With the ultimate aim of rekindling the traditional arts that were almost destroyed by the Khmer Rouge, passing these skills onto younger generations and providing artists with an economically-viable platform to survive, Cambodia Living Arts (CLA)has helped spawn new generations of artists since launching in 1998. Preserving and breathing new life into the country’s dance, theatre, music and puppetry, CLA’s many troupes can be found performing across the country throughout the year. In Phnom Penh daily performances take place at the National Museum of Cambodia at 7pm.
CLA’s Wat Bo Shadow Puppetry Troupe keep alive the Cambodian ancient art of sbaek (shadow puppetry) which is said to date from the Khmer Empire era. Their large, intricately patterned puppets are made from ox, buffalo or cow hide and are attached to bamboo rods. In the troupe’s performances, each puppet represents a character from the poem Reamker, the Cambodian version of the Hindu epic Ramayana. The puppets are cleverly moved behind a white fabric screen, with a coconut fire blazing behind to create shadows. This is played out to the backdrop of a Pinpeat orchestra (a musical ensemble which performs Cambodian ceremonial music) at the historic Wat Bo temple in Siem Reap.
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