The Schubert Club, Shadow Puppets of Java

It’s been ten years since the folks at the Schubert Club brought Minnesota its first gamelan, and in collaboration with the Indonesian Performing Arts Association of Minnesota, they’ve put it to good use ever since. For this concert, Midiyanto, an acclaimed Javanese puppeteer, will shape an evening wayang kulit, or traditional shadow puppetry performance, around the music. The puppet master gathers concertgoers around the fire (Okay, they’ll make do with giant gongs, in this case) to tell the story of the young Bima, a traditional character who sports a conspicuously long thumbnail. The multitasking Midiyanto will guide Bima through the Mahabharata world of demons, giants, and gods, even as he conducts the gamelan players through their mesmerizing sweeps of percussion. Sundin Hall, 1531 Hewitt Ave., St. Paul; 651-523-2459; www.schubert.org