Wayang Wong in the Court of Yogyakarta: The Enduring Significance of Javanese Dance Drama

Abstract

Wayang wong1 dance drama in the central Javanese kraton (royal court) of Yogyakarta represents the epitome of Javanese aesthetic unity. It is total theatre involving dance, drama, music, visual arts, language, and literature. A highly cultured sense of formality permeates every aspect of its presentation. The variety of wayang wong most commonly seen in Java today, however, is the popular, commercialized version known in Indonesia as wayang orang. This is not surprising, for the elaborate court dance drama was rarely performed even during its golden age from 1921 to 1939. With its grand scale and great expense, wayang wong fell into decline rather quickly in the 1940s due to the situation in Java during World War II and the ensuing revolution for Indonesian independence. The form never disappeared entirely, however, for it was nurtured in several private dance schools established after the end of World War I.2 In the 1980s, large-scale productions are being staged once again. Although these productions do not match the rare performances of the golden age, they are a significant attempt to revive this sophisticated dance theatre. Here I want to discuss the history, development, and performance aspects of wayang wong in the palace and take a look at the current revival.