"The brilliant classicism of imperial Vienna meets the mythic-poetic splendor of ancient Angkor in Pamina Devi: A Cambodian Magic Flute. In this powerful work by Sophiline Cheam Shapiro, performed by the acclaimed Khmer Arts Ensemble from Phnom Penh, Mozart's fantastical opera is transformed into the refined and elaborate movement language of Cambodian classical dance and music. Cultures meld as 32 dancers, musicians, and singers depict Pamina's arduous efforts to transcend the rivalries and betrayals from which she is born and seek out a middle path of justice, tolerance, and love. The piece was commissioned by Peter Sellars for his New Crowned Hope Festival in Vienna" (Rachel's Cambodian Blog).
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The idea of Pamina Devi, as with all Cambodian Classical pieces, lies in the beauty of Cambodian dance and grace in execution of performance. In addition, its language sets the play in a bound time period in which its ideas work more effectively than complete modernization of Mozart’s original.
During its dramatization, the snakelike movement of the body seemed to move in perfect harmony with the rhythm of the drums and xylophones. The body no longer existed as an earthly entity, but rather served as a medium for translated emotion from the very tips of the fingers to the feet. The use of pantomime gave both power and subtlety to the play’s drama by impacting the audience more with intimation rather than with raucous force. Through its choreography, Shapiro made the most combative fight scenes maintain the smooth agility of dance. Rather, she relied on the dissonance of the instruments to portray tension and terror. In this manner, fighting scenes effectively extracted the appropriate reaction from the audience while maintaining the dignity and delicacy of the play.
The play’s history dates back from 1791, when Mozart first composed the play for European audiences. Although both the costuming and the set adapted to modern stage, its language remains the same. It reflects antiquated gender roles and elegance in both speech and manner. In the same way, Pamina Devi utilizes an idea similar to Chinese thought in which the Yin and Yang set a model example for male and female relationships. To further explain, Sayon Reachny (the mother) rules as the celestial being of the night while Preah Arun Tipadey (the father) exercises his power over the empire of the sun. This follows the mold of Chinese thought by creating the woman as the dark and cold and the man as the light, warm side. Also, the play typified Pamina Devi as meek and surrendering while Sayon Reachny appeared wrathful and possessive. In essence, the writing of the play motivated the audience to look down upon Sayon Reachny, a female character whose behavior seemed unpleasant and unwanted. All these interpretations rest on the idea that emotion, rather than logic, drive women’s actions. This characterizes them as brash and childish beings rather than nurturing and intelligent individuals. Furthermore, the play develops this idea by incorporating it into its lines in which Pamina Devi willfully accepts her sensitivity and compassion as weakness and turns herself over to the “powerful wisdom” of her father as a man. Despite the seemingly misogynist themes, the play remains prideful in its use of costumes and spectacle. The presentation for each character correlated with his or her level of importance.
The aspects of the performance all pull together seamlessly to create the magic of Pamina Devi, all from its mystical significance and purpose to its rhythm in music, language, and gesture. Putting a spin on a usual romantic narrative, Pamina Devi applies the mystical and ethereal feel of typical Cambodian classics to the European original.
Sophiline Cheam Shapiro creates a beautiful spectacle for the audience in her rendition of Pamina Devi . The amazing dance movements, the props used, and the costumes, leave the audience amused. The elaborate costumes help to create the majority of the spectacle. Their look and color portray various things to the audience about the personality of character wearing them. Cheam Shapiro says, “The costume becomes a part of the artistic beauty of the cultural heritage that we have to preserve.”
Pamina Devi wears a white shirt and a gold sash to demonstrate to the audience her innocence and youth. Cheam Shapiro feels that “she is innocent because she is young.” Pamina demonstrates her innocence in her struggle between her fighting parents. She tries not to be caught in the middle by remaining “innocent” in both of her parent’s eyes. She wears a gold sash to show her power. She comes from royalty, making her royalty as well. For these reasons, her costume fits her perfectly
Her father, Preah Arun Tipadey wears an extremely elaborate gold costume, with a tall headdress. As Cheam Shapiro explains, “characters wearing tall headdresses are usually royal characters, and usually divine characters.” Preah Arun Tipadey’s large headdress demonstrates his royal status to the audience. Cheam Shapiro says, “The yellow color of the costume represents the sun itself.” Preah Arun Tipadey wears yellow to demonstrate his status as ruler of the Realm of the Sun. His elaborate, gold costume demonstrates to the audience his personality perfectly.
Sayon Reachny, Queen of the Night, wears red. Her red costume demonstrates to the audience her rage and her love. “She is an intense character,” states Cheam Shapiro. She shows rage by screaming, yelling, and giving commands to people. She shows love in her nurturing role as a mother. Cheam Shapiro says, “She had to be able to do both; to be tender, as well as aggressive to get things done.” Her inner conflict between rage and love make her stand out. These reasons make red a fitting color for Sayon Reachny to wear.
Noreak, the bird catcher, wears a blue costume. He wears the only blue costume, which isolates him, making him seem like a loner to the audience. Throughout the play he battles his own issues, because he yearns for love and happiness but can not find them. While he yearns for this he becomes stuck in other peoples’ conflicts. His costume’s beauty demonstrates the greater beauty of a male bird’s feathers when compared to a female bird’s feathers. Also, blue symbolizes nature and peace. He looks to help others, and looks to find peace as well. These reasons make blue a wonderful color for him to wear.
The elaborate costumes used in the play help to bring the spectacle to life. Their immense beauty amuses the audience, while informing them of at the same time. Cheam Shapiro explains that costumes help to “transform the dancer.” She demonstrates this by having characters wear various costumes with certain colors which describe their personality. She also chooses the elaborateness of their costumes based on their status in society. The costumes helped to bring the play together, and help the audience to better understand the roles of the characters. The costumes bring the play to life, and help to further enhance the spectacle.
Skepticism is prone to follow the suggestion of an all-female cast in a Cambodian opera; however, for the performance Pamina Devi a female cast is ideal. An inner strength in the form of conviction is displayed by royal women Pamina and Sayon Reachny. The physical strength found in the graceful movements by the female dancers is trained for at the early age of six. Keeping this exhibit of feminine power in mind, it is easy to identify why male and female roles are traditional but should be viewed as obsolete in this production.
Although Pamina concedes an inferior physical strength to her father Preah Arun Tipadey, she points out the power behind the love between herself and her mother Sayon Reachny. This mental and emotional bond wields a force to be reckoned with. Sayon Reachny is a commanding leader, not showing any delicate female tendencies as she first orders Pamina to kill her father and later gives the order to her devotees to attack Pamina and Preah Chhapoan. While these actions may not be the correct ones, they were born of her own conviction, leading the audience to believe she had confidence in her decisions and therefore great strength of mind. This portrayal of a woman with intelligence is unlike some traditional female roles that place females in the position of a damsel in distress. Pamina also demonstrates a strong character in her choice to disobey her mother by refusing to kill her father. This innocent daughter discovers her own strength in the face of first abduction by her father then an order to commit a murder by her mother. The inner strength displayed by these main female characters could only be acted by a female cast.
The strength of the female cast can also be observed through their physical movements. The training for Cambodian Classical Dance can start as early as the age of five. Months and years of complex arm and wrist activities are required to achieve hyperextension of those joints. Only through mastering these positions with the upper body can the dancers form the upper portion the s-shape necessary for the beauty of Cambodian Dance. The lower portion of the S-shape is constructed through the raising of the leg. However, it is the hand and finger positions that are the most important features in Cambodian dance as they reflect what the dancer is feeling. Seemingly simple gestures are the focus of many years of practice. Dancers must hyperextend their fingers to mimic hand signs that communicate ideas such as “beauty.” The balance and grace achieved through many years of study and practice earns these female dancers the right to perform in a production showcasing their skills.
After witnessing such a display of emotional and physical strength by these amazing women, the idea of females being inferior to males seems ludicrous. Due to the age of this production, traditional male and female roles are observed, portraying women as helpless and weak. In Preah Arun Tipadey’s explanation of his abduction of Pamina, he cites the influence of her mother’s feminine traits, such as inability to make decisions and a passionate nature, as the reasons for his removal of Pamina from her mother. There are other implications of female inferiority, as many times beauty is suggested to be the main attraction of a man to a woman. Preah Chhapoan falls in love with a portrait of Pamina and Noreak professes himself to be in love after only glimpsing Nory, neither these men truly knows the object of his love. This superficial judgment may be traditional but, as times have changed, is now out-of-place in a performance in which female strength is displayed.
The all-female cast is entirely appropriate in Pamina Devi as the strength of the female characters can be seen in both physical movements and the decisions made under strong convictions. In the face of this feminine power, the traditional male and female roles are obsolete, although understood as this performance was written when similar views were accepted. If one understands the strength required for the dancers in this performance, the tradition of an all-female cast does not raise skepticism. The physical demands necessary and the characters required can only be fulfilled by women.
Whenever we decide to take a point of view on an issue, we usually come to a logical conclusion through careful examination of a specific problem. However, some choose a blanket answer to all problems and decide it sufficient enough to resolve everything. Extremism, described as an unwavering belief in a theory or principle accompanied by a refusal to acknowledge an opposing view, holds itself as one of the most dreaded conclusions one can come to. In Pamina Devi, extremism presents itself in many forms, but never as a favorable one. Accompanied by the wonderful attributes of Cambodian theatre such as the artistic hand movements and obvious absence of spoken dialogue, Pamina Devi brilliantly asserts the ugliness of such extremism while simultaneously depicting the experience and reflection of a woman afflicted by such extremist beliefs.
Throughout history, we always hear of the forewarnings of taking the extreme path in life. Especially prevalent in Eastern tradition, taking the “middle-way” always presents itself as the favorable option. For example, Buddhist tradition holds that the “middle-way” should be taken over and extreme point of view, since refusing to acknowledge another belief could lead to a refusal to acknowledge the truth. In Pamina Devi, we look on as two extreme beliefs present themselves in the form of a father and mother. Reinforced by the actual setting of day and night, this piece of classical Cambodian theatre contains extra clues for us so as to better exemplify what the mother and father actually stand for.
Sayon Reachny, the mother of Pamina Devi, presents herself through the extreme of night. Interestingly enough, as the sun and day do represent the beginning of a cycle, the moon and night conversely represent the end of the cycle. Thus, as the night seeks to bring an end to the day, Sayon Reachny manifests herself as a character who seeks to bring an end to Preah Arun Tipadey, who represents day and fathers Pamina Devi. Sayon Reachny seeks to end the opposing force through Pamina Devi, the offspring which sprung forth as a product and mixture of both extreme points of view. Similarly, just as night seeks to end day, day seeks to end night: Preah Arun Tipadey pursues to end Sayon Reachny. Here, we see how this piece of Cambodian theatre represents two characters as polar opposites on a larger scale. Not only there for our clarification, the representation of characters by much larger ideas allows us to understand that the meaning of such a specific conflict applies to a general idea as well. Extremism cannot answer all problems. One opinion must be checked by another. Thus, torn between the two extreme beliefs, Pamina Devi comes to exude the true essence of the correct position in life: the “middle-way”.
In this light, the bird catcher’s predicament exemplifies an aspect of life of particular interest to us. Familiar to anyone striving to attain their goals, patience always plays a key role in the overcoming of an obstacle. Striving to find a partner to share life with, the bird catcher searches high and low for this perfect companion. When we find out that he possesses who he searched for from the very beginning, we realize that patience plays an important part in the philosophy of the “middle-way”. Sometimes the answers to our most valuable questions already lie within. Much patience with some searching leads to the answer desired.
Cambodian theatre possesses the ability of relating the feelings and opinions of an entire generation. Since, as the producer, one presents one’s own interpretation of a play as applied to modern life, the audience sees the play transformed to fit the opinion of the current generation’s reflections on modern society. Never an exact copy, the play acts as a sort of medium of expression for a generation to communicate and mark in history the opinions it held on certain aspects of life. Interestingly enough, Pamina Devi uses dance and rhythm as a substitute for spoken dialogue. Hand gestures which come to represent specific words and feelings create the mood of the action, which enables the play to pull us out of the normal world and place us into a separate existence where the truth can be attained more easily. The beautiful dance and hand movements play into the creation of a whole new realm separated from the norm of our society.
Therefore, in Pamina Devi, we can see that Cambodian theatre expresses itself through symbols so as to allow for a general application derived from a specific problem. In this take on the play, we find Sophiline Cheam Shapiro communicating her experiences of the failure of the extremism of the Khmer Rouge prevalent in Cambodian society during her childhood. The “middle-way” works; acknowledging the opposing side can only make us stronger people.
On the morning of April 17, 1975, residents of Phnom Penh, Cambodia were commanded to evacuate their homes due to an American bomb threat fabricated by the Khmer Rouge government. These citizens were then forced into labor camps where millions of them perished due to malnutrition or assassination. < i >Pamina Devi< i > is a dramatic Cambodian play in which the Revolution of the Khmer Rouge era is genuinely articulated through the aesthetic genius of Mrs. Sophiline Shapiro. Utilizing shimmering costumes and cultural music, the choreographer portrays Cambodia not as a deprived region, but as an heir to an ever “enduring legacy” (UF PA). She also embraces vulnerability so that the audience may witness the optimistic lateral of a haunting memory through her own eyes. Thus, in personal opinion, Shapiro’s < i>Pamina Devi< i > deserves laud not only for its exceptional aesthetic applications, but for its effective illustration of a historical insurrection from a woman’s point of view.
Towards the conclusion of Act II, the climax of the dramatic work begins its’ unravel. Infuriated with one another, Sayon Reachny and Preah Tipadey send their devotees into ferocious battle. In this same moment Noreak, the bird catcher, prepares to use the Gong of Consciousness to relieve him from the bitter chaos. This scene proves most representative of Shapiro’s mastery in the Arts; particularly in costume design and music. The armies, adorned in glittery gold and silver, appear imperiously radiant; producing a visual effect that instantly captures the audiences’ attention and sense of awe. Delving deeper than mere observation, the distinct contrast between the attires of Noreak and the armies (navy blue vs. gold) amplifies the significance of social stratification in Cambodian culture. “The bird catcher is less divine or royal than others. He is more down to Earth.” (Shapiro). Another note at the commencement of the battle scene is dramatic intensity obtained by the crescendo of high-pitched xylophones, gongs, and drums. Here, Shapiro makes it well known that an ideal performance is impossible without music; it is what controls the mood throughout. Immediate elevation of harmony acknowledges sudden danger to come, creating tension throughout the audience. The diminution of sound produces the opposite effect; an atmosphere of tranquil resolution. Thus, Shapiro’s decision to use traditional Cambodian music, capable of modulating in both tempo and dynamic, proves most valuable to the mood and the implementation of culture.
To many Cambodians, the years inter 1975 and 1979 are defined by the frightening massacre of two million men, women and children as a result of Communist political ideology. This ongoing conflict between the vulnerable and the impervious, however, proves most imperative because it illustrates the distinct parallel between Cambodian history and < i >Pamina Devi< i >. Initially, Pamina Devi is within her mothers’ sanctuary. “Sayon Reachny and her devotees dance happily with her daughter, Pamina Devi…” (synopsis). However, when abducted and ordered to adopt a novel way of thinking because the old way, the happy way (feminism) is corrupt, she seems rather restless. “Preah Arun Tipadey explains that he had her abducted for her own good and to protect her from her mother’s feminine influence…” (UF PA). Did not the same situation occur with the inhabitants of the Cambodian Capital? Abducted from their homes, they were forced into bondage until they accepted the ways of Communist dictatorship. Vulnerability led to immediate violation; violation to blasphemy.
When Pamina Devi finally escapes from the bondage of both her mother and father, she is seen ascending into the future with Preah Chhapoloan; however, there is truly a sense of surreal tension within the audience. Was not this woman abducted, imprisoned, rescued, imprisoned, and then rescued? She could not have possibly retreated into the heavens, carefree. It is here, thus, that the two elements intertwine; performance and the revolution. After the Khmer Rouge, many Cambodian victims fled with the notion that they could distance the past and move on with the future. According to Sophiline Shapiro however, though the memory is pushed aside, the scar will remain for lifetimes to come. Cambodians will never be able to strike a gong to dissipate the horrific details of the Year 0. History, thus, will linger in their memories forever.
Carvin, Andy. "From Sideshow to Genocide: the Khmer Rouge Years." 29 Sept. 2007 http://www.edwebproject.org/sideshow/khmeryears/index.html.
Pran, Dith. "The Cambodian Killing Fields." 29 Sept. 2007 http://www.dithpran.org/killingfields.htm.
Shapiro, Sophiline. Personal interview. 28 Sept. 2007.
University of Florida Performing Arts. University of Florida, 2007
Spectacle was extremely prominent and used as an enhancement tool within Pamina Devi A Cambodian Magic Flute Choreographed and Directed by Sophiline Cheam Shapiro. This play is a bildungsroman, documenting the growth and struggles of Pamina Devi on her path into womanhood. The fact that all of the actors in the work were women brings a dimension that pulls in the audience. Also, the costumes used provide a spectacle that attracts the eyes, while carrying a deeper significance within them.
The fact that all of the players in this work are women creates a sense of spectacle especially since dramas from the renaissance and before usually consists of only male actors. In past works, most prominently known in Shakespeare, all of the roles were acted out as men. The shift from all men to all women attracts the attention of the audience because it is out of the norm. In this play, the male characters are denoted through their costume and movements. The males are shown in pants and golden shoulder coverings, while the female characters are shown in sari-like sashes. Within the work, there also exists conflict between men and women. The society of the Night is ruled solely by Sayon Reachny and her devout women followers, and consequently, the society of the sun is ruled by Preah Arun Tipadey and his loyal man. These societies are in constant conflict especially after the abduction of Pamina Devi. Both the Sun and Night kingdoms are ruled by different ideals and practices, and due to this “difference in ideology cannot interact without conflict” expressed Spholinie Cheam Shapiro. Sayon Reachny and Preah Arun Tipadey cannot see past their conflicts in order to live in harmony and find the necessary balance in life of man and woman.
The costumes which are used within this play are extremely elaborate greatly adding to the spectacle of the work. The costumes of each role do not change throughout the work, but have great significance woven into them. All of the male roles are represented with shoulder coverings save for the Birdcatcher, whose costume is very simple. This change is used to denote the Birdcatcher as a more human character and not as divine as the Preah Arun Tipadey and his followers. Also, the color of the costumes carries great significance. Pamina Devi is clothed with a white shirt and a gold scarf. The white is used to symbolize her innocence and youth. Other the other hand, Sayon Reachny is dressed in a red shirt. This red is used to symbolize “her rage and love” towards Pamina Devi, said Cheam. Sayon Reachny is in rage at not being able to save her daughter from abduction, but the love she has for her daughter is so intense that she cannot help but mourn. This color allows the audience to see the internal conflict between her motherly caring and her internal rage.
This work is ruled by various types of spectacle. The appearance of all of the players as women transcends social barriers of western society. The prevalence of women in this work is the extreme opposite of the works of Shakespeare, and thus shows the audience a different side of the performance. Also, the intricate details of the costumes carry both beauty and meaning within the work. The colors allow the audience to get more insight into the characters themselves, and causing them to get much more significance out of the work. It is also through the use of spectacle that conflicts in the work are expressed, showing that they impact on the tale transcends the characters.
Pamina Devi: A Cambodian Magic Flute goes through extraordinary measures to display the elegance, intelligence and beauty of the Cambodian culture. It plays out very smooth and with such sophistication, all while implying strong ulterior themes. Using the soothing sounds of the flute, drums and xylophone, the dancers/actors, embodied the grace and beauty of which they were trying to depict. The performance is in a class all by its self because of the flow, spectacle and thematic value.
The movement was utterly attractive. So much so, that at times it would be difficult to pay attention to the subtitles provided. The slow, careful, curvy movements explained more than words could. It is very noticeable the performance moves according to the tempo of the music. Although there is never a time the tempo was rapid, one can differentiate a time of conflict or peace. For example; the protagonist of the story Pamina Devi, when approached by her rescuer Preach Chhapoan, she gracefully curves the fingers of her hand up and lifts one leg and slowly looks away to express her shyness and admiration. An element that supplemented the movement of the characters were the costumes.
The costumes provided such great spectacle that the audience noticed that it had a deeper significance. The mother of Pamina Devi, Sayon Reachny, had devotees that were dressed in gold sparkling costumes with a golden headdress. The choreographer, director and designer of the performance, Sophiline Cheam Shaprio explained that dress is very important in Cambodian culture. The characters dressed the way they did to get closer to the deities. When dressed in such an elaborate way, the people can have a piece of the “heavens” Before make-up was introduced, the performers would paint themselves white to imitate the design of the deities. With the suggestive costumes and the red, orange, yellow and blue lighting that represented the Sun and the Moon, the costumes added to the grace and beauty of the movement.
The elements of movement and spectacle, rolled forth to make way for the thematic implications that still live in our culture today. In short, Pamina Devi was majorly influenced by her mother until Thornea abducts her and brings her to Preah Arun Tipadey, who is her father. Preah Arun Tipadey wants to protect Pamina Devi from the feminine influence of her mother. Preah Chhapoan who was rescued by Sayon Reachny agrees to help find Pamina Devi. After Preah Chhapoan and Pamina Devi are introduced, they fall in love and arrange to get married. When the two have disobeyed orders, the two armies of the parents are engaged in battle until the bird catcher, Noreak, strikes the Gong of consciousness. After this the battle dissipates and Noreak frees his bird which turns into his beautiful soul mate, Nory. The performance ends in peace and happiness. This climatic set up is very similar to that of American fairly tales such as Snow White or Cinderella. There seems to be a female either oppressed or depressed because of an external conflict until her “prince” comes to rescue her. In the same way, Pamina Devi is a portrait of a Cambodian fairly tale.
Although Sophiline Cheam Shapiro’s version of this performance differs from that of Mozart, it still carries the grace and beauty of an old-fashioned performance. Renditions such as this, gives the audience a peek into Cambodian culture to understand values, common conflicts and social agendas in the culture. There is a wealth of appreciation, through this work, for the Cambodian culture. Being that it was oppressed by the Khmer rouge era, (1975-1979) where classical dance was banned, it is a privilege to view an art that has been preserved through the ages.
In A Cambodian Magic Flute, a glimpse of Cambodian cultural heritage is portrayed through the art of classical dance. Classical dance is one of Cambodia’s most steadfast performing traditions. Despite having been banned during the Khmer Rouge regime, the art re-emerged, gaining back its grandeur and popularity among the citizens. Cambodia’s cultural heritage is displayed in a variety of different ways through these performances, costume designs and movement on the stage being among them.
According to Sophiline Cheam Shapiro, the costumes of the dancers were traditionally made to “function as a medium between earth and heaven” (Sep 2007). The dancers would sometimes even be painted with white make-up to symbolize their semblance to the divine. Today, the elaborate costumes continue to serve this traditional symbolism, but also serve to represent Cambodian “artistic beauty of cultural heritage” (Shapiro 2007). The dancers’ apparel is lavishly embroidered and sometimes even include semi-precious stones. Crowns are worn, which show the rank of the performer. Royal characters wear a tall crown called a mokot, portraying them as highest ranking and linked with the deities. Performers with lower rankings wear much simpler headdresses, showing that their role is of lesser importance in the show. All of this sequined attire is very elaborate and gorgeous. In Pamina Devi, the colors chosen for the characters was symbolic of the role they were playing. The Queen of the Night was wearing red to symbolize her role as an intense character. Not only did it portray her anger with her daughter, but also with her rage at feeling unappreciated and undervalued. Pamina Devi wore white as a symbol of her innocence. The dancers playing a male part never wore white because it does not give off as strong of a feeling as darker colors do. The bird-catcher wore blue so that he would stand out in the performance. His crown was simply made and not elaborate or showy. This showed his lower class in the play and how he was more human than divine. These costume designs showed how Cambodians saw class structure among their society as a whole, not only in relation to themselves, but also in a religious aspect, for the higher class was seen as having better connections with the deities.
Movement on the stage is very well planned and executed. The hand movements of the dancers is essential in depicting certain feelings and emotions. These motions show how Cambodians might think of a certain word or state of mind. For example, when Pamina Devi was being pulled back and forth between her parents, this showed how each of the parents wanted what they thought was best for her and also represented how Devi felt like she was being torn apart between them. Feelings were best portrayed through their hand motions, for a shy character may have her face covered with her hands or turn her face away.
Costume design and motions on the stage were both essential to getting a glimpse of Cambodian cultural heritage. It showed how their society views class distinction, how they view certain states of mind, and their views on distinction between males and females.
How lucky are we that our entire class can say: we were the audience for a play that made its WORLD premiere in Vienna Austria and then its USA premiere right here at the University of Florida in Gainesville! They may be going to North Carolina, Michigan and New York, but they had to go through The Swamp first!
Sophiline Cheam Shapiro, director and choreographer, of Pamina Devi, a vibrant rendition of Mozart’s 1791 classic: The Magic Flute, along with her dance company, The Khmer Arts Ensemble, portrayed their rich Cambodian culture through a breathtaking performance.
Each and every color, gesture, and piece of costume used in the play symbolizes a specific role or theme. As an audience we speculate the meaning, but may not comprehend everything completely. Learning the actual significance from Sophiline the next day was fantastic! Having the director come to our class and answer a myriad of questions spoiled us a wee bit. Sophiline explained that she “finds a personal resonance in Pamina Devi’s tortuous journey, which like mine, allows her to overcome betrayals and transform into someone who transcends the darkness from which she was born.”
Ms. Shapiro clearly shows her audience that a ban on Cambodian dance (1975-1979) and a Khmer Rouge could never keep her from living, learning and sharing her passion with the rest of the world.
I sat in awe of spectacle provided through the use ornate costumes, headdresses, makeup, and flawless dance movement. With each ting of the bells in the back ground, the dancer’s feet and toes arrange themselves in synchronized precision. Even though no dialogue is exchanged between the characters, every bit of tension, emotion, and struggle, is captured beautifully through the use of dramatic dance and poetic positioning of hand and foot.
Sayon Reachny, (queen of the night) mother of Pamina, dons red, which represents her rage, love, and irrationality (because she is a woman). Pamina’s father, Preah Arun Tipadey, resides in the realm of the sun and dresses in brilliant gold. I thought I was going to have to pull out my sunglasses; the gold was nearly blinding. The sweet bird catcher, Noreak wears blue, a calming earthy tone. Young Pamina Devi models white, a symbol of innocence and a gold sash to represent her royalty.
Although all the characters in Cambodian plays are played by women, gender roles are identifiable through the use of epaulets on the shoulder. I also learned from Elizabeth Auer, assistant director of the play, that each costume is carefully hand stitched and all the actresses must get ready hours before the performance. After the play, they must be cautiously hand cut out of the pieces.
Originally these dances worked as a form of worship to the Gods. Dancers acted as the earthly counterparts to the heavens. Slowly, the dance came to represent the aesthetic beauty and culture of its people.
Pamina Devi strikes me as a spectacular, colorful, and insightful play which addresses various themes typical of Cambodian art. Underlying themes present in the performance include ideological conflict, social class, family, loyalty, love, and pragmatism. The chorus also plays a significant role in Pamina Devi, and serves functions similar to those of the chorus in Greek drama as set forth by Aristotle.
Pamina Devi tells the touching story of the young Cambodian princess Pamina Devi, while also dealing with multiple themes and emotions which most humans go through themselves. The main theme seems to be that of ideological conflict between opposing groups, but more specifically between two people on a more personal level. In the play, the king of the Realm of the Sun, Preah Arun Tipadey, “rules with logic and order.” On the other hand, the Queen of the night (Sayon Reachny) rules with compassion and strength. The rulers of these two rival societies turn out to be Pamina’s parents, so due to conflicting ideologies between the mother and father, Pamina's parents end up creating conflict between their daughter and themselves. This conflict also involves themes of close family ties and loyalty, since parents of eastern traditions expect their children to be loyal and dedicated to serving them. The scene in the play when Sayon Reachny orders Pamina to kill her father, or face the consequence of no longer being accepted as her daughter, exemplifies the significance of familial loyalty. Another major and defining theme appears to be love, especially love between a male and a female. In two different situations in the play (when Pamina gets captured and when Sayon Reachny demands Pamina to kill Preah Arun Tipadey) Preah Chhapoan and Pamina rely on the love and trust they have for each other to solve their problems. Pragmatism also comes up throughout the play, but most clearly and notably when Pamina stands up to her mother by defying her commands. When Sayon Reachny gives Pamina the ultimatum of killing her father or losing the relationship with her mother, Pamina considers what would benefit everyone the most, and decides to go against her mother’s will and not murder her father.
The chorus adds a lot to Pamina Devi by setting up the scenes and characters on stage. It lets the audience know about all the different characters by explaining the relationships between characters, as well as their purpose. The chorus also functions as a character who informs the audience of the action understood to be going on throughout the play. For instance, when Preah Chhapoan admires Pamina Devi’s portrait, the audience cannot clearly see that the prince is actually doing so until the chorus tells the viewers explicitly. In addition, the chorus serves the purpose of setting up the ethical framework of the play. Towards the beginning of the performance when Pamina gets abducted and then held captive in the Realm of the Sun, the chorus describes the characteristics of the land and its ruler, Preah Arun Tipadey. On top of these functions, the chorus acts as an ideal spectator, by reacting to the other characters and revealing their feelings. Also in the scene where Pamina gets captured, the chorus laments with Pamina’s mother and shows their sympathy for a mother losing her daughter. The chorus also sets the mood through the music and sound effects coordinated with each scene and the characters involved. The intenseness and loudness of the music in the battle scene between Pamina’s parents informs the audience of the severe disagreement and conflict between the two groups. The chorus enhances the play by indicating to the audience the actions and thoughts not physically acted out or spoken out loud.
Pamina Devi will always be a memorable play for me, not only due to the extravagance of the chorus and the performance as a whole, but also because of the messages and lessons found in it. The love between Pamina and Preah Chhapoan reminds me of the significance of being able to lead in life, but also being ready to follow; to give advice and support, but to listen with an open heart as well. In regards to family and loyalty, the plays reinforces that one should have respect for her or his family, but should also know when to stand up for personal beliefs regardless of the consequences. And most important of all seem to be the ideas of revolution and pragmatism implied in the play. People should be open-minded and willing to change the old ways that do not work, and go with what works for society as a whole. Due to over-powering authority, people often forget that they have the right to make their own choices, and that they should stand up for what they believe in, no matter the consequences. Life proves to be difficult and trying a lot of the time, but can also be rewarding because things tend to work out eventually.
Pamina Davi, the play director by Sophiline Cheam Shapiro is a story of opposing forces. Throughout the work opposites are highlighted to showcase the fact that, without compromise, little harmony can be reached. These opposites range from the very broad and ambiguous to miniscule and concise details.
Beginning with the contrast of night and day, or even light and dark, the characters and stage represent the completely rigid difference between the two. Sayon Reachny (Queen of the Night), is a motherly character given to violent moods in a dark world. Her moods range from the exceptionally loving e.g., when with her daughter, and exceedingly contrite i.e., when she tells her daughter to stab the girl’s father. As the director Sophiline Cheam Shapiro says “She is a mother, it is very hard to hold all of that in.” Posed against the father of her daughter, Sayon Reachny Seney who is a stoic intellectual the differences are obvious. The director calls this an “ideological conflict” in which the two warring forces refuse to see eye to eye. This stubbornness showcases the theme by causing the heroine of the play to cast off all family ties and leave that realm of conflict.
Continuing, the differences in the classes in Pamina Davi are made evident in numerous different ways. The dress cloth and colors between the divine characters and the bird catcher show how pronounced the differences are. Pamina, clothed in the white of innocence, also wore cloth of satin to show a divine figure. The bird catcher who still wore satin to add to the spectacle wore an earthy calm blue color. Also, the love story between the two sets highlights how the lower class needs to trust and find love whereas the divine lovers are thrown together by fate.
However, though this is a play wrote with strife and discourse the eventual outcome is a happy one. When the heroine character is saved by the glorious magic flute and throws away the dagger her mother gave her to kill her father a sense of good triumphing over evil is palpable. Then when the bird catcher throws away his inhibitions and finds his true love, it is evident that steady perseverance really does pay off. That the two pairs of lovers end the play together and set off harmoniously to face the road ahead is a testament to the theme of the play that only by working together and discarding any rigid ideological constraints that may be imposed on you by outside forces can any people truly be happy.
Art is Universal
The differences between, what can be called, “Eastern” and “Western” cultures are vast. These differences are apparent in everything from language, to dress, to music, and many things in between. All of these differences are evident when one views the production of Pamina Devi: A Cambodian Magic Flute and compares it to it’s inspiration from the Western World, The Magic Flute, by Mozart.
One major difference between these two operas is the instrumentation. The instruments used in Pamina Devi were traditional Cambodian instruments which consisted of a woodwind instrument, drums, cymbals, and xylophones. These instruments and instrumentalists were placed behind the actual scene of the opera, in the shadows of the stage. This differs from the original opera, and from nearly all western operas, in that the instrumentation is a full orchestra, which can consist of 100 members and 27 different instruments from the woodwinds, brass, percussion, and strings categorization of instruments. These instrumentalists are also placed in, what is commonly known as, the pit, which is an area below the stage where the players cannot be seen.
The music played during the performance also differed between the two. The music in traditional Cambodian dance is sacred, in the past performed for the deities. The music in Pamina Devi was not composed for the performance, but was already known by the instrumentalists. Neither was the music written in hard copy, but rather, the instrumentalists had this music already memorized. This is very much different from Mozart’s composition. First, the music was composed for the work, and was written right before his death. The music was, and always has been, secular in nature, as was the actual performance of the opera. The music was also written on paper, for the instrumentalists, and was not memorized. The language of Pamina Devi also differed, in being in the native tongue of Cambodia, while The Magic Flute was carried out in German.
The dress of Pamina Devi is akin to the dress used in classical Cambodian dance, in order to preserve the cultural aspect of the dancing, but not for the same reasons as was used before in dance. The dancing was used in order for people to request certain things from the deities of the village, and in order to be “worthy” of being in the deity’s presence, the dancers wore dress that was rich in colour, and full of gold, and gems, so as to make the dancer like a god. While the dress used in this dance performance was similar to that used in temple rituals, it was not used for the religious aspect of dancing, but rather for preservation of Cambodian culture. The dress used in The Magic Flute reflected the dress of the time, but was also very elaborate. Bright colours were used, but were not as focused on the gold or gems. Heavy make-up was also used in both performances.
Also, these two genres differ in their placement of performance. Cambodian classic dance normally takes place in a temple, or in nature. Torches were used for light, and dancing went on. In European opera, the performance was achieved in a theatre, and fire, in the form of candles and small torches, was also used in lighting the performance.
As one can see, these two works differ very much in their follow through, but their story lines are very similar, and carry across very similar messages: we need to listen to one another for this world to succeed, and for the Human race to prosper. This performance proved that music and art crosses over cultural boundaries, and no matter what your culture is, you can enjoy a beautiful story, albeit in a different manner. It proved that music and art truly are universal languages.
In the story of Pamina Devi: A Cambodian Magic Flute, a young girl struggles to find her path to enlightenment and true love. In the performance, Sophiline Cheam Shapiro utilizes every theatrical technique possible to express not only the tale, but also the Cambodian culture. As she acts as both director and technical director, the production can be considered a reflection of what Sophiline aspired to achieve, as one observes the blocking of the performers, the costuming, as well as the technical design.
Throughout the performance, the blocking, also known as the positioning and walking patterns of the performers, is focused on bringing attention to Pamina, the main character. Many times, the protagonist is positioned to the audience’s left when she is engaged in a dialogue, because in theatre it is known that the audience reads a stage in the same direction as they read a book: left to right. At other times, the blocking is arranged to add to the suspense of a scene; for example, when the different warriors are fighting, Pamina stands upon a raised platform. The aforementioned scene illustrates Pamina being entangled in this constant clash between two sides. Therefore, the director is able to express successfully the importance of certain scenarios through the blocking of the different performers.
The costuming also plays a large part in explaining the roles of the different characters in relation to each other. The deities, for example, wear tall golden headdresses to show their rank over the other characters, which can also be easily interpreted by any audience, because such a display of wealth is common of high rank in almost any culture. Moreover, the elaborate use of colors in the costumes allows the characters to stand out much more than they would otherwise. Sophiline even described how she originally had Noreak, the bird catcher, robed in earthy tones because of his role, but then she decided on a bright, navy blue color because, “I wanted him to stand out more when he rang the ‘gong of consciousness’ among the other characters” (Sophiline). Thus, through the use of costuming the producer is able to develop further the relationships of the players in the piece.
Another key aspect to any theatrical performance is the technical direction, such as the set design and lighting. In the performance of Pamina Devi, the simplistic approach to the stage design speaks volumes more than an overly extravagant appearance would, especially since it reflects the also simplistic Cambodian approach. The stage has only one ornamented platform which serves many different purposes, varying only by its position and who is atop of it. The concept of the performance’s limited stage design and very elaborate costumes reflects Shakespearean theatre as in the times of Queen Elizabeth. Sophiline even notes that “Cambodian theatre does not have many set pieces because it was typically outdoors, very organic.”
Another element that greatly added to the show was the use of the cyclorama for lighting effects. The cyclorama is a large sheet of especially reflective material which encompasses the entire back wall of the stage and has multiple hues of light shining upon it for different light tones. The previously described tech equipment is implemented, along with a semi-circular bottom cover, to create scene settings throughout the play as well as to reflect the emotions of the different characters. For example, the cyclorama is covered at one point in orange and yellow hues to create the setting for the sun and place of enlightenment. While at another point, it turns completely red when the Queen of the Night grows angry.
Therefore, throughout the play, Sophiline Cheam Shapiro develops the story and character relationships through the use of blocking, costuming, and technical design. She is able to implement these techniques successfully thanks to her role as both director and technical director. Thereby, the performance delivers not only a narrative experience, but a cultural one as well.
Pamina Devi: A Cambodian Magic Flute produced by Sophiline Cheam Shapiro, put on by the Khmer Arts Ensemble, was a beautiful display of classical Cambodian music and dance. The costumes, lighting, music, singing, and gestures combined to transform the story of Pamina Devi into this wonderful performance. All of these elements were very beautiful but more importantly they were symbolic of certain emotions and important events in the history of Cambodia.
The music and singing in Pamina Devi were not only extraordinarily beautiful, but also expressed the emotions of the characters and helped set the tone of the play. The singers/musicians in this performance played the role of the chorus. They narrated the story while providing musical entertainment for the audience. The singers told the story of Preah Chhapoan going to rescue Pamina Devi from Preah Arun Tipadey. Music was played throughout the whole play in order to set the stage for the ongoing action. For example, when Preah Chhapoan and the Bird Catcher enter the Realm of the Sun they fight with Preah Arun Tipadey’s guards. During this part the music got faster and louder. In parts like this all of the instruments were used. When action was high the music was louder and at a fast tempo. The music was also used to express emotion. For example, in parts where Pamina Devi was alone on stage, contemplating what she should do, the music was somber and more simplistic, usually consisting of only a few of the instruments.
The lighting, costumes, and gestures in this performance symbolize the emotions of the characters and important events in Cambodian history. Traditionally, Cambodian plays are performed outdoors but in this case they used brightly lit backgrounds. Also, the costumes are elaborate and brightly colored. The costumes and the lighting work together to set the tone of different scenes. For example, when Preah Chhapoan enters the Realm of the Sun to rescue Pamina Devi, the background looks like a bright yellow sun. Also, Preah Arun Tipadey and his devotees are dressed in yellow and gold, matching the background. He tells Pamina Devi that his realm is a place of enlightenment. In contrast, in the scene of the Realm of the Night, the background sun is a strong red color. Also, Sayon Reachny and her devotees are dressed in red. The action and emotions of the play were portrayed through hand gestures and body positions. The performers used different hand motions to display their emotions instead of wearing them on their faces. Also, battles or struggling was shown through continuous, fluid motions rather than actual fighting. Pamina Devi: A Cambodian Magic Flute represents a power struggle between two opposing sides, each of which cannot see the situation through the eyes of the other. This play is symbolic of the power struggle between the Cambodian government and the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s. Both of which could not see each the others point of view.
Throughout ancient Greek drama, the traditional chorus promotes moral values, adds spectacle, acts as an ideal spectator, and creates a mood. One thousand years later and well over five thousand miles away, Cambodian classical dances would embody these roles in their performances. While its great, global predecessors obscure the history of Cambodia’s dance, the performances are just as rich as any other produced on the world stage. Classical dance served as a medium between human and divine until harsh bans from Cambodia’s terrible Khmer Rouge regime of 1970s terminated all productions. During 1979, with the fall of the Khmer Rouge, surviving dancers, led by Sophiline Cheam Shapiro, united to instill their talents in a new generation. The renowned triple-threat Cheam Shapiro, director, writer, and choreographer, adapted Mozart’s The Magic Flute to create Pamina Devi: A Cambodian Magic Flute. Written in reaction to Cheam Shapiro’s experience under the Khmer Rouge, Pamina Devi depicts the cyclical aspects of human nature, particularly of a family, through classical dance. With no spoken words, a Cambodian orchestra serving as a chorus, and minimal English subtitles, Cheam Shapiro effectively argues her points by still maintaining genuine elements of classical dance: elaborate costumes, a chorus that comments on characters as well as guides the audience, and an orchestra whose music’s tempo and rhythm establish the moods of the performance. Director Cheam Shapiro celebrates the struggle and resilience of Cambodian culture in Pamina Devi through the characterization of Pamina’s parents and Pamina’s choices for her future.
The Director depicts the heroine’s parents as stern, polar opposites who cannot agree on anything, not even to favor their daughter’s best interest. Sayon Reachny, Queen of the Night and Pamina’s mother, gives her daughter a knife to kill her father, Preah Arun Tipadey, with. Just as callously, Tipadey abducts Pamina and explains he needed to further her from woman’s rashness and introduce her to logic and order. According to Cheam Shapiro, both parents being equally stubborn and selfish “create a dysfunctional family for Pamina Devi.” She also explained how extremes, personified by Reachny and Tipadey, can never peacefully coexist and will continue to pass on their faults for generations to come.
“Since Pamina Devi and her partner [Preah Chhapoan] possess both the flute, a symbol that is good, and the knife, which represents [the bad]…they have a choice to pass them down to the next generation,” the director describes, adding that Pamina also has the choice to dispose of the knife and all the hate it represents and only pass down the virtuous symbol, the flute. The director also discussed the relationship between Pamina and Chhapoan, stressing the symbolism in their last dance – a zig-zag patterned dance where one partner leads heading one direction and the other leads dancing in the opposite direction. This kind of dance signifies each partner abandoned his or her individual autonomy for a shared identity where love overcomes personal pride. Highlighting the importance of this dance, Cheam Shapiro explains, Pamina’s parents can never perform it, since they do not have enough respect for each other to follow the other.
While extreme rule plagued Cambodia’s fine arts, it inspired Sophiline Cheam Shapiro to create a piece to debunk any of its appeals. She depicts the heroine as a victim of her parents’ stubbornness and emphasizes their extreme ideology as cautionary behavior. Pamina Devi, however is characterized as the future generation’s hope. She chooses what to pass down to her family – compromise and respect as opposed to the dysfunctional separateness generated by hate. When the heroine chooses the former the director’s message of perpetual conflict surrounding extreme behavior echoes.
Upon hearing the word “Cambodia”, most people can barely point to its location on a map. Even less people know about the beautiful art of traditional dance that originates there. Cambodian traditional dance nearly became an image of the past due to the governmental regime Khmer Rouge. A most amazing example of Cambodian traditional dance goes by the name of Pamina Devi: A Cambodian Magic Flute. As seen in Pamina Devi, the use of natural elements created in the scenery, the graceful hand movements, and the vibrant colors all make Cambodian traditional dance unique and fascinating.
In the opening scene of Pamina Devi, the audience sees an image of a beautiful night sky with a full moon. Natural elements such as torches, candles and lanterns create the lighting and a natural environment. Tradition calls for the use of fire as lighting. But when the play is performed in modern day and indoors, blue light represents night and red light represents day time or dusk. The actresses, who are all women, paint any of their exposed skin white in order to “wipe clean” any personal characteristics of the actress. Modern day actresses use makeup, but in tradition, white paint sufficed for the change of a character. As only women are in Cambodian traditional dance, male portrayal was accomplished by women wearing shoulder armor and pants. Men can dance in traditional Cambodian dance, but only in special roles, such as a monkey in the script. The musicians seat themselves on the left side of the stage, and their songs move the play along and demonstrate the present mood. Instruments such as the flute, xylophone and drums make up the common instruments in traditional Cambodian dance.
The costumes and colors used create a beautiful spectacle, especially for Western audiences. For example, Noreak traditionally wears an emerald colored outfit in order to appear as a bird. In Mrs. Shapiro’s version, Noreak wears bright blue. Noreak represents a lower class citizen, more or less a common man. For that reason, he does not wear any shoulder armor and his outfits are not heavily beaded and complex as the costumes of Pamina Devi or Preah Chhapoun. Mrs. Shapiro has the Queen Sayon Reachny wear red in order to portray a very temperamental and strong character. The red also reflects rage as she feels unappreciated and not valued by those she loves. Mrs. Shapiro also used red to represent the maternal instinct in Queen Sayon Reachny. The audience sees the maternal instinct of Queen Sayon Reachny when she saves Preah Chhapoun from the Krut. Queen Sayon Reachny says she feels glad to have been able to save Preah Chhapoun, even though she could not save her own daughter. According to Mrs. Shapiro, Pamina Devi wears white and gold to represent her youth and innocence and how she reaches maturity. The white and gold also represents that Pamina Devi still has much to learn. In the story, Pamina Davi has to choose between following the destruction of her family or coming out to find a new way of life. The flute represents her clear path, while the knife represents a path of dysfunction. Most characters of royalty represent a divine role and wear a tall headdress to show their status to the viewer.
The audience finds the most amazing display of spectacle in the hyperextension of the hands, feet, elbows and legs. The actresses twist the hands, elbows, legs and feet in such a way as to create curves in an S-like shape. The curved fingers, elbows and hands look like the form of a snake. In ancient Cambodian religion, a sea serpent represents the main deity that allows people and creatures to live on land. In the past, these performances were performed to send a message to the deity, usually the sea serpent. The mimicking of the snake-like shape showed a certain respect to the serpent. The bending of the limbs requires many hours of dedication and the actresses would start to practice this technique around the age of six years old. The process takes years of dedication, but when performed correctly shows a beautiful and graceful curve used to represent different emotions. Each position of the hands, feet, elbows and fingers represent a different feeling, action or mood. The contortions of the body in this way make Cambodian traditional dance beautiful and unique.
Traditional Cambodian dance makes the audience relaxed and allows them to meditate easier and reconnect with nature. The natural light of lanterns and candles, the beautiful serpent-like limbs of the dancers and the sounds of the flute make the viewers feel as though they were in another world. The performance brings the viewer back to a more natural state of being and shows the beauty found in nature. The many different elements of Cambodia that make up the country’s form of dance represent a unique and rare culture that most of the world would never know about. The performances of traditional dance demonstrate the natural beauty that creates and defines Cambodia.
The American premiere of Pamina Devi was captivating and full of emotion, expressed in ways American plays normally do not utilize. As with all Cambodian plays, there were no spoken words. Subtitles played on top of the stage to assist the audience in following the plot, but it is immediately clear that the expression of emotion and communication lies within the traditional Cambodian dancing which all the players performed. This visual expression, compounded with the flamboyant costumes worn by the dancers made Pamina Devi as unforgettable as it was spectacular.
Throughout the play a number of archetypes are represented, even though this is not immediately obvious. Pamina is the young and innocent lead character. Her mother and father represent the traditional oriental theory of duality and opposites: Sayon Reachny, Pamina’s mother, is queen of the night and is seemingly guided by her emotions rather than her logical reasoning, often times coming off as cold and irrational. Her father, Preah Arun Tipadey is just the opposite. He is the ruler of the sun and thinks more logically than Pamina’s mother, and is less likely to lose his temper than she is as well.
Another interesting tactic utilized in Pamina Devi is the fact that all of the characters, even the male ones, are played by females. This is implemented for an assortment of reasons, the main one being that the women in the play have trained since they were six years old. Their training involves bending their hands repetitively in order to achieve hyperextension, and performing similar actions with their feet. Because all of the communication and expression of emotion is achieved through this traditional Cambodian dancing, there is no need for male actors in Pamina Devi. Their costumes also make it obvious who they are regardless of sex: those who are royalty wear elaborate headdresses and brightly colored tunics, while those characters who are somewhat unimportant by comparison (such as Noreak, the bird-catcher) wear demure costumes, lighter in coloring such as blue.
Pamina Devi is a play that is unlike any American production. The traditional Cambodian dancing and costumes combined with its all female cast make it as exceptional as it is spectacular. It is an honor that it has finally premiered in America and anyone lucky enough to have seen it will forever have the memory of it.
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