Istana Budaya keeps on 'performing'

KUALA LUMPUR: ZAITON Md Desa faces a huge challenge ahead of her in her new role as Istana Budaya's director-general, especially during the country's ongoing battle against the Covid-19 pandemic, where everything has to be conducted in the "new normal".

Istana Budaya is Malaysia's main venue for local and international theatre performances, including musical theatre, operetta, classical concerts and opera.

Since her appointment as Istana Budaya director-general, effective from July 1, Zaiton has established standard operating procedures (SOPs) for all performances at the venue.

They include barring spectators below the age of 12 and above 60 from entering its performance hall; disinfecting the place before and after each performance, as well as requiring organisers to limit the performance to only 90 minutes.

"It is very challenging and the fact is, we are fighting something that has never happened before, not only in our country, but worldwide. So, when it involves the whole world, people will understand our actions and everybody knows their role," she said.

Realising the constraints of working with outside production companies, Zaiton said Istana Budaya took the initiative to produce its own programmes for the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) period.

These include the New Normal Concert, which was staged on July 17 and 18; traditional musical theatre (Oct 9 and 10); Lambang Sari Series (Aug 12, Oct 21 and Nov 11), Colours Of Malaysia (Sept 23 and Dec 16) and Siti in Fantasy World (Dec 18 to 24).

"We are also discussing the expansion of our activities to digital platforms.

"Like other agencies, Istana Budaya needs to keep abreast of current developments so as not to be left behind.

"In fact, when the Movement Control Order was enforced, our dance artistes were involved in a shoot for a performance to be shown online via Instagram and Facebook."

Zaiton, who was born in Kuala Kurau, Perak, is determined to elevate the status of traditional arts and prevent them from becoming extinct. She said this had to be done to keep the country's heritage alive and to preserve them for future generations.

"Many traditional arts, such as mek mulung and makyong, are being forgotten, especially by the young people, and I understand the challenge to attract them in our effort to promote (traditional) arts and culture.

"However, through this (social media) platform, it makes it easier to get the young people to watch traditional arts, as they are also an attraction for tourists.

"Hence the need for us to exalt traditional arts and culture so that they can be preserved as a national heritage."

Zaiton said she would continue with efforts of her predecessor, Datuk Mohamed Juhari Shaarani, in getting people of all ages and communities to come to Istana Budaya.

Among the initiatives taken by Juhari was to bring popular films to the theatre, as well as provide opportunities for big names in the entertainment industry to hold solo concerts at Istana Budaya.

"He (Juhari) also used many new approaches that proved successful in attracting more people to Istana Budaya," she added. --Bernama

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