The Lights Shine Once Again Welcome Back
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February 2021 ® ON Stagevolume 10 • issue 7 THE LIGHTS SHINE ONCE AGAIN WELCOME BACK Chairman’s Note While the return of audience to live performance is expected to revive in India gradually, the possibly restrictive manner in which it would happen must be recognised. The joy of sharing live performances together with family, friends and fellow performing art lovers will be constrained due to conditions which are necessary to follow. At present, the reduction in audience size by 50 per cent itself will give our theatres an unusual look. While I am expected to show an optimistic view, I believe the way forward would be to mould these events into festive occasions as far as the restrictions will allow. Here, our centre lends itself to splendid opportunities. Imaginative use of our facilities of open-air spaces for suitable performances and a hopefully refurbished restaurant and café is what should engage us. The difference somewhat from our normal fare will be the name of the game. This does not mean that we will stray from the path of offering the best form of classical and contemporary performances, but will suitably adapt them. Our educational activities, workshops and related talks will assume priority. The NCPA is uniquely placed to scour India for the best talent available in all its genres and we have already started. Elsewhere, an individual institution does not have to fend for itself as far as financial and other support is concerned. However, sadly, this support to an important aspect of Indian cultural life is missing. The huge support given in Europe to the performing arts is staggering, with the latest £1.57 billion given by the U.K. to its cultural organisations. Germany is among the leading nations in this type of assistance. Beyond this, states receive support for local opera houses, symphony orchestras, dance groups and theatres. However, there is a glimmer of hope in this situation. It appears that the Government of Andhra Pradesh has been given a remit to start a performing arts centre with a generous grant. I believe that, apart from the Management, all the stakeholders in the NCPA, whether they are Council Members, lifetime members, patrons, members of the SOI, etc., should make a serious effort towards fundraising. There are several avenues which can be discussed with us. When people come forward, I would be the first to call a meeting of those seriously wishing to contribute, soon after we are able to reasonably return to our workplace. The spaces in Mumbai, like the bandstands, the facilities available with our Armed Forces, the various beautiful heritage sites such as the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya are wonderful venues to start a series of events perhaps called Mumbai Heritage Events. While we will work at this ourselves, the vast talent available among our associates will surely come forward with ideas and manner of execution. In the meanwhile, I am looking forward to welcoming you back to our performances in February. Khushroo N. Suntook NCPA Chairman Khushroo N. Suntook Editorial Director Radhakrishnan Nair Editor Snigdha Hasan Consulting Editor Contents Vipasha Aloukik Pai Editorial Co-ordinator Hilda Darukhanawalla 28 A Delicate Idiom 24 Art Director 18 Dhrupad, considered to be Tanvi Shah among the most ancient styles Associate Art Director of Hindustani classical music, Hemali Limbachiya has remained unchanged and Assistant Art Director true to its original form over Nandkishor Sawant the centuries. The nature of dhrupad music is spiritual— Graphic Designers seeking not to entertain, but to Gautami Dave induce feelings of peace and Sanjana Suvarna contemplation in the listener. Advertising We try to uncover its history Anita Maria Pancras and the reason behind its ([email protected]; 66223835) dwindling popularity. Tulsi Bavishi By Meena Banerjee ([email protected]; 9833116584) Production Manager Mangesh Salvi 32 Divinity Retold Senior Digital Manager As part of a series on Jayesh V. Salvi Features artistes’ reflections on dance Cover Credit productions they have Roshan M Dutt presented at the NCPA, 40 to fulfil its raison d’être—to give Ananda Shankar Jayant In Memoriam: Produced by Letter to the Editor: 06 India its very own Western classical discusses the innate passion A Life in Dance Reflections music ensemble on a par with that inspired the critically In a year that took away several I was interested to read Anil Dharker’s fascinating article on age and Editorial Office The new normal. European ensembles. The brilliant acclaimed Tales from the Bull stalwarts from the world creativity in January’s ON Stage. It reminded me of when I was C.E.O. of 4th Floor, Todi Building, By Anil Dharker performance of the students in and the Tiger. of the performing arts, the the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Music Director, Simon Mathuradas Mills Compound, the Newport Virtuosi International dance fraternity suffered an Rattle, and I were planning our first tour to Japan in the mid 1980s. Senapati Bapat Marg, Online Music Competition is the irreparable loss in the passing We offered Mahler’s First Symphony as one of the major works in Lower Parel, latest affirmation of the strides of Sunil Kothari. Swapnokalpa the tour repertoire. The Japanese kept coming back to me asking us if Mumbai - 400013 08 36 The Stage is Set being made. By Snigdha Hasan Smooth Operators Dasgupta, Head–Programming we could perform No. 7 or No. 9 rather than No 1. After many weeks of Printer Reopening this February, the Denounced by puritans, loved (Dance) at the NCPA, to-ing and fro-ing it transpired that the Japanese respect for the older Spenta Multimedia, Peninsula Spenta, NCPA is ready to welcome by novitiates and treated with remembers the renowned generation led them to assume that as composers got older the quality Mathuradas Mill Compound, you back with performances 24 indifference by everyone scholar, dance historian and a of their work improved and that a later composition must, therefore, be N. M. Joshi Marg, Lower Parel, from across genres. All safety Eternal Epistles in between, the more true lover of the art form. better than an earlier one! Mumbai – 400013 measures in place, the return It is not an exaggeration to commercial forms of jazz— Eventually, they agreed to No. 1 and I’m sure the sophisticated to the vibrancy of a performing say that the year gone by was smooth and crossover, among Japanese no longer judge quality simply by age. Materials in ON Stage®cannot be reproduced in part or whole without the arts centre would be a gradual, challenging in unprecedented others—need to be given 42 — Edward Smith written permission of the publisher. Views cautious one. But a beginning ways. Especially when it came their due for bringing a wider Toying with Theatre and opinions expressed in this magazine has been made. to relationships. More so, when audience to a form that was Originally a 19th-century Follow us on: are not necessarily those of the publisher. it came to romantic ones. As slowly going out of vogue. plaything for children, the toy facebook.com/NCPAMumbai All rights reserved. the NCPA cautiously begins By Narendra Kusnur theatre has enjoyed a sparkling, if programming across genres this intermittent, time in the spotlight. @NCPAMumbai NCPA Booking Office 18 2282 4567/6654 8135/6622 3724 Melodic Dividends month, the third edition of Letters Its fundamental qualities—great @NCPAMumbai With its young players of Love by Readings in the Shed art and innovative storytelling— www.ncpamumbai.com 39 youtube.com/user/TheNCPAMumbai1 blossoming and winning brings together a collection of Kaleidoscope make it the perfect do-it-yourself regularly in international much-needed stories of real- Your window to the latest in the family project that can be competitions, the SOI Music world love that defied the odds in performing arts across India and entertaining and educational in We look forward to your feedback and suggestions. Please do drop us an Academy is on a steady path inspiring ways. By Himali Kothari the world. equal measure. By Frédéric Simon email at [email protected]. OPINION Reflections The new normal. By Anil Dharker Shakespeare’s Globe in London, a major to make its new movies theatre and tourist attraction, announced in 2021 available on in June last year that it would permanently HBO Max (which it shut down unless it received a large owns) on the same day government handout. The British theatre as the U.S. release. If industry as a whole asked for a £100 million this becomes the norm, per month bailout. The U.K. government what will happen to responded to this and similar appeals cinema theatres around from orchestras, museums and cinemas by the world? announcing a £1.57 billion rescue package A similar situation for arts and culture. In India, we have not faces the publishing even discussed the possibility of such relief, industry: while probably because we already know the broadcast them. But even that could not bookstores had to shut down, some response. Arts and culture in our country last long because of the danger of aerosol permanently, book sales on-line have have to stand on their own wobbly feet. infection for the singers. So OperaVision, soared. According to the American Through ten months of the lockdown, all an organisation supported by the E.U.’s Booksellers’ Association, there was a 250 art forms have had to reinvent themselves. ‘Creative Europe’ programme, offered per cent increase in sales and a prominent This is most difficult for theatre and classical live streaming of recordings of favourite website even reported a 400 per cent music: when you film theatre, it is no longer performances of 29 leading opera houses spike.