Jakarta. Throughout Indonesia, prostitutes are generally dismissed as social pariahs. Shunned and denigrated in public by almost everybody, in reality their services are sought after by many.

"Prostitutes are actually not that much different from us," said Indonesian classical composer and pianist Ananda Sukarlan. "They just do what they have to do in order to survive."

Seno Gumira Ajidarma's 1970s novel "Tumirah [Sang Mucikari]" ("Tumirah The Pimp") is a no-holds-barred view on the real lives of prostitutes.

"It's a very beautiful and touching story," Ananda said. "And now I've decided to feature it in an opera."

Ananda has written all the musical scores for the opera himself. Artist and activist Melanie Subono will be the producer.

"Prostitution is one of the oldest professions in the history of mankind," Melanie said. "I hope this opera will also open our eyes to the very serious problem of human trafficking in Indonesia."

Melanie, quoting the 2015 Global Slavery Index, said more than 710,000 Indonesians are now trapped in modern slavery, up almost 300 percent from 2014.

"Many of [these prostitutes] are forced to go into the profession," Melanie said. "They need our help. Don't bully or abuse them."

Jazz singer Artidewi will take the leading role as Tumirah, while countertenor and semifinalist of Australia's Got Talent season seven, Julius Firdaus, will play as a police investigator in the opera.

"I'm so proud to get the main role," Artidewi said. "My preferred genre is jazz, but I've also been studying classical vocal for four years with [Indonesian soprano] Aning Katamsi."

"Tumirah" tells the story of a pimp by the same name, who manages a brothel located near a forest. One night, a group of men came to rob the brothel and rape the prostitutes. After the incident, policemen and reporters came to the brothel ostensibly to help, but in the end they demanded free services from the prostitutes.

The opera will be staged in Jakarta sometime in mid-September (exact date and venue still being finalized).

Two parts of the opera were previewed at Erasmus Huis Jakarta on Saturday (09/04).

The public can take part in the production of "Tumirah" by making a donation through its crowdfunding site, managed by local crowdfunder Wujudkan.

"I want to involve as many people as possible in the production of this opera. Crowdfunding is perfect for it," Ananda said.

For a certain amount in donation, members of the public can even have a new song especially written for themselves by Ananda.