Andrew Pereira
Jakarta, while being an important tourist destination in Indonesia, is also the heartbeat of art and culture in the county. If you are a performing art lover, do swing by these concert venues.
Popularly known as ASJ, the Aula Simfonia Jakarta is possibly Indonesia's finest concert hall. It is located in Kemayoran and boasts a seating capacity of 1,400. The key highlights here are its centrally located wooden stage, awesome acoustic system and pipe organ. The wooden stage's central position allows audience to view a performance from all angles thanks to the seating arrangements being positioned around the stage. ASJ is said to have the best acoustic system in all of Indonesia and Southeast Asia. The pipe organ, the hall's most prized possession, consists of 3,217 pipes, weighs over 10 tonnes and was built in Canada in 1962. When visiting Jakarta, don't miss the ASJ's monthly concerts featuring the resident orchestra performing classical repertoires.
One of the newer concert halls in Jakarta, Teater Jakarta (or Theatre Jakarta) is located at Taman Ismail Marzuki. It has already made a name for itself for its fascinating architecture, sophisticated dressers and hydraulic machines that create amazing special effects. This 1,240-seater hall is renowned for hosting world-class events such as Laskar Pelangi and the musical, Matah Ati. The fly tower allows the theatre crew to replace the backdrops of various performances vertically. When checking out these theatres it pays to be located centrally in the city for ease of travel. If you are looking for a service apartment in Jakarta, as opposed to a hotel, consider the likes of the Ascott Jakarta for a comfortable stay.
After having looked at one of the newer theatres above, it is only fitting that you visit one of the oldest ones in Jakarta - the Gedung Kesenian Jakarta (GKJ). Formerly known as "Schouwberg" in Dutch, GKJ was built way back in 1814 and has been home to hundreds, if not thousands of performances. Although the building and its facilities have been upgraded over the years, its Neo-Greek style and original Rococo architecture have been preserved. One of the most monumental events to be hosted at GKJ is the triennial art event, the Art Summit Indonesia which has been successfully held here since 1995.
Known locally as Balai Sarbini, the downtown concert hall has been the proud host of many performances from international concerts to local TV shows. The hall packs a technologically advanced audio and lighting system. What really sets it apart from the rest of the halls is that Balai Sarbini is located in the heart of Jakarta at the Plaza Semanggi, making it one of the top choices for event and concert organisers.
Komunitas Salihara, also known as Salihara Community has hosted a number of artistic programs from overseas since 2008. It is also the first black-box theatre in the country. It features soundproof walls, complemented by state-of-the-art equipment for sound and lighting. Renowned for hosting creative, artistic events, Komunitas Salihara is a top choice for live animations, plays and music recitals.
