A heritage masterpiece of musical dance theater: The return of ‘Rama, Hari’
Forty-four years ago, when Alice Reyes gathered four gentlemen with esteemed reputations in the arts to do Rama, Hari, little did they know that all of them would eventually be honored as National Artists in their respective fields—Alice for Dance, Ryan Cayabyab for Music, Bienvenido Lumbera for Literature, Salvador Bernal for Theater Design and Rolando Tinio for Theater and Literature—bestowing upon the production the distinction of being the only collaboration featuring the masterful works of five National Artists.
Although Lumbera, who wrote the libretto, Rolando Tinio who translated it to English surtitles, and Bernal who executed the sets and costumes have passed away, the piece is a living treasure that has been restaged through the years and will return in September under the supervision of Reyes who does the choreography and the direction and Cayabyab as composer and musical director. It will feature artists from CCP’s Professional Artist Support Program and Alice Reyes Dance Philippines (ARDP) and leading stars of the musical theatre scene.
“I just wanted to do something crazy,” Alice recalled at a recent press conference. “It was our second decade of dancing when we felt ready to go beyond national themes and explore Asian sources. Since my first introduction to the Ramayana as a history student in college, I was always drawn to the universality of its teachings and the richness of its lore. I have seen various episodes performed in Bali and Bangkok, Penang, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, and Manila and was aware of the sanctity, importance, and vitality that this ancient epic occupies in the oriental cultures. My instinct, nevertheless, was to interpret it in the rock opera ballet medium with the idea of translating it into very human and contemporary terms.”
Classic as the subject may be, she wanted it presented in an unprecedented format using a set of two performers for each role: a singer and a dancer, each interpreting the character as they weave in and out of the stage together with a chorus, all integrated within the music score to create a wholistic piece.
“It’s like the metaverse,” Karylle, who’s playing Sita, chimed in, reflecting how the present generation can identify with the concept of how the same character appears in different realms. “Alice was really ahead of her time.”
To keep it focused, however, Alice decided together with Lumbera to go back to the original Indian literature for inspiration even if the anthropologist Johnny Francisco offered a Filipino translation of the material.
“Indian cultural influence actually came to pre-colonial Philippines in the 10th century,” shared Tats Manahan, president of ARDP. “Apart from the 21-karat golden image of Agusan, the Laguna Copperplate inscription and the Garuda Gold Pendant found in the Tabon cave, the most prominent written cultural influence on early Philippine folk literature was the Maharadia Lawana, a localized Maranao version of the Ramayana, believed to have arrived in the Philippines between the 17th and 19th centuries.”
It was our second decade of dancing when we felt ready to go beyond national themes and explore Asian sources. Since my first introduction to the Ramayana as a history student in college, I was always drawn to the universality of its teachings and the richness of its lore.
Lumbera employs varying levels of language, from an elevated poetic form for the protagonist lovers Rama and Sita to colloquial ‘80s Tagalog and “swardspeak” for the villain demons Ravana and Soorphanaka who sings “Type Kita Rama.” Lumbera thought its use “could jar the audience into perceiving that the ancient epic is also ‘now’ and Filipino.”
For the music, Ryan chose to make it Southeast Asian in flavor. As a young composer working on his first major work, he wanted to put in almost everything he knew, like gamelan playing that he learned from a visiting Indonesian professor who introduced the wayang kulit version of the Ramayana, as well as western influences that inform his version of the Balinese keçak monkey chant. Done at the advent of Original Pilipino Music (OPM), the composer recalls, “I wanted to do an OPM-inspired work which is not really rock, but more pop, an eclectic piece of work which is a style I am identified with and was excited to utilize then, coming from the academe and the entertainment world.”
To match this new sound and overall concept, Bernal created a streamlined utopia of a set evoking a multilevel Mughal garden that was paradise on earth, a clean backdrop to set off stylized costumes in the colors and textures of Jaipur gemstones and Kerala spices. “Badong really had a very operatic mind,” Alice remembers.
The majesty of the production design complements the sweeping movements of the corps, contrasted with lyrical pas de deux, combining the lightness of classical ballet with modern steps that maintain a distinct Filipino sensibility and vocabulary that still amazes. “Sana kaya kong iexplain kung gaano kasarap isayaw ang choreography ni Alice but you really have to be there to feel the movement, the breathing, the company, the singing, the music, sets, and everything,” shared Ronelson Yadao, ARDP artistic director, who also dances Rama, alternating with Ejay Arisola.
Katrene San Miguel, alternating with Monica Gana as Sita, is also so inspired that her fellow professional dancers at ARDP “kumakanta na kaming lahat.” The troupe just celebrated an acclaimed first-year season with a successful tour in the Visayas. Dancing to live music with singers on the same stage, one feels dynamic energy that makes for a performance like no other, not to mention that they will be accompanied by the Orchestra of the Filipino Youth conducted by Toma Cayabyab, Ryan’s son whose multidisciplinary background will bring a new interpretation “that everyone is eagerly awaiting,” says Poppert Bernadas (playing the demon Ravana, alternating with LA-based Matthew San Jose and Jonel Mojica).
What will also make this production totally different from the original staging is that “this time they are all musical actors,” according to Audie Gemora who plays King Dasaratha, father of Rama. “We are primarily actors who sing so we are able to bring life to the characters first and foremost.” Sheila Vaderrama adds: “I would portray the role as myself being Sita. I always put a little of myself in everything I do so that it’s personal.”
It couldn’t be any more personal for Arman Ferrer: “After doing an excerpt as Rama in the 2017 ASEAN opening, nagmessage si Mr. C na you should do Rama once in your lifetime, and it really is a coveted role na kailangan mong daanan like Valjean or the Phantom on Broadway.” Vien King, who alternates as Rama, feels lucky to do the role especially after he auditioned for another part but was put on the spot by Alice during auditions to do a Rama song (“Which he did beautifully,” says Alice, who also praises Nica Tupas debuting as Sita).
“Speaking of auditions,” related Alice, “do you know that even established theater actors like Karylle and Sheila asked me, ‘Kailan kami mag-au-audition? Can you imagine? That’s really the kind of artist you want to work with.”
The production was still being refined as we witnessed an open rehearsal recently where Alice continued to tweak movements to improve it. Even the waving of a hand by a chorus member in the background did not escape her eye; she adjusted it from left to right to harmonize with the other dancers on stage. It’s really this attention to detail and the time spent working on a piece that makes for an obra maestra, a legacy we are privileged to experience today.
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Rama, Hari will be performed on Sept. 15 to 16 at the Metropolitan Theater and on Sept. 22 to 23 at the Samsung Performing Arts Theater. Booths with Indian-inspired merchandise, eco-friendly products, and food and drinks from Kashmir Restaurant will be available at the Met. For ticket reservations, email [email protected] For updates, follow @ARDancePH on IG, Facebook, and TikTok.