Yearly Project
Preah Samuth and But Somaly
Princess Buth Somaly, the daughter of Giant King Virulchak and Queen Vasun, once had a strange dream of being encircled by a massive Naga dragon. Her servants interpreted the dream as an omen, predicting she would soon gain a royal husband. One day, by chance, her father allowed her to visit the royal park. There, Princess Buth Somaly encountered Prince Preah Samuth, who boldly declared that they had been a happily married couple in a previous life. As if fate had reconnected their paths, the prince cast a magic spell with his stick and spirited the princess away to his palace. Enraged, King Virulchak summoned his troops to pursue the prince. Exhausted after a relentless escape, the prince and princess stopped to rest in the forest. However, the danger was far from over. A wild giant named Veykan stumbled upon them and was instantly captivated by Princess Buth Somaly’s beauty. Overcome with desire, Veykhan hypnotized Prince Preah Samuth and fiercely demanded that the princess go with him, threatening to kill her husband otherwise. Princess Buth Somaly, quick-witted and brave, deceived the wild giant. Seizing an opportunity, she took up her husband’s enchanted bow and invoked his merit and magic to summon an army to battle Veykan. The fearless princess, driven by love and determination, fought to protect her husband and their union. This tale of destiny, courage, and cleverness showcases the strength and resilience of Princess Buth Somaly, as well as the enduring power of love.
Come and enjoy the experience!
Watch as local Cambodians in Lowell create this wonderful dance drama that hasn't been seen in 17 years.
Performance Dates TBA
Showcase Venues:
Vatt Khmer Lowell
Wat Nawamintararachutis
Lowell SEA Water Festival and more!
Past Projects
The Story of Preah Ket Mealea
Preah Ket Mea Lea is a dance drama that was created based on The Poem of Angkor Wat "ល្បើកអង្គរវត្ត." This dance drama was last performed in the 1960s. It was revived by Massachusetts resident Kennis Mor, a senior vocalist for the Royal Ballet of Cambodia, Yann Borin, and his successor, Seiha Oudom. This dance drama has three scenes—the Heavenly Gardens, Exiled By Indra, and The Coronation. In the Heavenly Gardens, a place of unparalleled beauty, the Queen had just woken up from a beautiful dream about bearing a great and powerful son. She soon arrived with her maids at the gardens near her quarters. They heard a noise approaching from the skies and were frightened. As they looked closer, they realized it was Indra coming from the heavens. Indra bestowed her flowers of blessings, and she was gifted Indra's Son, Preah Ket Mealea. In the next scene is Tep Soda Chan, a heavenly being from Indra's court. She came down to Earth to bathe. She saw beautiful flowers grown with precious care and picked 5 flowers to bring back to Indras Palace. Indra realized that she stole these flowers without asking the owner and was exiled from the heavens for five years and was forced to marry the owner of the flowers as well. They fell in love, a love transcending the sky, and had a son named Preah Pisnoka, who would later be Indras' architect. In the last scene, Preah Ket Mealea and Preah Pisnoka are grown adults. Preah Pisnoka helped build Preah Ket Mealea Palace, which we see now in Cambodia (Angkor Wat). During this Holy day, Preah Ket Mealea will be attending his coronation to be the great and powerful king of the land called Kampuchea (Cambodia)
Come and enjoy the experience!
Watch as local Cambodians in Lowell create this wonderful dance drama that hasn't been seen in 60 years.
Performance Dates:
Showcase Venues:
Vatt Khmer Lowell
October 17, 2024
Wat Nawamintararachutis
September 21, 2024
Lowell SEA Water Festival
August 17, 2024
