Istana Budaya, under the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry (MOTAC), will present the musical play Puteri Hang Li Po at the Encore Melaka Theatre this October. This announcement was made by Istana Budaya director-general Zubaidah Mukhtar (pic) during the launch of the IB2024 programme.
The musical, depicting the golden age of the Malay Melaka Sultanate, was previously performed in Panggung Sari, Istana Budaya in 2004 and was revived in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of Malaysia-China diplomatic ties.
Zubaidah highlighted that the upcoming performance retains the original storyline with several improvements and signifies a strategic partnership with Encore Melaka, a renowned international performance venue.
“It retains the original storyline with several improvements, and will mark the strategic partnership with Encore Melaka, which has become a well-known international performance venue.” she said.
According to Zubaidah, Istana Budaya aims to promote cultural tourism through Puteri Hang Li Po, which holds symbolic significance to the diplomatic ties between Malaysia and China.
Alongside Puteri Hang Li Po, two other main programmes will be featured: the Traditional Malaysian Orchestra: Sounds of Malaysia, and the Lambang Sari Series, a sell-out performance from the previous year.
Zubaidah also shared the success of 29 programmes held at Istana Budaya, which collectively attracted 154,607 attendees and garnered a media publicity value exceeding RM750 million.
During the ceremony, costume design books for Hang Li Po and Cheng Lok musicals, as well as Ali Baba and Sinbad children musicals, were launched to aid costume preparation for theatrical performances at Istana Budaya.
Regarding infrastructure, Zubaidah mentioned that maintenance and improvement work at Istana Budaya, which began in June, is progressing smoothly. The venue will remain closed for events or performances until January 5, 2026, and is expected to reopen in line with Visit Malaysia Year 2026.
