H. Zain introduced us to music without verse through Nasida Ria. Nothing more nor less, Nasida Ria: Sun Stage (Wisnu Candra, 2023) let us peek into how the mind and body of a musician also make room for survivability. Nasida Ria was initially formed to recite verses of the Quran in qira’ah competitions. They started in the music industry when H. Zain signed a working agreement with Puspita Records, a prominent recording company in Indonesia. Combining science technology journals with the meaning of the Quran’s verse, the late KH Bukhari Massuri concocted timeless hits that later played an essential role in their work.
After H. Zain’s death, his son, Choliq Zain, became Nasida Ria’s manager, who led them to a glorious era. In 1994, when the melodious sound of Nasida Ria reached Maribeth Pascua’s ear, she brought them the opportunity to perform on the international stage. During 1994-1996, Nasida Ria performed eight times on the stage of various music festivals in Germany.
The monetary crisis at the beginning of July 1997-1998 affected Nasida Ria’s existence. Nevertheless, it did not dampen Choliq’s spirit to keep Nasida Ria alive. Through a weary journey, Choliq devised strategies to keep Nasida Ria from being left by the era. He repeatedly sent self-written articles to various news media, started a tour of Islamic boarding schools, and established a grocery store that turned into a Soto stall. In 2010, his struggles bore results as Nasida Ria received an invitation to perform in Hong Kong at the Indonesian Migrant Labour Celebration event. From that performance, they began to stabilize as they started to appear in numerous television shows. In addition, the curator of Ruang Rupa, Indra Ameng, helped Nasida Ria to be known amongst the younger generations. Through Ameng, Nasida Ria could continue their da’wah at the 2016 Ruang Rupa Records Festival in Sukabumi. Their openness to all levels of society is one of the keys that unlocks the opportunity for Nasida Ria to perform in Semarang’s Ngisor Ringin Jazz Festival in the same year.
This 18-minute long film summarised Nasida Ria’s ups and downs struggles, which have not always been constant. Nasida Ria: Sun Stage sums up 48 years of their journey and has created 360 titles through dozens of compilation albums. Wisnu Candra’s directed documentary film invites us to celebrate music and enjoy it without forgetting to learn the history behind it. Nasida Ria: Sun Stage (2023) is selected in Short Competition Festival Film Dokumenter 2023. (bonivasios dwi) (Vanis/Catharina Maida M)
Film Details
Nasida Ria: Sun Stage
Wisnu Candra | 18 Minutes | 2023 | Central Java | Color | 13+
Screening Schedule
12.04 | Auditorium IFI-LIP | 19.00 WIB
12.08 | Gedung ex Bioskop Permata | 20.00 WIB
