The World’s first groundbreaking Malay contemporary opera in the Performing Arts Industry of Malaysia Opera Puteri Saadong promises to be an exciting production, experimental and exploratory in its musical contents combining live music performance, sound and visual designs with operatic singing in Malay language. Supported by JKKN and Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, this will be the first Malay opera written by an award winning Malaysian composer Prof Madya Dr Tazul Tajuddin with music elements combining Western Chamber Orchestra, choir and soloists with Traditional Gamelan and Makyong ensemble. The main cast is well known popular and classical singer, soprano, Syafinaz Selamat, as ‘Puteri Saadong’ who is the Principal & Director of the National Choir and PERMATA SENI. Mak Chi Hoe, an international baritone-bass opera singer and currently the music director of Kuala Lumpur Young Choral Academy will sing as ‘Raja Narai’ (Raja Siam). Featuring sopranos Khairunnisa Diyana as ‘Che Siti Wan Kembang’ and Rachel Tan as ‘Second Wife’ with the special appearance by distinguished actor, singer and director Dato’ Ahmad Tamimi Siregar as narrator. Supporting casts are starred by classically trained local students and singers from Faculty of Music, UiTM, National Choir, PERMATA SENI, ASWARA and Rendezvous Choir which are led by Faezah Hamdan. The music is written for a narrator, 5 main soloists, 8 supporting soloists, choir, chamber orchestra, Makyong and gamelan ensemble. The story of Puteri Saadong is based on a Malaysian legend of a princess named ‘Puteri Saadong’ from the Kelantan State in the 17th century who was married to raja Abdullah and was then captured by the King of Siam, Raja Narai. The drama unfolds from the scenes of wedding to the fights in the palaces until the release and return of Puteri Saadong. Produced by D’ Catz at Works in collaboration with Faculty of Music UiTM with the support of JKKN and Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Cultures Malaysia, we have Catriona Au as executive producer and Dr Tazul Tajuddin as Music Director and Hamzah Tahir as artistic director. The performances will be staged in Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPac) on 23rd – 25th January 2015 and in Penang Performing Arts Centre (PenangPac) on 7th & 8th February 2015. This opera promises to mesmerize the audience with its new cutting-edge approaches and will appeal to enthusiastic art-music, contemporary art, performing arts, opera lovers, practitioners, concert-goers as an alternative to popular or musicals.
