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Reflecting on 'Matahari Papua': Teater Koma's artistic continuum
Koma Teater played late founder Nano Riantiarno's last manuscript around what would have been his 75th birthday, telling a story of a Papuan tribe fighting a dragon's tyranny.
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Dragon slayer: Papuan warriors fight a dragon invading their land and devours all their natural resources while protagonist Biwar, played by Lutfi Ardiansyah, thrusts a spear into the dragon's neck killing it. The scene was the peak of “Matahari Papua“ play by Teater Koma during a media preview in Jakarta on June 6, 2024. (JP/Sylviana Hamdani)
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eater Koma, one of Indonesia’s most prominent and influential theater companies, may have lost its visionary founder Norbertus 'Nano' Riantiarno, but his undying spirit continues to breathe life into its performances, becoming its enduring legacy.
On June 7-9, the troupe, in collaboration with Bakti Budaya Djarum Foundation, presented the final masterpiece penned by the late playwright, titled Matahari Papua (Sun of Papua), at Graha Bhakti Budaya (GBB) in Taman Ismail Marzuki, Central Jakarta.
“It’s our second performance at Graha Bhakti Budaya after the [venue] was renovated,” Ratna Riantiarno, producer and wife of the late playwright, said during an interview with The Jakarta Post after the media preview on Jun. 6.
“And we’re glad to be back here.”
GBB, with its state-of-the-art facilities and central location, has always been a prima donna among Jakarta’s many performance spaces. Teater Koma had staged most of its plays there until the venue underwent renovations in 2020.
A heart for Papua
