NCPA Announces Their Programmes for January 2010
By: Gabrielle Sierra Jan. 05, 2010
Nariman Point NCPA Marg & Dorabji Tata Road
MUMBAI 400 021.
PROGRAMMES FOR JANUARY 2010
New Year Fiesta!
Western Music Concert by B. P. Salon Orchestra
Tata Theatre
Friday, 1st - 6.30 pm
In collaboration with the B. P. Charitable Trust.
The B. P. Salon Orchestra, conducted by Parvez Doctor and led by Dharmendra Jawda with guest artists and soloists, presents a concert of semi-classical, light and seasonal music. The B. P. Salon Orchestra performs regularly in Mumbai and often in other cities and has over the past five decades provided a platform for new, young and local talent to showcase their abilities on the stage.
The programme will include lilting waltzes by Strauss and Waldteufel, selections from movies and musicals, seasonal medleys of carols, vocal and instrumental solos, marches, tangos and sing-along items to welcome the New Year.
Tickets: Rs.160, 100 & 60/-
Box Office: December 26 for Members and December 29 for the Public.
Kshitij: New Perspectives
Entertainment with a Purpose
Annual Film Festival for Youth
In collaboration with WorldKids Foundation.
WorldKids Foundation aims to promote the concept of ‘entertainment with a purpose'. Using various media, it aims to make entertainment a learning resource for the kids of today. The idea vision is to expose Indian children to world cultures and traditions as well as encourage critical thinking among them on various social and environmental issues. Veteran television producer Manju Singh is the creative and operational mind behind WorldKids Foundation. Having witnessed the growth of television from its infancy to its current remote-button status, she brings a sensibility shaped by over thirty years of experience to the curating of this festival.
Heinähattu ja Vilttitossu
(Hayflower and Quiltshoe)
Film with English Subtitles (72 mins - 2002 - Finland)
Dance Theatre Godrej
Saturday, 2nd - 11.00 am
Winner of the Children's Jury Award for Live Action feature film at the Chicago Children's Film Festival, 2003, this is the story of Hayflower and Quiltshoe, best friends whose lives are about to change. In a week, Hayflower will start school. How will her not very efficient mother cope without her little helper? Her father, a scientist, is only interested in studying the potato. To get her parents to notice her problem, Hayflower decides to change...
Based on the original books for children by Sinikka Nopola and Tiina Nopola.
Written by Kaisa Rastima and Marko Rauhala.
Directed by Kaisa Rastimo
Cast: Katriina Tavi, Tilda Kiianlehto and others
A limited number of admission passes can be collected by Members from the Box Office from December 26.
Troubadour
One-Man Show in English (70 mins.)
Experimental Theatre
Saturday, 2nd - 7.00 pm & Sunday, 3rd - 6.30 pm
Based on the writings of Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi, this play celebrates life, with all its joys, sorrows and ironies. It has won acclaim at several interNational Theatre festivals, such as Edinburgh, Dublin, Prague and Lahore.
Conceived, directed & enacted by Salim Ghouse
The Phoenix Players Production.
Tickets: Rs.135/- (for Members)
Rs.150/- (for the Public)
Box Office: December 26 for Members and December 29 for the Public.
Kucch Bhi Ho Sakta Hai
Hindi Play (100 mins.)
Tata Theatre
Sunday, 3rd - 6.30 pm
A few selected incidents from Anupam Kher's life have been strung together as a journey of a man, who shares his pain, joy, tears and laughter, with honesty and rare candour.
Written by Feroz Abbas Khan & Ashok Patole.
Directed by Feroz Abbas Khan.
Performed by Anupam Kher.
A Platform Production.
FOR ADULTS ONLY.
Tickets: Rs.375, 300, 240, 180 & 150/- (for Members).
Rs.500, 400, 320, 240 & 200/- (for the Public).
Box Office: December 26 for Members and December 29 for the Public.
Varsha Thakkar
Exhibition of E-Paintings
Piramal Art Gallery
Sunday, 3rd to Saturday, 9th - 12.00 noon to 8.00 pm
With no formal training in it, Varsha Thakkar developed an interest in graphic art when she was part of an editorial team, in charge of bringing out an in-house publication. She began to create E-paintings on the computer and printed them on canvas, glass or paper. It called for a combination of artistic and computer skills. A graduate from Khalsa College, Mumbai, Varsha's work is a blend of the traditional and futuristic, exploring technology's applications from an artist's point of view.
Please note that the Gallery timings have changed from 1st January, 2010 - 12 noon to 8 pm instead of 11am to 7pm
Beyond Borders: Global Music Fusion
L. Subramaniam (Violin)
Corky Siegel (Harmonica)
Ernie Watts (Saxophone)
Kavita Krishnamurti (Vocal)
Fusion Music Concert
Jamshed Bhabha Theatre
Thursday, 7th - 7.00 pm
In association with Lakshminarayana Global Music Festival.
The Lakshminarayana Global Music Festival is named after violin maestro L. Subramaniam's late father and guru. Over the years, it has featured some all-time greats, including Yehudi Menuhin, M.S. Subbulakshmi, Bismillah Khan, Al Jarreau and others. Now, L. Subramaniam teams up with blues harmonica player Corky Siegel , legendary jazz saxophonist Ernie Watts, and his own accomplished family members - wife, Bollywood playback singer, Kavita Krishnamurti Subramaniam, daughter, Bindu and son, Ambi, a violinist in his own right.
L. Subramaniam, with his roots in Carnatic music, is a pioneer of Indo-Jazz fusion and the creator of the concept of Global Fusion. Some of his most historic collaborations have been with Yehudi Menuhin, Stephane Grappelli, Jean-Pierre Rampal, Ruggiero Ricci, Herbie Hancock, among others, in addition to working with orchestras like the New York Philharmonic, the London Philharmonic, the Marinsky Orchestra and the Berlin Opera. With over 200 recordings to his name, L. Subramaniam's fusion pieces, `Conversations' and `Flight of the Humble Bee', and orchestral compositions, like ‘Fantasy on Vedic Chants', have become milestones.
Corky Siegel has earned an international reputation as one of the world's great blues harmonica masters. He is a composer, blues pianist, and singer/ songwriter. His partnership in the renowned Siegel-Schwall Band, his Chamber Blues band, his performances as soloist with orchestras and ballets worldwide, and his collaborations in bringing a ground-breaking blues-classical sound to national attention, offer a glimpse of his talents.
Ernie Watts is an American jazz and rhythm and blues musician. He plays the saxophone (tenor, alto and soprano) and flute. He might be best known for his work with Charlie Haden's ‘Quartet West' and his Grammy Awards as an instrumentalist.
Although primarily a playback singer, Kavita has sung with orchestras as a soloist, collaborated with Western artists of all backgrounds and sung ghazals and devotionals, Indi-Pop and classical jugalbandi.
Tickets: Rs.1,200, 800 & 500/-.
Box Office open now.
NCPA Anubhuti
(8th to 31st January)
NCPA Anubhuti, our three-week multi-arts festival is back this January with over 20 scintillating and exquisite performances. Starting with our weekend festival, NCPA Srushti: A Creative Confluence, on 8th January, the festival will conclude with NCPA Natya Rang - The Art of Theatre on 31st January. Here's the line-up:
Tala Vadya Samvad Anubhuti - Srushti
Zakir Hussain (Tabla)
Karaikudi Mani (Mridangam)
An Ensemble of North and South Indian Percussions
Tata Theatre
Friday, 8th - 6.30 pm
In association with Ketan Brothers Diamondz Exports in the service of the arts.
Hindustani or the North Indian music and Karnatak or the South Indian music, are two equally vibrant streams of Indian art music, which are essentially governed by the fundamental precepts of raga and tala.
Tala Vadya Samvad provides a special meeting point for the percussions of both traditions. The world-renowned tabla maestro Zakir Hussain and the eminent mridangam vidwan Karaikudi Mani, representing the North and South Indian traditions respectively, will engage for the first time ever in a rhythmic dialogue during the inaugural event of the NCPA's annual multi-arts festival. The ensemble will also include Suresh on the ghatam and Amrith on the kanjira.
Tickets: Rs.1,000, 750, 500 & 300/-
Box Office: December 26 for Members and December 29 for the Public.
Footnotes of Life
Hashiye ... Zindagi Ke ...
Hindi Play (120 mins.)
Experimental Theatre
Fri. 8th & Sat. 9th - 7.00 pm
This play is based on the randomness with which relationships occur, whether with a known person or through a chance encounter with a stranger, and the many feelings that often lie unexpressed by those involved. Here are scenes from a marriage, and also, a meeting between two young men from totally different backgrounds which leads to an unbreakable bond. Emotional touches abound in this series of different stories of 20-24 minutes' duration each.
Written and directed by Nadira Zaheer Babbar.
Cast: Utkarsh Mazumdar, Vibha Chhibber, Aarya Babbar, Yudhvir Dahiya, Mithilesh Maihar, Ridhima Pandit, Farrukh Seyer and others.
An Ekjute Production.
Tickets: Rs.135/- (for Members).
Rs.150/- (for the Public).
Box Office: December 26 for Members and December 29 for the Public.
Atthanniyaan...of Mumbai Mahanagar Anubhuti - Srushti
A Collage of Poems and Stories in Hindi
Tata Theatre
Saturday, 9th - 6.30 pm
Some of Gulzar's wonderful poems and stories on Mumbai are contained in Atthanniyaan. The noted poet-lyricist, film director and playwright paints myriad characters that reveal his concern for the precarious life of the underdog in an urban scenario. With his trademark humour and poetic brevity, this is one great raconteur at work.
The third in the series for the stage by Gulzar, after Kharaashein and Lakeerein, Atthanniyaan is the outcome of a workshop Salim Arif did with newcomers on the theme of Mumbai and life of people living on The Edge in this magical metropolis.
Baas, about a slum dweller, feeling caged in a one-room tenement, offers a rare insight into urban rehabilitation issues. It is a scathing satire of the lives of people who work as domestic helps.
Jhhadi is about another slum dweller caught in a competition with rains in monsoon, keeping pace with incessant rain is his bout of drinking, leading to a catastrophic finale.
Atthanni is the story of a classic underdog who futilely tries to make good in the city where crime and politics are allied.
Gulzar's poems about life on Mumbai's footpaths are used as preludes, some set to music by Aamod Bhatt. Photographs, based on the poems, taken by students of the National Institute of Fashion Technology, are on view alongside.
We are grateful to Vishal Bhardwaj for his very kind permission to use his composition of the song Atthanni si Zindagi in the play.
Poems and Stories by Gulzar
Produced by Lubna Salim
Conceived, designed & directed by Salim Arif
Artistes: Yashpal Sharma, Lubna Salim, Amit Jairath, Anand Alkunte and others.
An Essay Communications Presentation.
Tickets: Rs.240, 180, 150, 120 & 90/- (for Members)
Rs.320, 240, 200, 160 & 120/- (for the Public)
Box Office: December 26 for Members and December 29 for the Public.
Prabhat: Morning Melodies Anubhuti - Srushti
Hindustani Vocal Recital by Malini Rajurkar
Experimental Theatre
Sunday, 10th - 10.00 am
The relationship of raga with diurnal as well as seasonal time-cycles is an interesting feature unique to Indian music. It is believed that a raga is more effective when performed at the designated time of the day/night.
This rare concert will feature ragas assigned to the morning.
Malini Rajurkar's style reveals the depth and grandeur of the Gwalior gharana. A disciple of Govindrao Rajurkar, who in turn was a disciple of Rajabhaiya Poochwale, her versatility can be seen in her vast repertoire of intricately composed bandishes in khayal, thumri, tappa and tarana.
Arawind Thatte - Harmonium
Bharat Kamat - Tabla
Tickets: Rs.300 & 200/-
Box Office: December 26 for Members and December 29 for the Public.
Roopantar - Adapting Theatre for Cinema Anubhuti - Srushti
Shakespeare: The Local Perceptions
Film Workshop by Amrit Gangar
Little Theatre
Sunday, 10th - 10.30 am to 5.30 pm
Roopantar -- adapting theatre for cinema -- has been the chosen theme for film workshops organised at the NCPA this year. Shakespeare's famed tragedy, Macbeth, has inspired many filmmakers. The works of two critically acclaimed directors, Akira Kurosawa's Throne of Blood and Vishal Bhardwaj's Maqbool, despite being cultures and periods apart, bear comparison. Throne of Blood (1957), which bases the plot in feudal Japan but uses no part of the original script, is considered the best adaptation. Maqbool (2004) set in the criminal heartland of modern Mumbai, is innovative in its treatment of a tragic and timeless tale.
Amrit Gangar, will explore the relationship between theatre and cinema by focusing on how the transition from stage to film is effected through these Shakespearean adaptations.
Amrit Gangar is a Mumbai-based author, curator and short filmmaker. He has curated several retrospectives for the Mumbai International Film Festival for Documentary, Short & Animation Films and served on numerous national and international festival juries.
Registration Fees: Rs.150/- for students against valid college ID card; Rs.250/- for others.
To register, please contact on Tel. Nos. 6622 3749 / 6622 3802
A limited number of seats will be available by registration on a first-come-first-served basis.
Uncharted Seas Anubhuti - Srushti
Kathak Recital by Aditi Mangaldas and the Aditi Mangaldas Dance Company
Jamshed Bhabha Theatre
Sunday, 10th - 6.30 pm
Uncharted Seas is a highly-acclaimed dance production by one of the country's leading Kathak dancers and dynamic choreographers, Aditi Mangaldas. Exploring the theme of ‘quest' with all its varied resonances, the production draws inspiration from J Krishnamurti's statement: ‘We look for fixed points, but there are none, either in ourselves or outside in the universe. To live without these fixed points is our challenge.'
In Mangaldas' words: ‘Standing alone, looking out at the distant stars, have we not wondered what is it all about? What lies beyond the realms of the known? What lies beyond what our mind can perceive? What lies hidden in the deep recesses of our heart? Is this search external, on paths that have been laid down through centuries? Is the search internal, again through paths that are known, tried and tested? Is this search still, without any movement? ... The search for the intangible, whether we call it God, truth, beauty, love or freedom, is the essence of Uncharted Seas. Though I have separated the pieces, it is actually the entire production viewed in its entirety that tries to capture the essence of ‘search'. So each piece may or may not refer to all our queries. Some attempt to transform poetry into images or emotions. Others use abstractions of movement, light, space, rhythm, ambience to evoke images asking the same questions.'
Aditi Mangaldas is a Kathak dancer who works with the traditional repertoire of Kathak and infuses it with her own distinctively modern sensibility. Trained by legendary teachers Kumudini Lakhia and Birju Maharaj, she is regarded as one of the leading dancers in both the traditional and contemporary idiom and has performed in major cities of the world to critical acclaim. She is a solo performer of international repute as well as a choreographer of several group productions that are both classical and experimental in nature. She is the Artistic Director and principal dancer of the Drishtikon Dance Foundation.
Concept and choreography: Aditi Mangaldas
Vocal Compositions: Shubha Mudgal and Aneesh Pradhan
Light Design and Execution: Narayan Chauhan
Dancers: Aditi Mangaldas, Gauri Diwakar, Rashmi Uppal, Anindita Acharjee, Dheerendra Tiwari, Rachana Yadav and Piyush Chauhan
Musicians: Yogesh Gangani (Tabla), Mahaveer Gangani (Pakhawaj), Samiullah Khan (Harmonium and Sarangi)
Production: Aditi Mangaldas Dance Company - The Drishtikon Dance Foundation
Tickets: Rs 300, 200 & 100/-
Box Office: December 26 for Members and December 29 for the Public.
Yumraj Ji, Kuchh Kariye!!
Hindi Play (90 mins)
Experimental Theatre
Sunday, 10th - 7.00 pm
This play is a stylised one, based on the Natyadharmi and Lokdharmi Shaili, both ancient classical art forms, illustrating the various rasas and bhavas (moods and feelings) mentioned in the Natyashastra, the extant Indian tome on Indian aesthetics.
This play is about the humorous interaction between a no-nonsense guru and his fun loving student, Shandilya. The comic element (hasya ras) in the play revolves around the arrival of the dazzling Ganika, a courtesan. When Yumdoot, messenger from Yumraaj, the God of Death, arrives, he snatches away the wrong soul. Some chaotic soul-swapping follows; songs and dances, integral to this style, add to the visual experience.
Written by Bodhayan
Directed by Nadira Zaheer Babbar
Cast: Hanif Patni, Ankur Parekh, Kamna Ranawat, Ishrat Khan, Vijay Singh, Mithilesh Maihar, Ghafeer Husain, Raj Yadav and others
An Ekjute Production.
Tickets: Rs.180/- (for Members)
Rs.200/- (for the Public)
Box Office: December 26 for Members and December 29 for the Public.
Anando Mukerjee (Tenor)
Camilla Roberts (Soprano)
Steven Maughan (Pianist)
Western Music Concert
Experimental Theatre
Tuesday, 12th & Wednesday, 13th - 7.00 pm
A unique, two-day recital series featuring Tenor Anando Mukerjee who returns to Mumbai after appearing in the 7th season of the SOI. He will be joined by leading Welsh soprano Camilla Roberts, both accompanied by the distinguished pianist Steven Maughan, Head Coach at Glyndebourne Festival Opera and Senior Coach at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Each singer will present separate wide ranging programmes featuring art-songs in German, French, Italian, Spanish & Russian and operatic arias over two days covering styles, periods and composers as diverse as bel canto and verismo, baroque and post romantic, Gluck and Giordano and will also make guest appearances in each other's recital where they will sing celebrated operatic duets.
Anando Mukerjee was the only Indian amidst a cast of international soloists at the SOI Seventh Season concerts. A natural at breaking barriers, in 1999, the Delhi University graduate moved to the UK, and in a few years, became a pupil of Nicolai Gedda, one of the world's foremost tenors. Anando's operatic roles include, Rodolfo, the Duke of Mantua, Ishmael, Macduff and Faust. He is also an accomplished recitalist and has a large and varied oratorio repertoire. He is the recipient of a Charles Wallace Trust Award, administered by the British Council.
Camilla Roberts, who trained at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama and the National Opera Studio, has had lead roles in Iolanta, Magic Flute, Nabucco and Eugene Onegin. Concert performances include Beethoven's 9th at Barbican Hall, concert with the National Orchestra of Wales at St. David's Hall Cardiff, and others.
Steven Maughan, pianist and repetiteur, is greatly in demand for his wide-ranging knowledge of the operatic and song repertoire, and is a coach and accompanist of international reputation. He has worked regularly at the Glyndebourne Festival Opera since 1996 on a wide variety of repertoire with such eminent conductors as Jurowski, Mackerras, Elder and Belohlavek. Steven was senior coach on `The Rape of Lucretia' at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. He has worked for De Nederlandse Opera, (Amsterdam) and future projects include The Trojans and La Fanciulla del West.
Each singer will present separate wide ranging programmes featuring art-songs in German, French, Italian, Spanish and Russian and operatic arias over two days and will also make guest appearances in each other's recital where they will sing celebrated operatic duets.
12th January
Anando Mukerjee accompanied by Steven Maughan
A recital of songs and arias by Tosti, Donaudy, Strauss, Hahn, Duparc, Pietri, Donizetti, Verdi and Massenet.
13th January
Camilla Roberts accompanied by Steven Maughan
A recital of songs and arias by Mozart, Strauss, Bridge and Tchaikovsky.
Daily Tickets: Rs.300 & Rs.200/-
Box Office: December 26 for Members and December 29 for the Public.
Scaramouche Jones Anubhuti
One-man Theatre Presentation (Work-in-Progress - 80 mins)
Little Theatre
Tuesday, 12th - 6.30 pm
This is a CHAURAHA presentation.
The strangely pale-faced child of a gypsy whore, Scaramouche was always fated to be a clown. But from his birth at midnight on new year's eve 1899 in a dingy Trinidad knocking shop, his life is a vivid odyssey through extraordinary adventures, crumbling empires and the darkest episodes of the twentieth century. Tender, moving, funny and deeply poignant, Justin Butcher's fantastic story is an atmospheric and unforgettable meditation on humankind. The work has been described as ‘fascinating, poignant and funny' by The Times, London, while the Irish Independent described it as ‘a piece of such memorable theatre that it reverberates in your memory long after the clown has pulled his funny face.'
Written by Justin Butcher
Directed by Warren D'Souza
Performed by Ali Fazal
An Akvarious Presentation
There will be a discussion after the presentation.
Admission on a first-come-first-served basis.
The Singing Heart
Choral Music Concert by The Chamber Singers
Tata Theatre
Sunday, 13th - 7.00 pm
In collaboration with The Performing Arts Trust, Pune.
This event, supported by The Bank of Maharashtra, is in celebration of the Platinum Jubilee year of The Chamber Singers.
The Chamber Singers from Pune, trained by Veronica Krishnayya over the last 15 years, is a disciplined group of amateurs with an eclectic repertoire. Veronica Krishnayya is a well-known musician, teacher and choral conductor, who studied the piano under Katya Georgieff, and Voice and Choral conducting with Robert Hutcheson.
The Singing Heart is inspired by a movement to create awareness about the tribal musician whose dedication and artistry has kept alive their great folkloric traditions despite the hardships.
The programme will consist of choral works, evoking the spirit of folk music and the ethnic backgrounds of countries, such as Israel, France, England, India, Russia, Hungary and Argentina. Randhir Khare, poet, writer and folklorist, who has lived many years with the tribals, will read from his works.
The main work, the Misa Criolla by Argentine composer, Ariel Ramirez, will have in accompaniment Anand Modak, composer, and musician Vivek Paranjape, demonstrating the affinities between East and West. Bharata Natyam dancer, Alisha Krishnayya, will interpret the work through her dance.
A limited number of admission passes can be collected by Members from the Box Office from December 26.
New Choreography in Bharata Natyam Anubhuti
Bharata Natyam Recital by Rama Vaidyanathan
Experimental Theatre
Thursday, 14th - 6.30 pm
Rama Vaidyanathan is considered one of the leading exponents of her generation of Bharata Natyam dancers. She has received intensive training under the legendary Yamini Krishnamurti and subsequently under Saroja Vaidyanathan. One of the most sought-after dancers today, she has been performing professionally for over twenty years. While deeply rooted in the tradition, she has evolved her own fresh and vigorous individual style. She has presented her art at prestigious festivals across the country, including those organised by the ICCR, the Sangeet Natak Akademi, the Music Academy, Krishna Gana Sabha, among others. She has also toured widely overseas. The many accolades that have come her way include the Best Dancer award from the Music Academy, Chennai, in 1999; the Sanskriti Award in 2003; and the Balasaraswati Award in 2000. She is ranked in the ‘Outstanding' category with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations. While one critic states that she ‘leaves other Bharata Natyam dancers of her generation far behind', another describes her as ‘among the five most notable talents at the close of the century... Her intensity and command stops the viewer dead in his tracks.'
This performance will present her new choreography within the traditional framework of the Bharata Natyam repertoire. It will include Mayur Alarippu (on the theme of the peacock in the tala cycle of five-and-a-half beats); Vrikshanjali (an ode to a tree); Lament to the Birds (a depiction of various birds, based on a 3rd century text); Shivoham (based on the Skanda Purana), among others.
Tickets: Rs.100/- (for Members)
Rs.200/- (for the Public)
Box Office: December 26 for Members and December 29 for the Public.
Some New Scientific Approaches to Music Anubhuti
Seminar
Experimental Theatre
Friday, 15th - 9.30 am to 5.30 pm
In collaboration with Indian Musicological Society.
This important annual seminar is held every January at the NCPA.
During the last few centuries there has been an explosion of technologies and techniques related to various aspects of music and this has also led to a greater variety of scientific approaches made to the totality of musical behavior.
This Seminar will bring to the fore examples of how researches, theories, experiments in other organizEd Fields of study, disciplines or sciences can be and should be related to musical behavior to enable us to have a better and accommodative understanding of the musical phenomenon.
The major highlight of the Seminar is the presentations by six graduate students working in the field of Indian music.
Interested person are requested to contact Ms. Braganza (Tel. 2284 4420) for further details.
Horizon Series Anubhuti
Anu Narayan (Odissi)
Mohsin Ahmed Khan Niazi (Vocal)
Dance and Music Recital
Little Theatre
Friday, 15th - 6.30 pm
In collaboration with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations.
Anu Narayan is an accomplished exponent of Odissi who has been under the tutelage of Debi Basu for over ten years. A graded artiste of Doordarshan, Mumbai, and an empanelled artiste with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), Anu has performed at prestigious festivals in India and presented several lecture demonstrations. She is also a seasoned Bharata Natyam dancer, currently training under Jayashree Nair. She has performed solo and been in many group performances too. She currently teaches Bharata Natyam and Odissi.
Mohsin Ahmed Khan Niazi is a distinguished scion of the Agra gharana. Groomed for many years by grandfather, Khadim Husain Khansaheb, doyen of the gharana, Mohsin is gifted with a sonorous voice that lends itself well to the aesthetics of the gayaki. He has performed at several venues of renown, including, Saptak, Ahmedabad and Nagpur, the Indian Music Group, Mumbai, Swami Haridas Sangeet Sammelan, the Alladiya Khan Festival, Mumbai and others. He is a regular performer on All India Radio and currently trains young initiates to the Agra gayaki, exposing them to its various nuances.
Admission on a first-come-first-served basis.
New Trends in Indian Music since Independence Anubhuti
Seminar
Experimental Theatre
Saturday, 16th & Sunday, 17th - 9.30 am to 5.30 pm
In collaboration with ITC-Sangeet Research Academy (Western Region).
This important annual seminar is held every January at the NCPA.
During the post Independence period, Indian music has been adopted by exponents from regions and communities beyond the original parameters of location, language, religion and caste. The last quarter of the century has seen increasing numbers of exponents from widely diverse communities within and outside India, being drawn to Indian music. This has had definite influences on the way it is taught, learnt, perceived and appreciated in multiple contexts.
The Seminar aims to assess the present scenario and review changes with respect aesthetic norms, organizational aspects, audience response, and criteria for musical evaluation.
Interested person are requested to contact Ms. Braganza (Tel. 2284 4420) for further details.
Umang Anubhuti
Young Talent Concert
Dance Theatre Godrej
Saturday, 16th - 6.30 pm
In collaboration with ITC-Sangeet Research Academy (Western Region) and Music Forum, Mumbai.
Umang is a celebration of young musical talent. The rising music stars, all of whom are first-prizewinners of the All India Radio Competition 2008, will be felicitated in the morning inaugural session. The evening performance will feature these award-winning practitioners, both vocal and instrumental, of Hindustani and Carnatic music.
Admission on a first-come-first-served basis.
Sammy!
A word that broke an empire!
English Play (120 mins)
Tata Theatre
Sunday, 17th - 6.30 pm
Sammy is the dramatic story of Mahatma Gandhi, told by an ensemble of actors. Led by a lively debate between Mohandas, the man, and the irrepressible Mahatma in him, the play highlights Gandhi's relationships and how he changed everyone he touched.
It traces the transformation of the young Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi from a naive, tongue-tied lawyer into a statesman and finally a Mahatma, and recounts his story from his earliest days in South Africa, to his final assassination.
The play has completed over a 125 shows.
Written by Partap Sharma
Directed by Lillete Dubey
Cast: Joy Sengupta, Neha Dubey, Denzil Smith, Zafar Karachiwala, Ravi Dubey, Vikrant Chatturvedi, Asif Ali Beg and Deepika Amin
A Primetime Theatre Company Production.
Tickets: Rs.300, 240, 180, 135 & 90/- (for Members)
Rs.400, 320, 240, 180 & 120/- (for the Public)
Box Office: January 9 for Members and January 12 for the Public.
Geet Govind Anubhuti
Bharata Natyam and Odissi Recital by Deepak Mazumdar and Jhelum Paranjape
Dance Theatre Godrej
Tuesday, 19th - 6.30 pm
Geet Govind, the epic poem by the 12th century poet, Jayadeva, is an exquisite symbolic representation of the love of Krishna and Radha - a metaphor for human yearning for divine union. Both the divine protagonist, Krishna - the paramatma - and the heroine, the mortal woman, Radha - the atma -- experience the same intensity and passion of emotion, giving the notion of sexual union an entirely new connotation. In this rare event, the two dance styles of Bharata Natyam and Odissi come together to present Jayadeva's unparalleled poetry in a new and refreshing manner. The union of these two forms mirrors the symbolic union explored in the poetry.
Deepak Mazumdar is one of the city's well-known performers, teachers and choreographers. He holds an MFA (Dance) degree with distinction in Bharata Natyam and is a recipient of the Government of India's National Dance Scholarship. Trained by the late T S Kadirvellu Pillai and Kanak Rele, he has performed widely in various parts of the world and is a graded artist of Doordarshan. At his institution, ‘Shiladhish', he has been training students in Bharata Natyam for the past 18 years and has choreographed several productions for film actor-dancer, Hema Malini.
Jhelum Paranjape is one of Mumbai's leading practitioners of Odissi, a form she has pursued for the past 32 years. She began her dance training under Guru Shankar Behera and later continued with the doyen of Odissi, Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra, with whom she has performed widely. A graded artist of Doordarshan, she has participated in major festivals in India and overseas. The awards that have come her way include the Kumar Gandharva Puraskar (1999), the Sanjukta Panigrahi National Award (2001), the Mahari Puraskar (2001), the Sanskruti Puraskar from the Maharashtra Government (2008), to name a few. She runs ‘Smitalay', a dance institution in which she trains students and choreographs innovative dance productions.
Tickets: Rs.30/-
Box Office: January 9 for Members and January 12 for the Public.
Umang Anubhuti
Kathak Recital by Vishal Krishna
Little Theatre
Wednesday, 20th - 6.30 pm
Vishal Krishna is a promising young exponent of the Benaras gharana. Born in 1991, he is the great grandson of the late Sukhdeo Maharaj (the founder of the Benaras gharana) and the grandson of the eminent dancer, Sitara Devi. His energetic performances and early proficiency in the mathematical aspects of Kathak have won him concerts at various venues and festivals, including the Sadhana Festival (New Delhi), the Kal ke Kalakar and Haridas Sammelan (Mumbai), the Mahamrityunjay Samaroh (2000), among others. He has also won several prizes, including the First Prize from the Sangeet Natak Akademi (Lucknow) and the Singar Mani Award (2007).
Admission on a first-come-first-served basis.
Light of Asia
Silent Film with Live Music
Tata Theatre
Wednesday, 20th - 7.00 pm
In collaboration with Consulate General of Italy and Italian Embassy Cultural Centre.
Light of Asia (1925), a masterpiece of Indian silent cinema, is here accompanied by live music, especially composed and performed by Takshila. It tells the story of the life of Prince Gautama, from his birth to the day he renounces worldly riches and ties. India of the 1920s comes alive in the film.
A project helmed by Riccardo Battaglia, this piece was written by Himansu Rai, who also plays the lead character, and directed by Franz Osten, a German expatriate in India at that time. The movie begins by following a group of tourists in India. When they end up in Maya (in today's Bihar), they ask an old man outside a temple to tell them the story of the sacred spot. As he starts his narrative, a flashback takes us to the court of Gautama. This is the story of a soul's journey, a memorable period piece.
The original soundtrack by Takshila featured Riccardo Battaglia (guitars); Pradeep Barot (sarod); Ganesh Mohan (sitar); Babulal Gandharva (belabahar); Kalinath Mishra (tabla & percussions, vocal) and Rajdeep Barot (tanpura).
Takshila came about in 2001. What they create is not fusion music; it's the encounter of different acoustic instruments. Their first album, B Road, was recorded totally on direct take, using exclusively acoustic instruments and no effects at all.
The Light of Asia project dates back to 2004. The idea of putting new, original and live music to a masterpiece of black and white Indian cinema attracted the famous Italian conductor Riccardo Muti, who hosted the concert in his own Festival in Italy.
A limited number of admission passes can be collected by Members from the Box Office from January 13.
Translation and Poetry Anubhuti
Readings and Discussion
by Kedarnath Singh, Udayan Vajpeyi and Alok Bhalla
Little Theatre
Thursday, 21st - 6.30 pm
This is a CHAURAHA presentation in collaboration with the Sahitya Akademi and the India Domain of the Poetry International Web.
This is a session devoted to the art of translation. It has become customary to bemoan all that is ‘lost in translation'. And yet, where would we be without it? In a session that features eminent Hindi poets, Kedarnath Singh and Udayan Vajpeyi, and distinguished translator-scholar, Alok Bhalla, this event will explore this trivialised, much-disparaged art form.
Kedarnath Singh is widely acknowledged as one of the major writers of contemporary Hindi poetry. Subtle, understated, economical, nuanced and allusive, Singh's poetry has been associated with the New Poetry and Progressive Writers' Movements in Hindi. He was awarded the Asan Poetry Prize in 1980 and the Central Sahitya Akademi Prize in 1989. Deeply imbued by the diction and cadences of his local dialect of Bhojpuri, Singh has fashioned a distinctive poetry that embodies a moral vision without overt didacticism; that draws on the resources of metaphor without being enslaved by it; and that is local without being provincial
Udayan Vajpeyi is a Hindi poet, essayist, short fiction and script writer. He has published two volumes of poetry, a short story collection, a book of essays and other miscellaneous publications (including a book of recreated folktales and an account of an extended conversation with filmmaker Mani Kaul). His work has been widely translated and he has received various awards for his writing, including a Senior Fellowship from the Government of India (1994 - 96), the Krishna Baldev Award (2001) and the Raja Foundation Award (2003). He lives in Bhopal.
Alok Bhalla is at present Visiting Professor at Jamia Millia Islamia. He is also on the Executive Council of the Sahitya Akademi and the Convener of its English and North Indian Languages Board. He is the author of Stories about the Partition of India, Partition Dialogues: Memories of a Lost Home and The Place of Translation in a Literary Habitat. He has translated Dharamvir Bharati's Andha Yug into English verse, the fiction of Nirmal Verma, Intizar Husain, Ram Kumar and Manto, as well as the poems of Udayan Vajpai, Kedarnath Singh, Kunwar Narain, among others. With Nirmal Verma and U. R. Anathamurthy, he used to edit Yatra: Writings from the Indian Subcontinent.
Admission on a first-come-first-served basis.
Natya Rang - The Art of Theatre
(22nd to 31st January)
In collaboration with the Directorate of Cultural Affairs, Government of Maharashtra.
Maharashtra as a state of cultural diversity has a lot to be proud of. It is here that cosmopolitan and rural landscapes gleefully co-exist with their distinct cultural influences and art forms. As a state rich in agriculture, industry and trade, its sheer resilience is further reflected in its cultural heritage, where traditions of music, dance and song are constantly being revived and as a result, continue to resonate. But while most of us restrict Maharashtrian theatre to lavani and tamasha and Maharashtrian dance to that of the Koli fishermen, very few realize that there is so much more on the menu!
Keeping step with Anubhuti's multi-arts extravaganza that kicks off with the Weekend Festival this year, Natya Rang as a major ten day season, explores the flamboyant flavours of art and culture as it resounds on aamchi maati (our soil).
The presentations at the Festival will be held at all the auditoriums, art galleries and open spaces at the NCPA complex, and will feature:
Rangpat: Masters of Maharashtra Anubhuti - Natya Rang
Exhibition of Paintings
Piramal Art Gallery
Friday, 22nd to Sunday, 31st - 12.00 pm- 8.00 pm
Art exhibition displaying the works of legendary painters of Maharashtra spanning 50 years, from the collection of Lalit Kala Academy, New Delhi.
Upahar: Local Flavours Anubhuti - Natya Rang
Food Festival
Tata, Experimental & Little Theatre Foyers (during intervals)
Friday, 22nd to Sunday, 31st
A chance to feast your taste buds on tantalizing Marathi cuisine. The sumptuous fare will include authentic dishes like sabudana khichdi, coconut vadi, masala milk, puranpolis, besan laddoos and so on, handmade by local Maharashtrian women of Kutumbsakhi Sahakari Audyogik Utpadak Sanstha Ltd..
Yuva: Young Voices Anubhuti - Natya Rang
One Act Plays
Experimental Theatre
Friday, 22nd to Sunday, 24th - 6.30 pm
Theatre in Maharashtra has contributed immensely to the progress of the drama movement in India. The One-Act play offers a new dimension to Maharashtra's vibrant drama culture. With nearly a thousand new plays being performed in more than a hundred competitions on an annual basis, the one act tradition- infused with pulsating energy and innovative ideas has had a widespread impact on Marathi audiences across the state. Yuva is a collaborative effort of the Directorate of Cultural Affairs & South Central Zone Cultural Centre, Government of India, to make this new burst of talent accessible to more viewers. Yuva is the celebration of an affluent tradition with a hopeful insight into the bright future of theatre. So some catch a glimpse of the drama movement through the winners of one act plays, staged by young actors all over the state.
Lokdharmi: Festive Theatre Anubhuti - Natya Rang
Open Air Folk Performance
Sunken Garden
Saturday, 23rd to Tuesday, 26th - 4.00 pm to 6.00 pm
Folk Theatre, with its tribal and rural festivities, will be presented by original and traditional artists from various parts of Maharashtra. These will include popular forms such as Powada, Gondhal, Korku,Tarapa, Dombari, Warli, Chitrakathi, Keertan, Kartab Kavayat, Bharud, Lejhim, Shabdved, Tala Vaidya Kacheri, Jhakdi etc.
A limited number of admission passes can be collected by Members from the Box Office from January 15 and by the Public from January 18. The Yuva and Natyadharmi passes may also be used for entry.
Drishyapat: First Take Anubhuti - Natya Rang
Film Workshop
Little Theatre
Saturday, 23rd to Sunday, 24th - 2.00 pm to 6.00 pm
Filmmaking has undergone a massive change in terms of language, technology and accessibility at the end of the 20th century, leading to the emergence of a young brigade of filmmakers. In First Take, we have tried to select the best of short films that capture the essence and vigour of budding filmmakers today, out of entries from across India. In their own unique way these films manage to scale unchartered territories, infused with the director's own novel sensibilities.
Over the span of two days, get ready for some remarkable debut short films with these young directors and their team sharing their approach.
Registration Fees: Rs.150/- for students against valid college ID card
Rs. 250/- for others.
Limited seats available by Registration on a first-come-first-served basis.
Natyadharmi: Ritualistic Theatre Anubhuti - Natya Rang
Traditional Theatre
Tata Theatre
Saturday, 23rd to Monday, 25th - 6.30 pm
Classical Theatre with its rich ritualistic traditions presented by Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi.
A limited number of admission passes can be collected by Members from the Box Office from January 15 and by the Public from January 18.Karyashala: Symposium Anubhuti - Natya Rang
Seminar
Little Theatre
Sunday, 24th to Tuesday, 26th - 11.00 am to 1.00 pm
In Karyashala, seminars based on each performance under Natyadharmi will be held on the following morning to trace the background of that traditional theatre form and its relationship with contemporary life.
Natyadharmi passes to be used for entry.
Natya Sangeet Anubhuti - Natya Rang
Traditional Theatre
Tata Theatre
Thursday, 28th - 6.30 pm
Rooted in Indian classical and semi-classical music, this form of music derived from Marathi plays of the 1920s and 1930s, is still popular in Maharashtra. Demonstrating this traditional theatre form will be artists like Rahul Deshpande, Shaunak Abhishek and Manjusha Kulkarni Patil.
Tickets: Rs. 300, 200, 100/-
Box Office: January 15 for Members and January 18 for the Public.
The Power of One
(26th to 31st January)
Traditional one man shows from across India alongwith premieres of urban one man shows. The latter will showcase several playwrights from across the country who have been approached to write a new play for the festival.
One on One Anubhuti - Natya Rang
Monologues & Duologues in English/Hindi (110 mins)
Tata Theatre
Tuesday, 26th - 7.00 pm
Experimental Theatre
Wednesday, 27th to Saturday, 30th - 7.00 pm and Sunday, 31st - 4.00 pm & 7.00pm
Supported by JSW Foundation.
‘One on One' is a theatrical collaboration of Shernaz Patel, Rajit Kapur and Rahul da Cunha, collectively known as Rage. In this unusual theatrical event, several of Mumbai's leading playwrights have written short 10 to 15 minute monologues, or in some cases, dualogues.
The theme for the evening is INDIA TODAY wherein, each writer is addressing an issue/subject/theme about our country, both hilarious and tragic - the legalisation of homosexuality, the state of the Indian bureaucracy, the farce of Ajmal Kasab's trial, the absurd popularity of BIG BOSS, the obsession with skin fairness, the decline of Mumbai city, etc
Writers : Shiv Subrahmanyam, Anuvab Pal, Rahul da Cunha, Farhad Sorabjee, Purva Naresh, Ashok Mishra and Maia Katrak
Cast : Shernaz Patel, Amit Mistry, Neil Bhoopalam, Preetika Chawla, Kunal Roy Kapoor and Anand Tiwari
Directed by Pushan Kripalani, Arghya Lahiri, Rahul da Cunha, Kunal Roy Kapoor, Akarsh Khurana and Nadir Khan
A Rage Production.
Tata Theatre
Tickets: Rs. 300, 240, 180, 135 & 90/- (for Members)
Rs 400, 320, 240, 180 & 120/- (for the Public)
Experimental Theatre
Tickets: Rs.270/- (for Members)
Rs.300/- (for the Public)
Box Office: January 15 for Members and January 18 for the Public.
Ekpatri Anubhuti - Natya Rang
One-Man Show
Tata Theatre
Wednesday, 27th - 6.30 pm
Among the various nomads or ghumantoos of India are mobile tribes, each characterized by a distinct culture that is reflected in their beliefs, customs and traditional practices. Such communities are commonly found in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Punjab, Haryana and Tamil Nadu. India's northwest state of Rajasthan alone is home to about 173 nomadic tribes. Presented by Zonal Cultural Centres, Government of India, Ekpatri puts together select traditional one man shows from across India including bharud, pandavani and phadwachan.
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Bharud is a song with a social message. It points out human faults. This type of songs were originally composed by saint Eknath, the revered poet of Maharashtra. Usually, a bharud is presented along with a folk dance to make it more appealing. Troupes featuring this folk form travel from place to place with their song and dance routine and spread messages related to social welfare by picking themes based on current problems in society. Bharud will be performed by acclaimed folk artist and bharud ratna Niranjan Bhakre.
Bhopas of Rajasthan are worshippers of ‘Pabu Ji Maharaj' (a crusader of social change during the 13th century), and are uniquely known for singing folklores and phadwachan in reverence to Pabu Ji Maharaj. Performing phadwachan will be Babulal Bhopa from Churu, Rajasthan.
Pandavani, literally means stories of Pandavas, the legendary five brothers from the epic tale of the Mahabharata and involves enacting and singing with instrumental accompaniments- usually an ektara or a tambura in one hand and sometimes a kartal in another. The artist set to perform pandavani, Teejan Bai is an exponent of the art form from Chhattisgarh. Her acclaimed performances are of Draupadi Cheerharan, Dushasana Vadh and Mahabharat Yudh, between Bhishma and Arjun. Teejanbai has received national and international recognition including a Padma Shri in 1988, Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1995, and Padma Bhushan in 2003. She has travelled all over the world as a cultural ambassador exhibiting her unique folk singing and powerful voice.
A limited number of admission passes can be collected by Members from the Box Office from January 15 and by the Public from January 18.
Fastest Feet in Rhythm Anubhuti - Natya Rang
Theatre in Dance
Tata Theatre
Friday, 29th - 6.30 pm
Featuring Chitresh Das and Jason Samuels Smith, Dormeishia Sumbry-Edwards and nine members of the Chitresh Das Dance Company, witness an explosive collaboration between one of India's foremost Kathak masters and one of the world's fastest, Emmy-award winning tap dancers. The result is high entertainment, which crosses all boundaries of age, race and culture - a blast of incredible speed and power, grace and beauty, epic storytelling and the pure joy of dance.
Box Office: January 15 for Members and January 18 for the Public.
Sanmati: The Gift of Wisdom Anubhuti - Natya Rang
One-Man Show by Shekhar Sen
Tata Theatre
Saturday, 30th - 6.30 pm
In collaboration with the Sarvodaya International Trust: Maharashtra Chapter.
On the occasion of Gandhiji's 62nd death anniversary, the Sarvodaya Trust presents a poignant solo performance interspersed with musical narration, and scripted and enacted by Shekhar Sen.
A talented singer, composer, lyricist and actor, Shekhar Sen's repertoire of mono acts includes 'Goswami Tulsidas', 'Kabeer' and 'Vivekanand', dedicated to bringing the universal message of these saints and philosophers to a discerning audience. Somewhere, Gandhiji's guiding principles resonate with the ageless ideas of peace and tolerance that these saints preached.
The evening is an ode to the glorious human virtues of love, compassion and understanding. Through Sen's powerful monologues and songs, one is inspired to realize the essence of Gandhian ideologies in present times.
Shekhar Sen has established a distinct identity for himself by singing the medieval poets like Raskhan, Raheem, Lalit Kishori, Dhondhi Nayak and many more. He has done more than 1500 shows all over the world. He was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskaar at Lucknow.
Tickets: Rs. 240, 180 & 100/-
Box Office: January 15 for Members and January 18 for the Public.
Out of Bounds Anubhuti - Natya Rang
English Play (90 mins.)
Tata Theatre
Sunday, 31st - 6.30 pm
This is a funny, moving play that offers insight into the world of an Indian joint family in a racially
segregated Indian township in South Africa. It has won international acclaim, travelling to 22 countries, and received commendation from Nelson Mandela himself.
Directed by Tina Johnson
Written and performed by Rajesh Gopie
A Platform Theatre Company Production.
FOR ADULTS ONLY
Tickets: Rs.300, 200, 150, 100 and 50/-.
Box Office: January 15 for Members and January 18 for the Public.
Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra
with Musicians of the
Symphony Orchestra of India
Conductor & Soloist: Kolja Blacher
Western Music Concert
Jamshed Bhabha Theatre
Saturday, 30th & Sunday, 31st - 7.00 pm
The Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra, founded in 1945 - and considered the oldest professional chamber orchestra - has an outstanding reputation. Its first disc recordings, dating back to 1948, which account for one of the most successful orchestra biographies of post-war Germany, have won various awards and sold in millions worldwide.
It has performed around the globe and at prestigious international music festivals. Composers such as Philip Glass and Giya Kancheli have dedicated works to it and commissions are regularly awarded to composers. The repertoire is constantly cultivated and renewed. Some of its famous conductors include Ferdinand Leitner, Trevor Pinnock, Frans Brüggen, and Andreas Delfsichler, and soloists, Frank Peter Zimmermann, Kim Kashkashian, Andreas Scholl and others.
The orchestra has had a series of prominent conductors. Michael Hofstetter, principal conductor since 2006, has worked towards developing a wide chamber music repertoire - from Baroque and Classical to receiving commissions for new compositions. Dennis Russell Davies, who preceded him, laid an accent on the music of the 20th century. Under Karl Münchinger, the orchestra's speciality became new interpretations of Johann Sebastian Bach and the music of the ‘Viennese Classicists'.
Perhaps a project unique to it is the ‘Haydn Decade', a CD collection, to be brought out by Sony BMG, of all the symphonies of Joseph Haydn performed by the Orchestra between 1998 and 2009.
Kolja Blacher, a professor of violin and chamber music at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler, Berlin, appears regularly as a soloist with important orchestras, including the Philharmonic Orchestras of Berlin, London, Oslo, St. Petersburg, Tokyo and Munich. He collaborates with leading conductors, such as Claudio Abbado, Daniel Barenboim, Alan Gilbert, Dmitrij Kitajenko and others of equal renown. He has received warm praise for both conducting and violin playing, having appeared with the Stuttgarter Kammerorchester, Santa Cecilia in Rome, the Hong Kong Philharmonic (Beethoven's Violin Concerto), the Kioi Sinfonietta in Tokyo (Brahms Violin Concerto) and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.
30th January
Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra
Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G major
Bach: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D minor
Mozart: Divertimento in D major
Dvorak: Serenade in E major Op. 22
31st January
Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra and Symphony Orchestra of India
Mozart: Divertimento in D major
Beethoven: Sonata in A Op. 47 "Kreutzer Sonata"
Tchaikovsky: Serenade for String Orchestra in C major Op. 48
Tickets: Rs.800, 600 & 400/-
Box Office: January 9 for Members and January 12 for the Public.
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