Yogyakarta Theater Pioneer Genthong HSA Dies at 81

Yogyakarta's theater community mourns the loss of Genthong Hariono Selo Ali (HSA), a revered figure and founder of Sanggar Anom, who passed away at the age of 81. He died on Monday, July 27, 2026, at Sardjito General Hospital in Sleman, Yogyakarta.

Genthong was a significant force in Indonesian theater from the 1970s through the 1990s. He was laid to rest on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, at the Giri Sapto Cemetery for Artists and Culturalists in Imogiri, Bantul. He is survived by his wife, two children, a son-in-law, and two grandchildren.

According to Ani Himawati, one of Genthong's former students at Sanggar Anom, he had been ill for some time and frequently hospitalized after the recent Eid al-Fitr holiday. Genthong was a multifaceted artist, excelling not only as a playwright but also as a novelist, short story writer, poet, and painter.

He established Sanggar Anom in the 1980s to provide a space for high school students participating in theater workshops organized by the Yogyakarta Education and Culture Office. Genthong's mentorship extended beyond performance techniques; he instilled a sense of discipline, responsibility, and holistic living in his students. They lived at the sanggar, learning to manage daily chores and theatrical productions, fostering a deep connection akin to apprentices at a traditional boarding school. This immersive approach aimed to shape them into "special people," as Genthong often advised.