Purbo Asmoro, dressed for the 15 degree Celsius weather
at 3,600 meters (about 12,000 feet) up in the Andes in La Paz, Bolivia

article in Spanish on Purbo Asmoro's visit to Bolivia
review in Spanish of Purbo Asmoro's Bolivia visit
review translated into Indonesian


Last April, Purbo Asmoro traveled 48 hours door-to-door, to the highest capital city in the world (La Paz at 3600 meters above sea level).  After suffering two miserable days of extreme altitude sickness, during which he had to be put on oxygen at a local clinic, he began his work at the festival. He was in Bolivia together with Sugeng Nugroho, who accompanied him from ISI, and Jonas Bisquert who served as his Spanish/Indonesian interpreter.

In Bolivia Purbo Asmoro was the opening and star performer in La Paz's  biannual International Theater Festival ("FITAZ"). Aside from his 45-minute performances of Ciptoning, Purbo Asmoro gave days of intense workshops to theater professionals from 13 different countries, who gathered in Bolivia to share theater traditions. Audience members, workshop participants, and news reporters were so enthusiastic that Purbo Asmoro was approached in the restaurant he frequented, as well as on the street and in his hotel lobby, by people simply wanting a second chance to shake his hand and kiss his cheeks South American style! He was overwhelmed by the friendliness and openess of the Latin culture, and quite taken aback by the enthusiastic response to Javanese wayang.

Many thanks to the Prince Claus Fund for Culture and Development, as well as the Dutch Embassy in La Paz, for making this trip possible. Also appreciative thanks to Mrs.  Gonneke Ridder from the Dutch Embassy in Jakarta for all her planning work.