Under the Kayon Tree , A Malaysian Magical Musical

In conjunction with  Shantanand festival of Arts, by Temple of Fine Arts which collaborated together during our 60th National Day for this year celebrating Independence through arts.

"Under the Kayon Tree" was an original composition with some elements of dances and theatre narrated by Shantini Venugopal. The theatre musical show unfolds about the Malaysian legends and folktales of Parameswara, Hang Tuah, Hang Li Po, and Mahsuri in this spectacular performances.

The Legends came to life under the compositions by an award-winning composer Jyotsna Nithyanandan on an enchanted Sunday evening.

Ankur, as what Jyotsna described in her interview was a word from Sanskrit meaning "sprout". The seeds have cultured in various languages, cultures, traditions, and ethics into a strong tree with a beautiful truly Malaysians. We all came from different seeds but we all grew into one big tree and we stay as one true Malaysian.

I've not been to any of the Temple of Fine Arts productions. I was much delighted to watch this as Jysotna I have known personally would give a spectacular kind of music that just plays in your head.I just booked my tickets and I obviously have no idea of what I am going to watch. 

I just followed my inner thoughts of going for their own production by TFA, and see what's actually waiting for me there. Wait for surprises of this stage production take over my curious mind.

The show started with a deep melancholy voice whom I assume was by and the pieces of music begun.

One stage that was ensembled with Malaysian multi-ethnic music instruments. I have seen and heard individual instruments played by their own ethics in a way. But here am listening to all of them together bringing a spectacular composition which intrigues with Indian classical rhythms the beholder as ever composed.

This musical showcase was amazing in it's your magical way with storytelling, dances, performances with the amazing music that made the story artistically come to live.

I called in and booked my tickets which were for RM100 even though it was a "Pay as Wish" basis. I know the composer Jyostna personally and I have seen her team performing during my sister's wedding which was an amazing performance.So she contacted me on her new compositions and I was delighted to give her my support to attend the event.

So this is how my enchanted Sunday evening was "Under the Kayon Tree" by the Ankur Musical Ensemble along with the storytelling that had dances and an amazing mesmerizing music by some of the Malaysia's top musicians.

I was speechless as it was like listening to an adventure that unfolds the history folklore of Malaysia. Every string on the sitar, bass guitar, harp, violin, gambus, every trump and the Chinese drums, tabla and rebang have roared the stage and the show. 

My heartfelt full as the music was played and all the traditional Malaysian instruments played together creating a musical of unity as it was wonderful to hear and tap my legs to the beats. It was like listening to an adventure of rhythms unfolded together as one bringing the stage and my heart to live.

Each legend were brought to live Parameswara meeting the mouse deer, obviously the cute little mouse deer played by a girl. Then the ballet dance for Hang Li Po, her dress and ballet was so graceful and scores of petals rained down on the stage and also on the audience. I was one of them who felt the petals dropping from the ceiling and the whole event was so magical.

The best was the finale of the main traditional drums the tabla (Indian), the rebang (malay) and the Chines drum was played on one rhythm but in different sounds.

Overall, I would say it was a fairy tale magical musical show.