KUALA LUMPUR, March 14 — There is something to be said about shows that demand a restaging. Sutra Foundation’s Jaya Ram is one of those productions.
Due to overwhelming requests for a restaging, the show’s season two spectacle will take place at Temple of Fine Arts in Kuala Lumpur from March 23 to 25, as well as in Singapore next month.
Positioned as Sutra’s biggest Odissi production last year, Jaya Ram was staged to a sold-out five nights show at Pentas 1 KLPAC.
For a classical Indian dance show based on the myth of Lord Rama, the production is mammoth in scale. It boasts over 20 world-class dancers under the Sutra Dance Theatre and Sutra Dance Outreach Programme and live musicians who are all experts in their field, flown in from India for the show.
Jaya Ram was also commissioned to Guru Gajendra Kumar Panda, a collaborator of Sutra for the past four decades.
These are just some of the factors that have contributed to the success of Jaya Ram that drew in audiences from all walks of life.
“When we decided to restage Jaya Ram, we are well aware of the production cost involved,” said Sutra Foundation founder and choreographer Datuk Ramli Ibrahim.
“We are extremely grateful to the Temple of Fine Arts for according the venue to us, not to mention various support from both individual and corporations that helped in this initiative of bringing Jaya Ram back to the local stage.
“At best, this is an opportunity for Malaysians and tourists, not exclusive to only dance enthusiasts but fans of the arts, to witness and experience the visual spectacle and brilliant storytelling that is Jaya Ram,” he added.
Following their successful run at KLPAC last September, the production has toured the world, in particular to India to perform and granted the privilege to open the show at the prestigious Konark Festival 2022 in Odisha.
Jaya Ram was also invited to perform at the Delhi International Dance Festival last December and the Khajuraho Dance Festival 2023 two weeks ago.
Sutra Foundation dancers at the Khajuraho temples in India. — Picture by S Magendran
Attended by India’s celebrated dance luminaries and members of global dance communities, Jaya Ram not only received accolades and rave reviews, it cemented the status of Sutra Foundation as a force in the global dance and arts scene under the leadership of Ramli.
“The upcoming three-night show at the Temple of Fine Arts as well as our Singapore showcase will be the public’s last chance to witness Jaya Ram in all its splendour.
“All the dancers have brought back with them invaluable experience, skill and proficiency they gathered from performing at some of the most outstanding international dance festivals,” Ramli added.
The 80-minute dance show with a 15-minute intermission is suitable for audiences aged eight and above only.
It will be staged from March 23 to 25 at Temple of Fine Arts, Brickfields in KL and on April 28 at The Esplanade in Singapore.
Tickets for the KL show are priced from RM35 to RM105. For details, visit this link.
