonesia's most famous couture designer, musician, philosopher and artist, Harry Darsono and director, Nyoman Budiartha, chair of the conservatory and Tri Pusaka Cakti arts foundation, a series of Balinese ballet and musical performances underwent a few last tweaks ahead of opening in three world-class Bali events slated for September and October.

"For more than a year, I have been traveling villages in Bali searching for the finest performers and from each village I may find only one or two artists. From this, we have now many, many maestros. I have been auditioning for more than a year and every one of these artists is a maestro," said Darsono ahead of the grand rehearsal.

The grand rehearsal was closed to the public with only invited guests and selected media in attendance. Darsono explained pre-performance that, "The artists will go all out. After rehearsals, they are so exhausted they almost faint. They give their all," he said of the troupe that will perform during the inaugural international Lion's Club ANZI Pacific Forum, followed soon after by performances during the first ever Miss World competition in Southeast Asia, to be held in Bali and Jakarta in late September, then a further performance for the opening of the APEC Summit in early October.

The Miss World event has attracted 137 entrants from dozens of nations, from Albania to the US, Uzbekistan to Kosovo and Cameroon, and puts the Balinese performers under spotlights into homes around the globe.

As Indonesia's foremost couture designer, Darsono, who has crafted gowns for leading French fashion houses including Oscar de la Renta and Lanvin, has created the costumes and imagery for the production.

"We are using turquoise, banana yellow, tropical colors, apricot pinks, avocado greens, chili and fire-engine reds, but these colors must not stand out more than the facial expressions of the dancers, so I don't want heavy make-up, I want to see that natural life of Bali as it was in the 1930s," says Darsono, adding the expressions of Balinese dancers, their hand and foot movements were integral elements that should not be over shadowed by the costumes and sets.

This extraordinary man, who has created gowns for Miss World contestants from Indonesia, England, Turkey, Norway, Wales and China, is clearly excited to be working with the Tri Pusaka Cakti troupe under the direction of Nyoman Budiartha.

"This [troupe] is in the conservatory of the maestro of mask dance, I Made Djimat, and now being led by his son, Nyoman. Here is not to be found the tourist performances, here we find professionals. These are the maestros," says Darsono of a production born in Bali for the world to see.

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