Phra Aphai Mani: 204 Years Spans Adaptations in Dance-Drama, Film, Animation and Symphonic Poem

Abstract

This article forms parts of a doctoral dissertation in Musical Arts, Graduate School, Bunditpatanasilpa Institute, focusing on Thai Artistic Creation of Phra Aphai Mani Symphonic Poem the Musical Theme of Nang Phisuea Samut (Sea Ogress). Research Objectives: 1. To study the poet literature of Sunthorn Phu's Phra Aphai Mani, focusing on the episode of Nang Phisuea Samut. 2. To investigate the development from poetic literature to its transmutation in various forms, including dance-drama, film, television film, animation, and programmatic music. Research Methodology: The researcher employed a qualitative research approach, collecting data from historical documents, the literary work Phra Aphai Mani, electronic resources, information from archival film footage, observation data, and semi-structured interviews with key informants. These informants included: Peep Konglaithong National Artist in Performing Arts (Thai Classical Music) for the year 2020, Somnuek Saeng - Arun, Silpathorn Artist in Music for the year 2024 and head of the Chongkraben Contemporary Thai Music Ensemble, Narongrit Dhamabutra National Artist in Performing Arts (Classical Music Composition) for the year 2021, Narong Prangcharoen, Dean of College of Music, Mahidol University, specializing in contemporary music composition and a renowned international contemporary composer, Danu Huntrakul, Silpathorn Artist in Performing Arts (Western Classical Music) for the year 2004, Suriyan Ramsut, Conductor and Arranger of the music division, Fine Arts Department, Teekha Photives, Conductor and Arranger of the Royal Thai Police band, Ministry of Interior, and Buranee Ratchaibun, Director and Technical Director for concerts, Theatrical Performances, Opera, Films, Managing Director and Executive Director  Ovation Studio Co. Ltd. Drawing upon literary transmutation theories and music composition theories for data analysis, the research finding indicate that Sunthorn Phu is revered as the Leading poet of the Rattanakosin era and UNESCO has recognized him as an individual with outstanding cultural contributions. Phra Aphai Mani, a magnum opus comprising 64 cantos and taking 24 years to complete, is acknowledged as the world's longest epic poem, totaling 12,706 verses, surpassing Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, which contain 12,500 verses. Over a period of 204 years, the enduring value of Phra Aphai Mani has inspired numerous adaptations and transmutations into various artistic mediums, including dance-drama, film, television film, animation, and programmatic music. Notably, the Nang Phisuea Samut episode has been most frequently adapted for diverse performance genres. The inherent artistic merit of Phra Aphai Mani served as the primary motivation for the researcher to select the Nang Phisuea Samut episode as the basis for composing a programmatic music piece titled Thai Artistic Creation of Phra Aphai Mani Symphonic Poem the Musical Theme of Nang Phisuea Samut (Sea Ogress).