Karna: a Shadow Puppet Opera
Barbara Benary
About this work:
The story of Karna is taken from the Indian/Indonesian epic story Mahabharata. Its many characters are sung by group of 6 soloists/chorus with Javanese gamelan sextet accompanying. The music may accompany realization by wayang kulit shadow puppets of Java.
Year composed: 1994
Duration: 02:00:80
Ensemble type: Opera/Theater:Chamber Opera, Two or More Singers
Instrumentation:
Instrumentation notes: Written for Javanese gamelan keyboards in slendro and pelog tuning. However the piece could be adapted to diatonic keyboards: piano, vibraphone, marimba, synthesizer, hand drums, flute.