Malam Takdir is a new opera by Johan Othman that is inspired by the Mahabharata. The story revolves around an imagined conversation between a king who was born blind, and his advisor, on the eve of a predestined war that would see all his 100 sons killed in battle.
In this conversation, the advisor tries to convince the king to stop the war. Fully aware of the tragic fate that awaits his sons, the blind king nonetheless allows the war to proceed, choosing instead to take a gamble with destiny, with the hope that his 100 sons will triumph and inherit the throne. What unfolds is an argument that brings to the fore a story of hope and betrayal, fate and human volition.
The music for the opera, also by Johan Othman, is composed with the participation of the performers and employs rhythmic clapping and sound making around arias written for a soprano voice. The opera is presented a cappella.
Malam Takdir gives contemporary expression to a story inspired by a classical text that is common to South-East Asia. By using a combination of music, movement, and the Malay language, the opera refreshes tradition and carves out new relevance for our inherited cultural heritage.
Malam Takdir was first presented as a play in Penang in 2019, directed by Chee Sek Thim, and featured Hilyati Ramli and Noor Rizuwan Zolkepli as actors.
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