2019
Day 1 - minus all the books!
25 October 2019
Starting at the end of the day because that was the spectacular event of an already highly stimulating day. I am supposed to be here for the literature, but it is other branches of the arts that are blowing me away. The dance performance on Opening Night and last night a piano recital that I felt was played just for me it was so intimate. I was given a front row sofa in an elegant reception room (at the 6-star hotel Padma Resort overlooking a spectacular green gorge), mere metres from the magical hands of Indonesia’s leading pianist and composer, Ananda Sukarlan. I fell in love with Ananda and his music in Ubud three years ago, having been introduced to him by a Jakarta friend who arranged for me to meet him and his manager, Chendra (ballet choreographer). At that time when I was taken to the Green Room to say hello I had no idea how special and famous they both were - until the grand piano performance under the full moon began. Since then I have been on FB with Ananda and followed his career and his political activism - bumped into him at the Queen’s Birthday reception in Jakarta in June too that Isla took me to. He gave me big hugs then - and last night! This concert was dedicated to West Papua and present were many of the brave Indonesian NGO group dedicated to resolving conflict in the troubled province. At the end of his recital Ananda gave the world premiere performance of his Rapsodie Nusantara No.24 in his series of rhapsodies composed around folk motifs from across the archipelago of Indonesia. This one was for Papua. It was a powerful piece, both tender and wild. To our joy he played it for us twice. He (not us) had detected an error the first time so wanted to get it right! At the end he gave us copies of the music to share with whoever would like to play it - he wrote me a lovely message on my copy. He also played several of his other rhapsodies, some containing traditional Indonesian folk melodies I recognised, as well as two pieces he has composed for disabled pianists (he works with an NGO for the disabled), one where only one finger of the right hand was used, the other composed for the left hand only. As he explained, they are meant to sound as if both hands are playing - his genius achieves this! Fellow anthology translator and poet, Debra Yatim whose friendship and company I enjoy each year at UWRF, read a heartbreaking poem she had written for Papua.
It is magical experiences like this that make this Ubud festival unique and draw me back year after year. Where else do you get a world-renowned pianist (Ananda spends half his year in Bilbao, Spain) play especially for you!
Padma Resort provided generous amounts of good wine and exquisite canapés on their terrace before the performance, which made dinner unnecessary. Good thing too because after the long drive back to Ubud at 9 pm I was ready for bed, having set out for the festival 12 hours earlier and not returned to our hotel. Not easy to sleep though, with those thrilling notes replaying in my head!
I am not going to be able to relate yesterday’s wonderful series of panels. It is already time for breakfast and the beginning of a jam-packed day. Shuttle to the site at 8.30. Even waking at 5.30 am, this is all the writing I can manage for now. So will send it off with some photos.