THE BALINESE OPERA: THE ARDJA

A performance by a good ardja ensemble is a social event in the village. It is at ardja shows that young people meet and love affairs are started, helped by the romantic atmosphere of the love stories and the late hours. The performance never begins before midnight, and the villagers wait patiently, gossiping, flirting, listening to music, or munching peanuts until the actors have eaten their interminable dinner and are finally dressed.

The play begins with the appearance of the tjondong, the female attendant of the putri, the eternal princess. The part of the tjondong is usually played by a middle-aged, homely, male actor dressed as a girl, who walks in an effeminate way, singing praises to his mistress and begging her to come out. She is finally persuaded; the curtains of the little booth at the end of the dancing-space part and the much heralded beauty appears.servant occasionally kneeling before the princess, all the while singing and talking in high, wailing voices. After this, they go “ off-stage “ simply by sitting on a mat in front of the orchestra.

Deep hollow laughter is heard from behind the curtain, followed by a song announcing the patih, the prime minister of the great prince, the hero of the play. The patih draws back the curtain and after what seems like unsuccessful attempts to come out, he finally emerges, very impressive and sure of his importance. He struts and grins, singing his own praises, laughing pompously. His abused and browbeaten younger brother Kertalah comes out meekly after him. He is a pitiful little figure dressed in an old football sweater and what look like the old clothes of the patih. Instead of a gold kris, he carries a stick or some sort of agricultural implement. Ills face is crossed with (labs of white paint over his nose and upper lip to indicate that he is a clown.