Creator
Sang Sarun
Cambodian lakhaon bassac performer regarded as one of the form's masters.
Sang Sarun was a Cambodian star of lakhaon bassac, a popular form of traditional opera theatre.[1] In the 1960s he and Chek Mach were the well-known actors who did most to promote the form, and both are still held in high esteem as its masters.[1]
Lakhaon bassac
Lakhaon bassac grew out of Lakhaon Treoung Klok, which was performed in the Bassac region of Kampuchea Krom. In the 1930s a troupe from there began performing in Phnom Penh and in provinces along the Bassac River, and the form took its name from that river region. Chinese and Vietnamese opera shaped it strongly.[1] The form asks for great concentration behind its comic, spectacular gestures, and the psychology of its giant characters is often more complex than audiences expect.[1]
The 1960s, when Sang Sarun was performing, were a glorious period for the theatre, and many Cambodians consider him and Chek Mach legendary performers.[1] The Philadelphia Folklore Project calls him the country's most famous lakhon bassac (folk opera) star.[2] He is no longer living, but taped recordings keep his voice.[1]
Works
- Lakhon Bassac (Tradition)