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. When you think about it, this is not a play you are seeing, but cinema, and that from 17 countries. really surprising, because the lockdown means competing with a monster medium. The U.K.’s National Theatre could no forced people to get down to reading. And A World Economic Forum study found longer screen their filmed plays to ticket- what did they read? The biggest jump that global box office revenues for movies in paying audiences in theatres, so they in sales was in the areas of self-help, 2019 reached a record $42 billion. And that live-streamed them to everyone for free, spirituality and cooking. is without the considerable revenues which asking for voluntary donations starting (A personal note here: Tata Literature come from spin-offs like video games, toys, from just £10. They also roped in stalwarts Live! The Mumbai Litfest held in books and theme parks. How can theatre like Ian McKellen, Helen Mirren, Simon November at the NCPA every year had to ever compete with that? Callow, Julie Walters and Simon Russell be online this year. While we missed out Western classical music faces a similar Beale to conduct online quizzes to attract on the buzz and excitement of a live festival, dilemma: can listening to the Symphony audiences. However attractive this might we did get a national and international Orchestra of India in your home on be, it could not go on forever, and even the audience which reached a figure of over YouTube come anywhere close to the National Theatre soon ran out of recorded four million views). experience of being in the Jamshed plays they could live-stream. As the NCPA opens its doors again this Bhabha Theatre? Indian classical music Not everything is bleak however: the month and we eagerly await being part of also has a problem: it works as a highly technology of fully immersive exhibitions live events, the way audiences engage with interactive exchange between artistes and made virtual reality tours of museums and art and culture will have changed forever. audience; without that, it’s like listening to art galleries a possibility. One of the first Wherever possible, online streaming of All India Radio. to do so was the Museu de Arte de São events will supplement live performances; In this scenario, different ways are being Paulo—now how many of us were likely this will extend to many areas: for example, devised to deal with the new normal. The to go to Brazil to see it? But now we could, a Marat Bisengaliev masterclass can include Berliner Ensemble, a German theatre sitting in our living rooms, as we could not only budding musicians in Mumbai but company, drastically reduced its seats to also visit the British Museum in London, all over the country (and even beyond); an ensure social distancing, cutting down a the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam, NCPA production will not only play to 700-seater auditorium to just 200. They the Guggenheim in New York, the Musée a packed audience at the Experimental, dispensed with the interval to avoid d’Orsay in Paris, the Uffizi Galleries in but can also go online to people in Delhi, overcrowding and kept doors open through Florence and very many more. Chennai, Bangalore and elsewhere. the performance for air circulation. Cinema found it the easiest to adapt In other words, the new normal isn’t all The plays that were staged had minimal because streaming of content through bad: with human ingenuity combined with characters and no kissing. platforms like Netflix provided a viable technological expertise, we can seize the London’s Royal Opera House did alternative when cinema theatres were silver linings behind the dark clouds and concerts without a live audience, then locked down. In fact, Warner Bros. is going slowly begin to brighten our lives. SHUTTERSTOCK

6 • February 2021 NCPA

COVER STORY

he ushering in of 2021 has perhaps been more eagerly awaited than any moment in recent times. A New Year, after all, symbolises new beginnings and we could all do with beginning again with a clean slate, free of trepidation, soaking life in, unmasked.T We certainly haven’t got there yet, but the numbers seem to be stabilising in this part of the country, however precariously. It is in these oscillating times that we choose, in Dickensian terms, the epoch of belief over incredulity, the season of light over darkness, the spring of hope over the winter of despair—with wisdom, not foolishness, on THE our side. After the long, painful silence of our stages, we are reopening the NCPA to live performances. To be organised with complete adherence to the Standard Operating Procedure laid down by the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai and additional precautionary measures of our own, the performances will be socially distanced, with the theatres functioning at no more than 50 per cent occupancy. STAGE Much of 2020 has been difficult and we are grateful to the Tata Group for their unwavering support. It has also been a period of gestation and the senior team of Western classical music at the NCPA has been vigorously pursuing the planning of its seasons right into 2022. Drawing up the curatorial plan for the coming months has been keeping all our genre heads busy and as the situation improves, connoisseurs of Indian and IS SET international music, dance and theatre will have much to look forward to. REOPENING THIS FEBRUARY, THE NCPA IS Apart from the valiant attempts to return to live performances, which have no real substitute, the near READY TO WELCOME YOU BACK WITH future belongs to creating the best possible platforms for live streaming and quality broadcasting of NCPA’s PERFORMANCES FROM ACROSS GENRES. archival and new performances. However, work on this front will be commensurate with the quality of ALL SAFETY MEASURES IN PLACE, THE the performances we would like to offer to you in the RETURN TO THE VIBRANCY OF A comfort and safety of your home. It is often perceived that the NCPA is moving at a PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE WOULD BE A slower pace than many other organisations in making its performances available digitally and bringing back GRADUAL, CAUTIOUS ONE. BUT A BEGINNING live performances. But there is such a wealth of material available that it takes time to choose the best. Our work HAS BEEN MADE. involves numerous international collaborations and the processing of visas under ever-changing lockdown rules across countries is now a significant logistical challenge. There is also the huge task of organising and using our five theatres safely. A beginning, however, has been made and here is

what the NCPA brings to you this February*. SHUTTERSTOCK

8 • February 2021 NCPA NCPA February 2021 • 9 The Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, Orchestrations by Terry Davies 10th, Godrej Dance Theatre Music by Bernard Herrmann Cast: Ashley Shaw, Adam Cooper & Dominic North.

Tickets: `400/- Box Office: 14th January for Members & 16th January for Public

INDIAN MUSIC

CITI-NCPA Promising SOI Chamber Orchestra, 3rd, Tata Theatre Artistes Series Krushna Salunke (pakhawaj) Aparajita Chakraborty (dhrupad) WESTERN CLASSICAL MUSIC The story of a family and a company (Approx. 75 mins) that changed the world, told in three Experimental Theatre SOI Chamber Orchestra parts on a single evening. Academy Mohan’s Masala, Godrej Dance Theatre Friday, 12th – 6.30 pm 7th, Tata Theatre featuring Soul Yatra Award-winner Sam Mendes (Skyfall, The Wednesday, 10th – 5.00 pm SCREENING (Approx. 70 mins) Ferryman) directs Simon Russell Beale, Krushna Salunke, Tata Theatre Adam Godley and Ben Miles, who of the Mahatma’s lessons were taught An NCPA – The Metropolitan Opera 12th, Experimental The Red Shoes Theate Wednesday, 3rd – 7.00 pm play the Lehman Brothers, their sons by these lost memories of ordinary life. (New York) Presentation Ballet Screening (97 mins) and grandsons. On a cold September Join Mohania as he takes you through Godrej Dance Theatre An NCPA Presentation morning in 1844, a young man from his life journey. Let us understand what The dazzling new production of Thursday, 11th – 6.00 pm Bavaria stands on a New York dockside, makes an ordinary soul into a spirit that Gershwin’s great American opera— The SOI Chamber Orchestra will present a dreaming of a new life in the new world. is an inspiration to the entire world. called ‘splendid’ and ‘gripping’ by The An NCPA - More2Screen Presentation concert of light classics — including Vivaldi’s He is joined by his two brothers and an What transformed a shy timid boy into a New York Times—is the Met’s biggest Concerto for four violins, works by Mozart, American epic begins. One hundred world-renowned leader? How did Mohan’s crowd-pleasing hit of the season, with Matthew Bourne’s gorgeous take on Tchaikovsky, and more — as well as popular and sixty-three years later, the firm life experiences shape the value system a superlative cast led by Eric Owens the film classic comes to cinemas for the music and jazz standards along with guest they establish—Lehman Brothers— and morality of Mahatma? Trace Mohan’s and Angel Blue in the title roles. first time. Winner of two Olivier Awards, artistes Rhys Sebastian (saxophone), Merlin spectacularly collapses into bankruptcy journey from Porbandar to South Africa, The Washington Post calls it “a Porgy of The Red Shoes is a tale of obsession, D’Souza (piano), Saurabh Suman (bass), and and triggers the largest financial crisis from ordinary to extraordinary, from fear to its time that speaks to ours.” Porgy and possession and one girl’s dream to be Jehangir Jehangir (drums). in history. This critically acclaimed and fearlessness. This minimalistic play brings Bess is set in Catfish Row, a dockside the greatest dancer in the world. Victoria Krushna Salunke is being trained by five-time Olivier Award-nominated play to life the untold story of Mohandas, told area of Charleston, in about 1930. Page lives to dance but her ambitions Suresh Talwalkar under the ‘Citi-NCPA Tickets: features stunning set design from simply yet brilliantly, making it into an The plot depicts the story of Porgy, become a battleground between the two Support to Gurus’ CSR initiative. He took `1,000, 750, & 500/- (Plus GST) Es Devlin (NT Live: Hamlet). experience to be cherished. a disabled black street beggar living men who inspire her passion. Bourne’s initial training in the art of playing the Box Office: 14th January for in the slums of Charleston, and Bess magical adaptation of the classic Powell pakhawaj from Vishnupanth Londhe for Members & 16th January for Public Adapted by Ben Power Directed by Manoj Shah who wants to turn away from her and Pressburger film is set to the achingly five years. Later, on his guru’s advice, he Written by Stefano Massini Written by Ishan Doshi former life as a prostitute and addict. romantic music of golden-age Hollywood started taking lessons from Talwalkar. He Directed by Sam Mendes Singer: Parthiv Gohil Following a murder, Bess’s abusive composer Bernard Herrmann. has presented solo and accompanying SCREENING Music: Kanhaiya partner Crown flees, leaving her to performances across the country, including Tickets: `400/- Stage art: Atul Dodiya deal with a disapproving community. Directed & Choreographed by India International Centre and the NCPA, The Lehman Trilogy Box Office: 14th January for Production: Janam Shah & Porgy and Bess develop an unlikely Matthew Bourne among others. His performances have Theatre Screening (210 mins) Members & 16th January for Public Manali Bhavsar relationship and Bess finally finds won him several awards and scholarships, Godrej Dance Theatre Performed by Pratik Gandhi acceptance on Catfish Row—until a The Red Shoes, including Pandit Bhimsen Joshi scholarship, 11th, Godrej Dance Theatre Thursday, 4th – 5.00 pm hurricane and return of Crown All India Radio music competition award. THEATRE Tickets: change everything. An NCPA-National Theatre Live `900, 750, 600 & 375/- (Members) Aparajita Chakraborty is the (London) Presentation Mohan’s Masala `1,200, 1,000, 800 & 500/- (Public) Conductor: David Robertson Citi-NCPA Scholarship winner 2019-20. English Play (100 mins) (Inclusive of GST) Production: James Robinson The Lehman Tata Theatre Box Office: 14th January for Cast: Angel Blue, Golda Schultz, Aparajita Trilogy, 4th, Chakraborty, Godrej Dance Sunday, 7th – 7.00 pm Members & 16th January for Public Latonia Moore, Denyce Graves, 12th, Theatre Frederick Ballentine, Eric Owens, Experimental An NCPA Presentation in Alfred Walker & Donovan Singletary Theate collaboration with Ideas Unlimited SCREENING Production Tickets: `500/- The Gershwin’s Porgy `250/- (only for students on Mohan’s Masala brings to life the lost and Bess production of valid ID cards)

world of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, Opera Screening (195 mins) Box Office: 26th January for

STEPHANIE BERGER (THE LEHMAN TRILOGY) through which we discover that a lot Sung in English with English Subtitles Members & 29th January for Public

10 • February 2021 NCPA NCPA February 2021 • 11 She has been learning dhrupad from our lives. Timeless lyrics and everlasting that proximity did not drive a wedge Good Morning Mumbai!, her 60-year-old son with mental disability An NCPA Presentation 18th, Godrej Dance Theatre the Gundecha brothers. She has also tunes that resulted in meaningful songs between them. Love was put to the through a letter she writes. But when a trained with Rajyashree Ghosh (khayal), were the hallmark of that era. The genres test. But, love is no stranger to tests. new day begins without her, the routine With multiple choreographies woven Susobhon Chandra (khayal), Debarati Som being covered this evening will include This Valentine’s Day, in the third edition goes out of whack without anyone to together, Shiva interprets the male and (Rabindrasangeet) and Piyali Mukjerjee pop, jazz, swing and rock ’n’ roll. You will of Letters of Love, Readings in the Shed ensure that it is followed. female entities in the universe within the (Rabindrasangeet). Apart from winning the be enticed by the music of the greats of presents love stories that fought to defy all-encompassing Shiva. He is nirguna- Citi-NCPA Scholarship, Chakraborty has yesteryears, like Frank Sinatra, Nat King the odds in the pursuit of a forever after. Directed, Written & Produced by niraakara (formless) but, of course for the also won a National Scholarship in Music Cole, Tom Jones, Connie Francis, Sir Cliff Aditi J. Mody mortals, he is perceived as saguna-saakaar (Rabindrasangeet). She has completed her Richard, Engelbert Humperdinck, Roberta Directed by Nikhil Katara (one with a form). He is worshipped as Master’s in Music from Rabindra Bharati Flack, Lynn Anderson, Dean Martin, Louis Cast: Asmit Pathare & Kyla D’souza The film screenings will be followed by a Ardhanarishwara (Shiva-Parvati) and Hari- University and has performed on stages Armstrong, Doris Day, Neil Diamond, Elvis Creative Editor: Himali Kothari post-film discussion. Hara (Shiva-Vishnu)—the only god who across the country. Presley and Nancy Sinatra. This will be merges his identity for the concept of an evening made unforgettable by the Suggested Age: 16+ and infrastructure, sanitation problems, Admission on a first-come-first- dual-principle godhead. His consort is the Admission for Members on a first- rich baritone of Das and the very versatile pollution, population density and their served basis. NCPA Members will get supreme, untameable, universal energy, come-first-served basis. NCPA Pinto along with the band, aptly named Tickets: relationship with each other. preferential seating till 6.50 pm. Shakti. Durga, the one who is the most Members will get preferential The Sixth Sense, as they create a special `270/- (Members) splendid manifestation of Devi, contains seating till 6.20 pm. dimension and dynamic to the music we `300/- (Public) Directed by Rajesh Thakare & Troy within her the power of all gods, while grew up listening to, and love. Box Office: 14th January for Vasanth DANCE Nataraj, the cosmic dancer, represents Members & 16th January for Public the constant bio-dance of life—creation, INTERNATIONAL MUSIC Tickets: `500/- Grill Shiva… sustenance and dissolution. Box Office: 14th January for Silent Film (21 mins) Facets of Him The Golden Years Members & 16th January for Public FILM A homeless man spends his nights by Vaibhav Arekar & Sankhya Dance Tickets: Featuring Darren Das, Giselle Pinto & on a road across the hoarding of an Company `180/- (Members) The Sixth Sense Short Film Corner upcoming plush apartment scheme. His (Approx. 90 mins) `200/- (Public) (Approx. 100 mins) THEATRE Short Film Screenings aspiration for a home is realised when he Experimental Theatre Box Office: 26th January for Experimental Theatre Godrej Dance Theatre accidentally discovers that the grill of a Saturday, 20th – 6.30 pm Members & 29th January for Public Saturday, 13th – 7.00 pm Readings in the Shed Thursday, 18th – 7.00 pm Chapter XXI: Letters of Love Grill, 18th, Godrej Dance Theatre Shiva...Facets of Him by Sankhya Dance An NCPA Presentation English (75 mins) An NCPA Presentation in Company, 20th, Experimental Theatre Experimental Theatre collaboration with White Wall Bringing you music of the 1960s, 70s and Sunday, 14th – 7.00 pm Screenings 80s or what can be called The Golden Years of Music, are Darren Das, Giselle An NCPA Off-Stage Presentation There are so many wonderful short Pinto and The Sixth Sense. This films being made in India, with auteurs at evening has been carefully crafted to take The year 2020 was a year which work in their own regions, and bold, new you down memory lane, to stir your souls challenged relationships. Some had voices who are experimenting with form into reminiscing about the good old days to overcome the distances that kept and technique. Short Film Corner hopes to nearby apartment is broken. This broken when music touched both our hearts and them apart. Some struggled to ensure connect movie lovers with these films and grill allows him access to the house of a also open up dialogue with filmmakers, who girl who works night shifts. The nights in turn, get a chance to connect with their he spends in the girl’s house are a far cry audiences. White Wall Screenings (WWS) was from the harsh nights spent on the road. founded in 2017 as a community to facilitate He begins to fall in love with the house a conversation between short filmmakers and this growing love makes him take and film connoisseurs. WWS has successfully many risks. showcased more than 300 short films and also continues to conduct workshops, Directed by Pratik Rajen Kothari masterclasses and conversations around filmmaking and films. Mummy Hindi Film (17 mins) Good Morning Mumbai! Zena carefully narrates the daily routine of Hindi/Marathi Animation Film (13 mins) The story is about a slum tenant who sets out to do his morning duties when a series of unfortunate events causes a minor upheaval in his day. He finds a way out and accomplishes his goal but this, in turn, seeds another problem for a different group of people. The film Darren Das & Giselle Pinto, depicts the basic problems caused by 13th, Experimental Theatre urban growth, such as lack of space Mummy, 18th, Godrej Dance Theatre

12 • February 2021 NCPA NCPA February 2021 • 13 Film in Arabic, Hindi, English, Admission on a first-come-first- delivered as an allegory of inner and we remember the hits we grew up with, WESTERN CLASSICAL MUSIC Tagalog and a few other languages served basis. NCPA Members will get outer beauty. the songs we fell in love with, and the Subtitled in English (60 mins) preferential seating till 6.50 pm. melodies that bring to our hearts a sense SOI Chamber Orchestra Tickets: `400/- of nostalgia. Come join us as we take (Approx. 70 mins) This will be a Mumbai Premiere of Box Office: 26th January for Members you on a journey through the Golden Tata Theatre the film SCREENING & 29th January for Public Age of pop music. Featuring songs by Sunday, 21st – 5.00 pm The Carpenters, Barbra Streisand, Dionne Displacement & Resilience: women live Cyrano de Bergerac Warwick, amongst others, this eclectic An NCPA Presentation for a new day engages viewers with By Edmond Rostand INTERNATIONAL MUSIC set of musicians is bound to leave you the experiences of women refugees. Theatre Screening wanting more. The SOI Chamber Orchestra presents a This documentary was conceived as a (Approx. 180 mins) Yesterday Once More… programme of beloved classics featuring collaboration of women directors based Godrej Dance Theatre (Approx. 100 mins) Tickets: `500/- soloists from the Symphony Orchestra of in different countries by its producers, Thursday, 25th – 6.00 pm Experimental Theatre Box Office: 14th January for Members India. Please visit ncpamumbai.com for the International Association of Women Friday, 26th – 7.00 pm & 16th January for Public complete programme details. in Radio and Television or IAWRT, a global An NCPA-National Theatre Live organisation of professional women (London) Presentation An NCPA Presentation Tickets: working in media. THEATRE `1,000, 750, & 500/- (Plus GST) The subject was proposed by Chandita In a new version by Martin Crimp, Sonia Saigal, vocals Box Office: 26th January for Mukherjee, who helmed the production directed by Jamie Lloyd, charismatic Harmeet Manseta, keys/piano Massage Members & 29th January for Public as Executive Producer for the IAWRT. swordsman and brilliant poet, Beven Fonseca, piano Hindi Play (120 mins) Six collaborating women directors Cyrano de Bergerac is in love with Sanjeev Aguiar, guitar Experimental Theatre contributed stories about conflict, his beautiful cousin Roxane, who is Kenneth Rebello, bass Saturday, 27th – 7.00 pm FILM migration and the experience of exile: Lindsay Dmello, drums Erika Rae Cruz, on displaced indigenous An NCPA Presentation in Massage, 27th, Experimental Theatre people in Philippines; Archana Kapoor Cyrano de “Yesterday Once More”, as the name collaboration with Reality Check Bergerac, Documentary Film Screening & Chandita Mukherjee on Rohingyas 25th, Godrej suggests, is a walk down memory lane as Pratik Arts Theatre Massage is a story of Happy Singh who Godrej Dance Theatre from Myanmar in India; Afrah Shafiq on Dance comes to the city of dreams with a goal to Theatre Tuesday, 23rd – 7.00 pm Tibetans in India; Khedija Lemkecher Sonia Saigal, become an actor. Instead of working as a on Syrians in Tunisia; and Eva Anandi 26th, Experimental Theatre struggling actor, he becomes the fourth An NCPA Presentation in Brownstein on Syrians in Canada. assistant director to filmmaker Kohli collaboration with Cinema Their stories have been woven whose forte is masala movies. With no Collective together to create a multi-layered viewing pay and surviving on minimum transport experience on the global refugee crisis. allowance, Happy meets various people This year, the NCPA revives the Reality Combining principal photography with becoming the fodder for some very Check film series, which was started interviews, archival footage, graphics interesting stories; be it the quintessential in 2014, to promote and encourage and mixed media, the film presents an Punjabi director, the heroine, or the documentary filmmakers in India, whose work overview of particular issues bringing heroine’s mother who almost molests reflects life and culture in the country today in out similarities in the lives of women him. Seeing that his life is going nowhere, a provocative blend of creativity and integrity. refugees, exiled and displaced for a he quits on a whim and becomes a variety of reasons. gym instructor, meeting women from Displacement & Resilience: The film screenings will be followed by different walks of life. The next adventure women live for a new day a post-film discussion. in his life starts when he becomes a famous masseur. Displacement & Resilience women live for a new day, Writer: Vijay Tendulkar 23rd, Godrej Dance Theatre Translation: Vasudha Sahastrabudhe Directed by Harbansh Singh Music: Kuldip Singh Adapted, produced & performed by Rakesh Bedi

Tickets: unaware of his feelings. His one curse `450/- (Members) in life, he feels, is his large nose and `500/- (Public) although it may have been a forming Box Office: 26th January for Members & influence in his razor-sharp wit, he 29th January for Public believes that Roxane will reject him because of it. When the handsome Members receive a 10% discount on but unpoetic Christian falls for Roxane, all tickets. Please note, dear reader, all he asks Cyrano to help him win her events are subject to change in response

MARC BRENNER (CYRANO DE BERGERAC) heart. Cyrano de Bergerac can be to the dynamic Covid-19 situation.

14 • February 2021 NCPA NCPA February 2021 • 15 INITIATIVE

Your Safety First As the NCPA reopens with a calendar dotted with presentations from across genres, our safety measures have been planned right down to the last detail, so you can soak in the magic of live performances once again without a worry.

To ensure your safe return to the NCPA, protocols have been designed for every step of the way, in adherence to the rules laid down by the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai and our own additional precautionary measures. Occupancy: All venues will operate at no more than 50 per cent occupancy, with alternate seating. Ticketing: E-tickets will be issued to avoid physical handling of tickets. Kindly visit www.ncpamumbai.com for easy booking of tickets. Should you wish to come to the NCPA to purchase your tickets, please email us at [email protected] or [email protected] so we can make arrangements for your safe visit. Tickets purchased at the NCPA box office too will be issued in an e-version to keep the process paperless.

Prior intimation: An SMS will be sent to you with protocols for every show you wish to attend, including entry and exit points for the performance. Entry: In addition to compulsory and proper use of masks, sanitisation, and physical distancing in the premises as well as the theatres, the audience, artistes and staff will go through temperature and oxygen-level checks upon entry. Interval: Measures have been put in place for adequate physical distancing during intervals and safe consumption of refreshments. Venue safety: Hygiene has always been a priority at the NCPA. All theatres, green rooms and washrooms are frequently deep-

cleaned and sanitised. SURABHI SHRIVASTAVA

16 • February 2021 NCPA

Marat Bisengaliev conducts the SOI Academy Orchestra Mr. Khushroo N. Suntook with Bisengaliev “We wanted to develop a system that would utilise the fine talent and high calibre of our orchestral players so students played and learnt under the best”

and universally recognised Russian Conservatoire competitions they are encouraged to participate in are method, with musicians from the orchestra, themselves a testament to the work that goes into this advanced trained in the method, imparting the education. “We level of music training, previously not available in wanted to develop a system that would utilise the fine India. The latest feather in the cap is their laudable talent and high calibre of our orchestral players so performance in the Newport Virtuosi International students played and learnt under the best,” elaborates Online Music Competition, where the students placed Mr. Suntook, providing an interesting analogy for in practically every category they participated in. “Our the multiple nationalities that make up the SOI and efforts are being vindicated,” says Bisengaliev. “This is therefore, the teaching fraternity at the academy. “It only the very beginning.” is like the IPL. Once the teams were mixed up with players from around the world, we did brilliantly. We Pillars of the academy Melodic don’t know who learnt from whom. Our young players Serious music education begins early and on most too are blossoming, playing at a high level, even afternoons, young children who come to the NCPA along with the SOI on certain occasions. When they after school can be seen scurrying across the participate in competitions, they emerge encrusted premises in uniform with their instruments in tow. with high honours. This is a tribute to our teachers.” Rigorous lessons at the academy include substantial one-to-one tuition on the student’s primary Result-oriented education instrument as well as second-study piano lessons, Dividends Continuing the sports analogy, Bisengaliev likens his music history, music theory, group-singing teaching work to that of a top football team coach. “All these via the Solfeggio method, training in orchestral With its young players blossoming and winning regularly in years, my efforts have been concentrated on roping in playing and chamber music. international competitions, the SOI Music Academy is on a steady path to high-quality orchestral players who also have a great Attention to the individual that Bisengaliev speaks of talent for teaching. It is a challenge, of course, but reflects in the way teachers adapt their lessons to suit fulfil its raison ’êd tre—to give India its very own Western classical music perfecting the team is an endless process,” he avers the students’ needs. “Nyla has been studying with me ensemble on a par with European ensembles. The brilliant performance before moving on to expatiate on the holistic music for the last seven years. When she first came, and for education that the students receive. “The Russian some years after that as well, she was physically small- of the students in the Newport Virtuosi International Online Music Conservatoire method was founded in the 19th century built and so I had to prepare a slightly different, but by Competition is the latest affirmation of the strides being made. in St. Petersburg and has been the academic tradition no means an easier, repertoire to suit her hands. Of late in many reputed institutions the world over. At the however, she is growing well and will make a name for NCPA, the method goes hand in hand with the use of herself in music,” says Aida Bisengalieva, pianist and modern technology,” he says. teacher at the academy, about Nyla Bajaj who placed By Snigdha Hasan The secret of the success of the method, Bisengaliev third in Category 3 in the competition. adds, lies in the quality and frequency of lessons. “The Another student who promises to make a name for system does not treat music education as commerce. herself is Aliza Jetha who won the first prize in her ver 15 years ago, when the long- India (SOI). Several auditions yielded a handful of local It does not differentiate among teachers on the basis category in viola, earning accolades for her rendition cherished dream of forming players who could meet the standards Bisengaliev had of the number of students under their tutelage. At the of Hummel’s Fantasie for viola and Ravel’s Pavane. India’s first professional orchestra set for the SOI. Even as the orchestra flourished, the academy, too, my focus has been on quality, ensuring “She has been studying the viola at the academy since was taking shape at the NCPA, limited Indian presence in it continued to gnaw at the that each teacher has no more than five students under January 2014 and will graduate this year. A very hard- Chairman Mr. Khushroo N. Suntook co-founders until they found a solution that sought to him/her so that sufficient time can be devoted to working student, music runs in her family. Her sister had a pertinent question to ask not just eventually resolve the said problem but enrich every individual. It is wonderful that Khushroo allows Samia has been a student of the piano at the academy,” Marat Bisengaliev. “What about the Western classical music tradition in India. us this luxury. Under such a conducive environment, says Osman Yarullin, viola player and teacher at the Othe inclusion of Indian musicians in the orchestra?” “If Intense work began in the direction and the SOI the system always delivers results.” academy. Nisha Karnavat, who has been learning the they pass my test,” replied the violin virtuoso with whom Music Academy was established in 2012 to nurture The numerous awards the students of the SOI violin under him, finished third in her category. “They Mr. Suntook co-founded the Symphony Orchestra of young talent in classical music through the stringent Music Academy have consistently won in international are very talented and they are only growing from year

18 • February 2021 NCPA NCPA February 2021 • 19 Nisha Karnavat (top row, right) in performance to year,” Yarullin speaks fondly of the students. While children between the ages of six and twelve “My focus has been can apply to the academy, Bisengalieva points out a Sangeeta Jokhakar worthy exception. “Tanvi came to me four years ago on quality, ensuring Gulzara Shakir with at the age of 13. Her interest in joining us was kindled student when she attended a concert by the students of our that each teacher has academy. Although she was older than the usual age no more than five of entry, we bent the rules after seeing the seriousness of purpose in her eyes and manner. I am happy to say students under him/ that her improvement by leaps and bounds during these four years has justified our decision to accept her so that sufficient her.” Tanvi Chakravarty finished third in Category 5 in the Newport competition and won the second prize time can be devoted to Vivaan Verma in an important competition held last year in Dubai. Samvir Sujan, another of Bisengalieva’s pupils, has every individual, and been studying with her for the last five years and has a “genuine feel for the piano”. He finished third in it is wonderful that Category 3. Khushroo allows us Violinist and teacher Gulzara Shakir recalls Sangeeta Jokhakar’s journey at the academy, who placed second this luxury” in the competition. “She joined us after a gap following her training in the Suzuki method and was facing a challenge of stiff hands but she soon transformed students, found it easier to adapt to the virtual into a leading student who amazes me with her classroom. “He is a small boy, a beginner with no Aliza Jetha fearlessness on stage.” Sumer Murthy’s progress previous experience of participating in competitions. at the academy and success in the competition— But his smooth transition to online learning played a he finished second in his category for violin—is an role in his success in the competition where he won example in what industriousness and discipline can the second prize,” she points out. Olga Lyapina with students Maira Noor yield. “Sumer has been with us since 2014 and will Olga Lyapina, violinist and teacher at the academy, Singh (left) and Nyra Jain graduate this year. He never misses his classes, has cites another unforeseen advantage of online an excellent memory, is very well organised and as a lessons. “Earlier, the students would have live piano Sumer Murthy result, has progressed rapidly,” says Shakir. as accompaniment during rehearsals. But with that Nisha Nothing compares with tactile one-on-one not possible anymore, they play to piano recordings Ramakrishnan teaching and coming together to rehearse and and for that they are learning to listen more carefully.” Tanvi Chakravarty Osman Yarullin at perform as the SOI Academy Orchestra, but the Lyapina’s students, Nyra Jain and Maira Noor Singh, a rehearsal virtual lessons that the academy made a swift shift to whom she has taught as little kids and seen them early on during the lockdown have paved the way for blossom into budding violinists, placed second and inventive ways of teaching with no compromise on third respectively in the competition. Yulia Gallyamova the number of lessons per week. In fact, if at all, the has been teaching Naima Ramakrishnan to play the duration of classes has only increased, Bisengaliev cello since she was seven and a half years old. Never observes. Vivaan Verma, one of Shakir’s younger one to shy away from putting in hours of practice, she

Mr. Suntook with the students and teachers of the SOI Music Academy

Aida Bisengalieva with students Samvir Sujan and Nyla Bajaj on the extreme right

Naima Ramakrishnan

Naima Ramakrishnan performs as a soloist with her teacher Yulia Gallyamova (extreme right) in the chamber orchestra

NCPA February 2021 • 21 won the second prize in the competition. Gallyamova schools. While most schools aim at nurturing soloists, enumerates another interesting advantage of the online the academy also looks at students from the point of set-up. “Because the students need to video-record view of an ensemble. themselves playing, Naima was able to see herself At the moment, it is not easy for the teachers to tell perform which provided an important perspective.” which of their students would forge a career in music. The video recording that both Gallyamova and Lyapina They, of course, have many more years of learning ahead mention, and which may take hours, is often executed of them and as Lyapina puts it, “This is a profession by parents who are an integral part of the learning where you never stop practising.” But whether or not process. Their support and understanding goes a long they choose to become professional musicians, one way in ensuring that children practise every day while thing is certain. “They have a solid foundation on which juggling their schoolwork and that they are able to they can build a career if they so wish, or teach, or even dedicate the kind of time the academy demands of the just pursue music as a hobby. It is also certain that music students. It is for this reason, explains Bisengaliev, that will enrich their lives emotionally and spiritually in ways when children audition for the academy, the parents that nothing else can,” says Bisengalieva. Gallyamova are interviewed as well. This sense of commitment hopes the students join an orchestra and if they do, can be witnessed during examinations at the academy this is what she has to say as a cellist in the Symphony when parents wait anxiously in the Little Theatre foyer Orchestra of India. “There is never a dull moment in as their budding musicians play “The Buccaneer” the life of an orchestral player, which involves meeting or Goltermann Capriccio. The family project that an new musicians and playing under the baton of new education in music can be, unfolds through another conductors. I am really lucky to be able to do work that interesting story at the academy. Naima’s twin sister I love every day.” Nisha is learning the piano while their older sister Aaliya Given the family-like atmosphere in which students is learning to play the violin. Nisha won the third prize in learn, it is not that difficult to tell though that many of the competition. them are considering the prospects of being a part of the SOI, Bisengaliev mentions. “Our investment is The way forward paying off. At last, Mumbai will have an ensemble on Success in competitions is only one example of the a par with European ensembles,” says Mr. Suntook. assiduity of all involved in the SOI Music Academy. “I Looking at the shape of things to come, the story of am particularly proud of the students’ orchestra and the formation of the Symphony Orchestra of India the precision they have achieved,” says Bisengaliev. then would not just be that of it being India’s first “It is gratifying to see their level of playing when they professional orchestra but also one that created a perform alongside the SOI,” Mr. Suntook concurs. system to hone young artistes and provide a platform Bisengaliev points out that the academy encourages to them, paving the way for nurturing the Western a higher number of rehearsals than many other music classical music tradition in India.

The winners

STRINGS Violin Category 1 Sangeeta Jokhakar - 2nd place (Teacher: Violin Gulzara Shakir) Vivaan Verma - 2nd place (Teacher: Gulzara Shakir) Nyra Jain - 2nd place (Teacher: Olga Lyapina) Maira Noor Singh - 3rd place (Teacher: Olga Lyapina) Category 3 Violin PIANO Sumer Murthy - 2nd place (Teacher: Gulzara Shakir) Category 3* Nisha Karnavat - 3rd place (Teacher: Osman Yarullin) Nyla Bajaj - 3rd place Samvir Sujan - 3rd place Category 4 Cello Category 4 Naima Ramakrishnan - 2nd place (Teacher: Nisha Ramakrishnan - 3rd place Yulia Gallyamova) Category 5 Viola Tanvi Chakravarty - 3rd place Aliza Jetha - 1st place (Teacher: Osman Yarullin) *All students taught by Aida Bisengalieva

22 • February 2021 NCPA

CELEBRATION

ll shows this evening onwards have mandate was out—theatres had to be shut. The been cancelled,” said the security dreaded virus that had been restricted to the news guard at the NCPA as we wrapped had burst out, mingling into the salty Mumbai air. “ up after a matinee performance That day, when we walked out through the wrought ETERNALETERNAL EPISTLESEPISTLES and trooped out. Messages had iron gates of the NCPA, it had not occurred to us that It is not an exaggeration to say that the year gone by was challenging in unprecedented ways. been coming in for the past couple this lockdown on performances was not going to Especially when it came to relationships. More so, when it came to romantic ones. As the Aof hours. Will the weekend shows at other theatres be a matter of weeks or even months. That it would run? Will they be cancelled? The show must go on, almost be a year before the gates would be wheeled NCPA cautiously begins programming across genres this month, the third edition of Letters of Love by Readings in the Shed brings together a collection of much-needed stories of real-world some muttered in defiance, or perhaps desperation. back open to players and audience. But, considering love that defied the odds in inspiring ways. But it was not to be. Within a few hours, the official the upheaval that the world has undergone, we have to pinch ourselves to believe that we are gearing up By Himali Kothari to be back on the stage at the NCPA—back with the third edition of Letters of Love. The pursuit of love Is it fate? Is it serendipity? Have the stars of star- crossed lovers from eternity conspired to make it happen? Or is it the power of love that multiple quotes proclaim as something indisputable? But why tempt providence with these questions? The sanitised seats await their occupants. The stage is set. And the players are in the wings, on cue to burst on to the stage. The 2021 edition of Letters of Love by Readings in the Shed brings into the limelight real-life love stories that fought to defy the odds in the pursuit of a forever after. Some made it. Some changed direction. Some stumbled and fell by the wayside. Irrespective, love was victorious as each couple spun their unique love story, one that had remained unheard. The stories that we bring to the NCPA Experimental Theatre on 14th February are not ones born out of the folds and crevices of the writers’ imagination, they played out for real in the eras gone by. The lovers are characters you will recognise. Personalities acknowledged and awarded for their contribution to literature, science, art or society. Names famed for their knowledge, aptitude and genius. But when it came to love, they were brought to their knees. They were rendered vulnerable and even foolish, much like you and I.

Personalities acknowledged and awarded for their contribution to literature, science, art or society were brought to their knees when it came to love THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART, NEW YORK, GIFT OF LINCOLN KIRSTEIN, 1959

‘Love Letter (Kesobumi)’ by Kajita Hanko NCPA February 2021 • 25 And they wrote to each other right till the very end. We discovered that language and distance was no obstacle where true love was concerned. Argentinian writer Victoria Ocampo was a young girl when she read Tagore’s Gitanjali in its Spanish translation. It was a true fangirl moment for her to meet him in Buenos Aires and as fate would have it, they ended up spending many weeks together. But that was it. The rest of their love story unfurled through letters and poetic dedications. Then there was Simone de Beauvoir and Jean- Paul Sartre. Together and apart. Friends. Lovers. In relationships with others. Companions to each other. In life, neither defined their equation. But when Beauvoir died, she was buried in the same tomb as Sartre, and all questions were laid to rest in peace. And then there was physicist Richard Feynman. His belief that science could solve every problem

The love stories that we discovered were just the tip of the cascading pile of amorous communication that had been conserved over decades, centuries even

had earned him the moniker, The Great Explainer. He married his college sweetheart while she was suffering from a terminal disease. And 500 days after she died, he wrote a final letter to her. Why? He could not explain it either. And perhaps that is why he ended the letter with these words: P.S. Please excuse my not mailing this—but I don’t know your Lost and found Darling, I have quite lost my heart. In the end though, communication between us is cut off. Did it reach new address. In the first edition of Letters of Love in 2019, we when Woolf killed herself, she professed her love to him? Did he read it before he was shot dead by a The third edition of Letters of Love is a special one. brought to you Albert Einstein, the genius whose the one true love of her life who had stood by her sniper as he guarded the Allied borders? Vera would It comes on the back of a time that we are struggling brain was preserved for scientific research. A corner side through her illness and her multiple affairs. In her never know. to make sense of. Ever so often, we stop in our of that brain, though, which derived E = mc2, also last letter, she wrote to her husband: I don’t think two tracks, look back at the months that have rolled past coined this saucy verse to a girlfriend: people could have been happier than we have been. Letters of note and ask ourselves, is this for real? We have been Oh my! That Johnnie boy! As we dug deeper for more love stories, one that The love stories that we had discovered through the struggling to make sense of concepts that are alien So crazy with desire, moved us most was a relatively unknown couple. letters of the protagonists in 2019 were just the tip to us. This is the time when we need to believe in While thinking of his Dollie, Theirs was a story that met a fate similar to others of the cascading pile of amorous communication the good power of the unknown. And what could His pillow catches fire. of that time, the time of the First World War. In love conserved over decades, centuries even. Men and be more unknown than love? As, Margaret Atwood Then there was Virginia Woolf and Vita Sackville- and engaged, Vera and Roland were waiting for the women had professed their love through letters says, in her poem ‘Variations on the Word Love’: This West. Both writers were married, but that could not end of the war to start a life together. But it was transported by carrier pigeons, telegrams, poetry, word is not enough, but it will have to do… stop the strings of attraction that pulled the women not to be. Vera started her last letter to Roland with songs and more. to each other. After her first meeting with Woolf, this line: I am sending this in case it should have We discovered that songwriter Leonard Cohen Himali Kothari is Creative Editor, Readings in the Sackville-West confessed in a letter to her husband: a chance of reaching you as a last word before all serenaded the love of his life through his songs Shed. Chapter XXI: Letters of Love will be presented

much after they decided to go their separate ways. on 14th February at the Experimental Theatre.

26 • February 2021 NCPA NCPA February 2021 • 27 HARMONY AA DELICATEDELICATE IDIOMIDIOM Dhrupad, considered to be among the most ancient styles of Hindustani classical music, has remained unchanged and true to its original form over the centuries. The nature of dhrupad music is spiritual—seeking not to entertain, but to induce feelings of peace and contemplation in the listener. We try to uncover its history and the reason behind its dwindling popularity. By Meena Banerjee

hrupad is widely accepted as verses or composition to the accompaniment of one of the most ancient styles of pakhavaj). Each of these two separate presentations Hindustani classical music. Some sported four segments: udagraha, melapak, dhruva scholars say it has its roots in the and sanchari. These are now known as sthayi, antara, Samaveda (1500-1000 BC) when sanchari and abhog. There were alap specialists two streams of music prevailed: and there were musicians who would sing the Dparamparik (traditional) and laukik (worldly, chatushpadi (string of four padas) compositions common). As a mode of sadhana, the former with only a few ascribed ornamentations. Gradually, aimed at adrishta phal (unseen divine results) of the alap and composition singing became an Gandharva Vidya or celestial arts. Laukik music integral part of a total dhrupad rendition. During had entertainment as its obvious drishta phal or this journey, dhrupad had entered Mughul royal finite result. Music historians believe that dhrupad courts and the padas now sang praises of the rulers was at its peak during the reign of Raja Mansingh and ventured to entertain, like any other laukik form Tomar of Gwalior (1486-1516). Later, it was widely of music. disseminated by Swami Haridas, Miyan Tansen and Despite all of this, in all traditional Indian creative his descendants belonging to the Senia gharana. endeavours, there has been a hidden agenda, which is to transform its practitioner as well as its An intricate evolution consumer. The Indian tradition of learning always Though the basic nature of dhrupad remained vacillated between an allegorical form and its spiritual—seeking not to entertain, but to induce abstract formlessness. This philosophy believed feelings of peace and contemplation in the listener— that finite forms are meant to rise above their its journey from temples to royal courts brought confines to be able to merge with the infinite. This about considerable changes in its original form. enabled scholars to interpret words, even syllables The word is probably derived from dhruvapada, with their intrinsic tone, according to their individual a word that conjoins dhruva (static like the Pole perception and proficiency. That is how dhrupad Star) and pada (verse). According to Bharata’s baanees came to the fore. Apparently, this concept Natyashastra, dhruva was a musical composition of baanees existed even before Tansen. Later, used in dramas. It also refers to the refrain of a several gharanas emerged that remained focused song, like Jayadeva’s ashtapadis. Dhruva is also on one or two or all four baanees. One such school known as one of the several varieties of prabandha, is the Bettiah gharana, in which the beauty of all or well-bound compositions, which had a linear four baanees plays a major role. flow like a novel. Although prabandha is believed to be the precursor of dhruvapada, the linear flow Sadhana and sahitya transformed into cyclical movement around sam Dhrupad, with all its richness, is carefully nurtured (the first beat of the tala). under the Citi Support to Gurus programme of Inspired by the ancient musical forms of Ragalapti the NCPA. The gurus, Falguni Mitra (Kolkata) and Rupakalapti, dhruvapada had two segments: and Uday Bhawalkar (Pune), impart training to alap (raga elaboration) and pada (delineation of three disciples each. According to Mitra, who THE CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF ART, ANDREW R. AND MARTHA HOLDEN JENNINGS FUND 1971.76 It is believed that the golden age of dhrupad continued in the reign of Akbar, shown here on the throne in Painting 126 from Akbar-nama of Abu’l Fazl (c. 1602-3), attributed to Dharam Das, completed a few years before the emperor’s death hails from the Bettiah gharana but follows the Mastering dhrupad alapchari of Nasiruddin Khan Dagar, the basics of all Bhawalkar’s teaching methodology focuses on key Hindustani classical genres are the same. “I am very phrases of ragas, set patterns of syllables and note particular regarding natural voice-throw. Proper combinations, specific use of glides (meend, lahar) modulation is needed for effective low and upper and oscillation (andolan, gamak). All this systemises registers but should be free of falsetto. On certain days, the herculean task of raga elaboration in sampoorna if I am not able to go beyond upper rishabh, I control alap which, according to him, is aesthetically the and edit the elaboration accordingly. Compared to most challenging part of dhrupad singing. Unlike khayal, dhrupad is more constrained whereas its raga Mitra, he sings dwipadi compositions (having sthayi delineation, based on Merukhand patterns, is much and antara only). more detailed and intricate,” he says. But both Mitra and Bhawalkar agree that the A repository of numerous dhrupad compositions alap part of dhrupad singing, replete with sthaayi, with four segments (sthaayi, antara, sanchari antrara, sanchari and abhog, and in varied tempi, is and abhog), Mitra lays great emphasis on lyrics. almost intangible and, therefore, takes more time “Sahitya is very important,” to master. “One cannot write any he reiterates, “I make my static form, because nothing is students recite the verses premeditated,” says Bhawalkar. before singing. This, I feel, “Everything is innovative. It, helps them understand the therefore, needs more time to emotions of the composer. A pleasant voice be absorbed. Our pada-singing Innumerable compositions too is upaj-based wherein the display countless varieties of is the“ most intrinsic moods of the lyrics mood apart from illuminating reign supreme.’ the raga’s character. The important tool The masters also agree that grammatical exercise of for dhrupad dhrupad can have different rhythmic variations in subjects: spiritual, seasonal, the form of dugun, tigun, singing nature-based, raja-stuti, etc. etc. come as components Dhamar is essentially based on that help to create the because you Holi, the season of colours and sentiment or rasa. Unless are expected to its gaiety. Dhamar is a form and this is achieved, the rhythm- tala as well, and its sentiment play cannot rise to the level wade through is zestful. That is why this form of musicality. Besides, all is also known as Hori-dhamar. compositions do not allow the sea of It offers lots of merriment and rhythmic divisions (baant) melody with allows free layakari. Not so either. Layakari needs very in dhrupad. It is perhaps this careful handling because the help of the solemn nature of the vocal raga Bilaskhani cannot be style, sung with limited musical treated like Kafi or Pilu. One tanpura and accompaniments and with has to honour the sentiment your voice only” little room for ornamentation, of the raga.” which draws fewer practitioners These sentiments are also to learn and pursue dhrupad shared by Bhawalkar, the today—a situation the NCPA is popular exponent of Dagar working towards changing. As gharana. However, for him, compared to other genres, a a pleasant voice is the most important tool for higher age limit has been set for applicants aiming dhrupad singing, “because you are expected to to pursue training in dhrupad under the NCPA- wade through the sea of melody with the help ”of Citi Scholarship scheme in order to encourage the tanpura and your voice only,” he cautions. “As more artistes to take it up. That these efforts have such, early morning kharaj sadhana is perennial. been made in the right direction and that this rich, This simple exercise has many far-reaching effects. primordial, almost medidative form of musical All said and done, dhrupad is a very solemn style expression will always have its share of practitioners of gayaki. It demands deep introspection of swaras will find vindication in a concert this month. As which is facilitated by deep concentration. Kharaj Krushna Salunke and Aparajita Chakraborty take sadhana gives this ekaagrata. It also enhances breath the stage under the Citi-NCPA Promising Artiste control and weight of the voice. Regular practice Series, the Experimental Theatre will reverberate of mandra helps in upper reaches. Moreover, one with the rhythmic beats of the pakhavaj and soulful learns to see between the notes as well. Gradually, dhrupad renditions in the first Hindustani classical one understands the delicate difference between music concert at the NCPA after ten months of the gandhaars of Bageshri and Abhogi.” pandemic-induced silence.

EXPRESSION DivinityDivinity RetoldRetold As part of a series on artistes’ reflections on dance productions they have presented at the NCPA, Ananda Shankar Jayant discusses the innate passion that inspired the critically acclaimed Tales from the Bull and the Tiger.

ndian dancers have Him in their heart, seek scripts from Sanskrit and Tamil writings was a long His blessings, and will ascend the stage one. Equally long discussions with my musician— only if He is alongside. We place Him at the Sathiraju Venumadhav—ensued. core of our being, seeking His benediction, The question foremost in my mind was: what in life and in dance. His blessings have stories would Nandi and Simha choose to tell? written the script of five The story of the celestial wedding decades of my life in dance of Shiva and Parvati? The poetic and the four decades descriptions of their exquisite of Shankarananda Kalakshetra— I spent almost physical form—their saguna rupam through 25 path-breaking dance two years or will we see their esoteric form— Iproductions,I dancing across five their ? Will they talk nirguna rupam continents, and training a multitude reading books of Her as the Mother Goddess, the of students. My years of yearning Divine Feminine, as She resides in to encapsulate Him in a dance on Shiva after the Sri Chakra, or will they eulogise production led to Tales from the Bull His linga rupam—the esoteric, and the Tiger—Nandi and Simha, the which, I was able formless form that quelled the Bull and the Tiger, vahanas of Shiva to decide the arrogance and ignorance of even and Parvati, telling us tales about Him Brahma and Vishnu? Will they and Her. That is how an idea began stories I wanted take us to Kailasa and watch the to take shape. universe dance with Him? to showcase Eventually, a carefully selected In preparation collection of poetry and music, Centuries of philosophy, poetry and from the plethora of Sanskrit and music, in almost every Indian language, have sought Tamil writings and compositions on Shiva, began to to capture a glimpse of Shiva and Parvati. I spent form the spine of Tales from the Bull and the Tiger, almost two years reading books on Shiva after with a musical soundscape by Venumadhav, while which, I was able to decide the stories I wanted to weaving the production together were jathis by I.V. showcase. The process of selecting appropriate Renuka Prasad.

32 • February 2021 NCPA NCPA January 2020 • 51 to read, it was most heartening to hear from young audience members. A young student, after watching the premiere in 2018, wrote to us saying: As an aspiring dancer, I was mind-blown by the masterful strategy that went into conceptualising this production, moved by the performance, and hope to develop such a depth of thought and attention to detail as I grow. Meanwhile, I hope to have the opportunity to experience the magic you create on stage again and again. Through the idiom of poetry, verse, melody, through the rhythm of timeless music and through the In action costumes. The material was from Telangana—Andhra architectonic beauty and grammar of Bharatanatyam With the scratch music coming in, we began weaves from Narayanpet, Uppada, Pochampalli, and Kuchipudi, Tales from the Bull and the Tiger choreography and daily rehearsals in April, right up Gadwal, etc. We also had specially designed jewellery brought together sacred and esoteric symbology, till the premiere on 4th August 2018. We brought by Deepa Krishnamachari, with the rudraksh as the festivity and fervour, while weaving strands through in interesting layers to introduce the characters—a central motif. To make the connection between an ancient cultural inheritance. That we were able to crisp Mayura Alarippu, with peacocks scenes, we had succinct English convey the grandeur of this mythical world on stage awaiting Shanmukha, Mushika narration by Jayant Dwarkanath was, perhaps, a blessing from Him and Her. dancing with Ganesha and that achieved this aim in a specially created movements We brought in simple yet modern way. The for Nandi and Simha to bring out a crisp Mayura production was performed their unique characteristics. We by a vibrant ensemble cast of repositioned the Ardhanariswara Alarippu, with 23 dancers, with the brilliant stotram, having Shiva and Parvati Mithun Shyam, from Bengaluru, describe each other in an elaborate peacocks awaiting as guest artiste in the lead dance scene and abstracting the along with me. presentation of the nirguna rupam. Shanmukha, I imagined the last scene as the Mushika dancing In performance universe dancing with Shiva, and Tales from the Bull and the Tiger that eventually became one of the with Ganesha and travelled across India, from the most loved scenes. Through it all, NCPA to Chennai, Bengaluru, we maintained the storytelling and specially created Delhi, Raipur, etc., receiving the dynamic of the divine family, standing ovations for the way with little vignettes of everyday movements in which primordial stories were family life. I was keen to use digital for Nandi and brought to life through the design and cutting-edge lights, as idiom of dance. A performance they can embellish a production Simha, to bring in Malaysia has been put on hold in a controlled manner. Lights by due to the ongoing pandemic. Gyandev Singh and digital design out their unique We are all eagerly waiting to be by Gunjan Ashtaputre added back at rehearsals, and present the much-needed subtle visual characteristics our productions again. elements, and took the viewer into a Dance scholar and critic, the bhakti-laden world. late Sunil Kothari, called it a ‘riveting production’. For costume design, I went to my favourite designer, The Hans India called it ‘visually stunning’. While Ganesh Nallari, who created the most beautiful rave reviews from renowned scholars were great

34 • February 2021 NCPA NCPA February 2021 • 35 Smooth Operators February 2021 NCPA •February 36 MELODY between, the more commercial forms of crossover, jazz—smooth and forms others—need to among be commercial the more between, given their due for bringing a wider audience to a form that was slowly going out of vogue. slowly going to that aform was out of vogue. audience awider their for due bringing given Denounced by puritans, loved by novitiates and treated with indifference by everyone in in everyone by with treated indifference and novitiates by loved puritans, by Denounced BY NARENDRA KUSNUR BY NARENDRA George Benson

ROBBIE DREXHAGE/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS Touch album 1975 Klemmer’s John saxophonist was jazz smooth involving project successful first The labels. ofrecord moods the on depending interchanged, be would names these Sometimes, music. even world or music, dance and funk soul, like styles other included and diverse, more was jazz Crossover ofR&B. addition the had jazz smooth whereas jazz, and ofpop mix a essentially was pop-jazz theory, to one According differences. some cited musicologists genre, similar a implied loosely monikers three all trendy. Though became later, jazz’ and ‘crossover used, was jazz’ ‘pop- term the Alternately, here. lie jazz’ of ‘smooth jazz instruments. with played tunes pop wanted they Basically, nature. in ear-friendlysomething more melodious, relaxing and with up to was come idea the provided, fusion rock jazz- the that improvisation and virtuosity energy, the of Instead accessible. more jazz to make ideas with toying began musicians Soon, seat. aback took jazz and in setting was movement disco The (R&B). blues and rhythm and soul to pop, listening were people more 70s, spearheaded this sound. To Return and Forever Report Weather groups the and Coryell and violinist John McLaughlin, Ponty Jean-Luc like trumpeter-bandleader Miles Davis, guitarists Larry artistes and jazz, and rock fusing was step by first The T Though this style did not have a name, the roots roots the have aname, not did style this Though mid- the By though. enough, not was fusion Jazz-rock , featuring pianist Dave Grusin and guitarist Larry Larry guitarist and Dave Grusin pianist , featuring Grover Washington, Jr. Washington, Grover made to attract more listeners to the genre. genre. to the listeners more to attract made being were efforts and down, slowed had ago, a decade till popular was which Jazz, taste. public international dominated pop and rock and swing, full in were 1970s he Chuck Mangione Spyro Gyra film film the in used itwas after followers music dance attracted even Broadway’ of ‘On version Benson’s 1979, in and hits, huge were Russell, by Leon penned Masquerade’, ‘This and Womack, by Bobby written track, title The charts. album jazz and R&B pop, Billboard the topped Breezin’ record well-received the released Benson George year, guitarist following The Carlton. flugelhorn player Chuck Mangione, who had huge hits hits huge had who Mangione, Chuck player flugelhorn American was itforward took who person one Benson, Besides bop. hard and bebop like styles jazz earlier of nuances into the ofgetting instead of relaxation, aform as to music to listen wanted that audience invented. been not had terms these when atime at existed they jazz, crossover of requirements the fit they even though But sound. to amass-friendly create funk and jazz blended who Sample, Joe by pianist led Crusaders, Jazz the also were There own right. their in standards pop become had ‘Desafinado’, and ‘Corcovado’ From Ipanema’, Girl ‘The including Jobim, Carlos ofAntônio compositions The Byrd. Charlie guitarist and Getz Stan saxophonist even attracted which mid-1960s, the in jazz and music jazz. to simplify attempts ofearlier talked suddenly musicologists artistes, pioneering as credited were commercially viable. And though Klemmer and Benson it to make and ofjazz, reach the to widen two-fold: was effort the jazz, crossover or jazz smooth pop-jazz, was it Whether takers. many had form this bland, too being for flak attracted later Kenny G. saxophonist Though Hits galore Pop, smooth and crossover jazz had a specific aspecific had jazz crossover and smooth Pop, nova bossa of Brazilian amalgam the was example One All That Jazz That All . Al Jarreau NCPA Kenny G Kenny February 2021 •37 February , which , which

MARINA CHAVEZ (JARREAU); ANTHONY BARBOZA/GETTY IMAGES (WASHINGTON, JR.); JOHAN BROBERG/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS (SPYRO GYRA); SHUTTERSTOCK (KENNY G) like ‘Feels So Good’ in 1977 and ‘Children Of Sanchez’ Hate and love the following year. Guitarists Lee Ritenour and Earl Klugh, pianists George American group Spyro Gyra came up with a massive Duke and David Benoit, the groups Yellowjackets and hit in the 1979 album Morning Dance. The title track had Fourplay, and young trumpeter Candy Duffer were a catchy tune, which was simple and romantic. In an prominent in the 1990s. In the early 2000s, Parisian interview to this writer on his 2003 visit to Mumbai, the musician Ludovic Navarre (aka St Germain) broadened group’s saxophonist and co-founder Jay Beckenstein the concept of crossover jazz by blending modern jazz said, “We were aware of others blending pop melodies with house music. with jazz flavours, but we didn’t make a conscious effort There were the staunch critics too. Over the years, to do that. We just had this basic alto saxophone tune, Kenny G. sold a massive number of records, and his 1992 and played some keyboards, marimbas, congas and album Breathless crossed a whopping 15 million units. steel drums around that. The tune clicked, and became However, many people felt what he created was not jazz a must at all our shows.” Needless to say, the band’s but drab elevator music. Guitarist Pat Metheny’s tirade show at the St. Andrew’s Auditorium, Mumbai, that year against the saxophonist, saying he produced the worst was a huge success. music in human history, went viral. Some described the genre as “jazz... but with less jazz.” Crossing over Defenders of smooth jazz say it actually introduced By the early 1980s, many jazz musicians had switched them to the more serious artistes. As Dey points out, “I to this route, and the term smooth jazz was used started with Mangione, Washington, Jr. and the like. But more often. The popular names it was because of them that I got included saxophonists Grover into Miles Davis, Charlie Parker Washington, Jr. and David Defenders of and Thelonious Monk.” Adds Sanborn, trumpeter Herp Albert Churamani, “I think smooth jazz is and pianist Bob James. Though smooth jazz say a good starting point for anyone. singers-songwriters Sade Adu I know many people who found and Anita Baker sang a variety the genre actually the legendary 1950s artistes too of styles, they used smooth jazz introduced them complex, but the moment we influences regularly. played Benson or Washington, Vocalist Al Jarreau was also to the more they related to the sound.” considered to be a crossover Though the smooth jazz wave jazz superstar, and his 1981 album serious artistes died down after the 1990s, it Breakin’ Away seamlessly blended continued on a smaller scale jazz, pop and R&B. He was called like Miles Davis, even later. Many labels released the Acrobat of Scat (a vocal style compilations of dinner jazz, involving recitation of nonsensical Charlie Parker and lounge jazz and chill-out jazz, syllables), and on some songs, catering to the same audience even used gospel, funk and world Thelonius Monk segment. Today, streaming music instruments. In an interview platforms contain many with this writer on his 2005 visit to Mumbai, Jarreau compilations, though most artistes are unknown. For said, “I just sing what’s written in the composition. It’s those who want to foray into this territory, that may be a for the audience to worry about the ingredients.” smooth beginning. As they say, it is never too late. Though these artistes did well abroad, their popularity in India depended on the local availability of vinyl records, or pre-recorded cassettes picked up on foreign visits. Says audiophile Shantanu Dey, “I got into some ESSENTIAL SMOOTH of these artistes when I was in my early 20s. In those days, LPs of George Benson and Chuck Mangione were JAZZ ALBUMS easily available in India. I remember many people had 1. Touch by John Klemmer on saxophone, 1975 Mangione’s album Love Notes in their collection.” 2. Breezin’ by George Benson on guitar, 1976 When pre-recorded cassettes became popular, 3. Feels So Good by Chuck Mangione on one could access more smooth jazz and crossover flugelhorn, electric piano, 1977 jazz. Atul Churamani, managing director of Turnkey 4. Morning Dance by Spyro Gyra, 1979 Music & Publishing, talks about his days with CBS and 5. Winelight by Grover Washington, Jr. on Magnasound. He recalls: “It was very expensive to get saxophone, 1980 the master recordings of big jazz names like Wynton 6. Breakin’ Away by Al Jarreau on vocals, 1981 Marsalis. But at CBS, we released smooth jazz albums 7. Double Vision by Bob James on piano, David like Strawberry Moon by Grover Washington, Jr. and Sanborn on saxophone, 1986 the response was pretty good. At Magnasound, 8. Spellbound by Joe Sample on piano, 1989 the albums Double Vision by Bob James and David 9. Fourplay by Fourplay, 1991 Sanborn and Spellbound by Joe Sample sold well. 10. Breathless by Kenny G. on saxophone, 1992 We sold them like any other pop album.”

38 • February 2021 NCPA Culture Digest Kaleidoscope Your window to the latest in the performing arts across India and the world.

comes to life. This year’s theme, Bilya (meaning ‘river’ in Nyungar, a language of the Aboriginal Australian peoples) honours the Noongar people who, the festival reiterates, remain the spiritual and cultural custodians of the country. The 2021 programme includes 18 world premieres and 44 Festival commissions in theatre, dance, literature, music and visual arts. The longest-running arts festival in Australia, the Perth Festival 2021 will be held from 5th to 28th February. For more information, visit www.perthfestival.com.au Premiere league While the 2020/21 season of the Vienna State Opera, easily one of the world’s A winter celebration insurmountable impasse between leading opera houses, was punctuated In recent years, Copenhagen has come to climate change sceptics and believers. multiple times due to the ongoing be known as the unofficial jazz capital of By showcasing art based on this pandemic, this month will finally the world thanks to a young enthusiastic theme on a large scale, the hope is see the venue light up with planned audience and serious government that it will open dialogue in a way performances of operas, ballets and investment that has led to the that protests and debates perhaps concerts every single day. The 2020/21 tremendous success of the Copenhagen do not. For more information, visit season has been a hotly anticipated Jazz Festival and Winter Jazz. These www.taipeibiennial.org festivals, organised to celebrate jazz and ‘create an environment where jazz A river runs through it can develop and live all year round’, is As Australia nears the end of summer a commitment vital to the survival of each year, the city of Perth becomes an ever-evolving form. The 21st edition an artistic hotspot when one of the of Winter Jazz—the only nationwide country’s most important multi-arts festival of its kind that includes events, the 67-year-old Perth Festival, hundreds of concerts over several weeks—will include performances by Clarissa Connelly, Oilly Wallace, Jesper Thilo, among many others. For more information, visit www.jazz.dk one, for it promised ten premieres Worlds apart of groundbreaking productions Every two years since its first edition from the best names in the world of in 1998, the Taipei Biennial has opera to be released between September consistently showcased diverse 2020 and June 2021. February will perspectives from contemporary Asian see the premiere of Georges Bizet’s and global art. The current edition’s Carmen, a story brimming with theme—You and I don’t live on the violence, passion, love and same planet—highlights the deep misunderstandings. For the inaugural division in our world on the question performance, to be conducted by Andrés of ecology. Curators Bruno Latour Orozco-Estrada, mezzo-soprano Anita and Martin Guinard point out how ‘it Rachvelishvili will embody the role of is clear that Donald Trump and Greta Carmen for the first time at the Vienna Thunberg don’t live on the same planet.’ State Opera. For more information, visit This divide, instead of bringing the www.wiener-staatsoper.at/en world together, has created a seemingly - Vipasha Aloukik Pai KRISTOFFER JUEL POULSEN (WINTER JAZZ); COURTESY OF CUI JIE AND PILAR CORRIAS GALLERY, LONDONWUNDERMAN (TAIPEI BIENNIAL); THOMPSON FRANCES (PERTH FESTIVAL); ANDRIJICH WIENTOURISMUS/CHRISTIAN AND STEMPER (VIENNA OPERA) STATE

NCPA February 2021 • 39 IN MEMORIAM

Here and right: At a lecture in the Tata Foyer at A Life in Dance the 2018 edition of Nakshatra Dance Festival In a year that took away several stalwarts from the world of the performing arts, the dance fraternity suffered an irreparable loss in the passing of Sunil Kothari. Swapnokalpa Dasgupta, Head–Programming (Dance) at the NCPA, remembers the renowned scholar, dance historian and a true lover of the art form.

t is somewhat overwhelming to write about Time and again, he would join us for our dance festivals someone like Sunil bhai, as renowned scholar and at the NCPA and invite and encourage his long-time dance historian Sunil Kothari was fondly called. Be friends to watch our presentations too. He would always it constantly travelling from this part of the globe advise me to keep searching for new talent and to be Ito the other or his eloquent words that traversed open to all styles and forms of dance—an ethos that far and wide, Sunil bhai was unstoppable. I first met him reflects in his books on nearly all Indian classical dance years ago at the NCPA. A slim and extremely agile Dr. forms as well as biographies, essays and the various Kothari walked into our office on the second floor of the articles that he wrote. A friend of all dances and dancers, Little Theatre at his characteristic brisk pace, like a gush he was one of those kind souls who would recommend of air. He started off by humbly introducing himself, like artistes for performances, awards and recognition based he always did, even though we all knew who he was— purely on their artistic excellence. At the Sattriya lec-dem conducted in the Stuart Liff Library as does the entire dance fraternity in India. Most young He would share stories of his various pursuits to in November 2013 as part of the Nakshatra Dance Festival dancers, after all, have had their introduction to Indian democratise the dance world. To receive an email from classical dance styles by reading the numerous books “Sunil Kothari from Cambodia”, or any other wondrous in our premises for the NCPA ADD ART Festival in 2019. that he has written. place his passion for dance would take him to, was a Sunil bhai was with us throughout the three days of the Sunil bhai was one of those rare personalities who had delight. He would make it a point to use his emails festival, attending nearly every dance presentation that in-depth knowledge of each dance form that he wrote as a way of introducing people from diverse dance was curated, gliding from one performance to the other, about without having been a performer of any, even as communities to one another, building new bridges in the With Dr. Jamshed Bhabha and Kumudini Lakhia ever encouraging and ever present. he had learnt many of them. His constant urge to learn process. A prolific writer, the stature of the publication In true honour of a life dedicated to dance, Sunil bhai has fascinated those around him. He would minutely observe in which his articles appeared was of little consequence He would go on to arrange lecture-demonstrations been awarded with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award a performance, take notes and on some occasions, give to Sunil bhai. He started to use Facebook to document by renowned artistes at the NCPA while several of his (1995) as well as the Sangeet Natak Akademi Ratna an impromptu commentary to all sitting around him in his travels with the firm and rare belief that it was the books were released in our venues. Puraskar (2017), the Padma Shri (2001) and the Lifetime the auditorium so that they would relish the presentation information that mattered, not the medium. About six years ago, the NCPA started conducting Achievement Award of the Dance Critics Association, better. He would often give his own example—of how Sunil bhai often spoke of his years of association with lecture-demonstrations for young children in mainstream New York (2011), to name a few. He received his PhD he, a chartered accountant, had steered his passion for the NCPA and how the family of the Jhaveri sisters schools on the eight classical dances of India. One (1977) from Maharaja Sayajirao University, Vadodara, dance towards becoming a full-time educationist and played an important role in initiating him into the world such session, I remember, was at the Byculla Municipal and DLitt (1986) from Rabindra Bharati University, critic—to drive home the message that there was no age of dance. It was a lecture-demonstration series here Secondary School. Dressed in dance costumes, my Kolkata. And as a fitting continuation of his academic to start learning about dance and no age to stop being that he witnessed which became a turning point for him fellow artistes and I were about to start when we saw accomplishments, he would encourage students to fascinated by its treasures. and after which he ultimately devoted himself to dance. Sunil bhai enter the hall. He took us by surprise. He delve deeper into their art form not just by practice had just heard about our endeavour the previous night and performance but also through research. He will be Vyjayanti Kashi after a foot painting Kuchipudi performance and there he was, early in the morning, at the school remembered by the dance fraternity for his tremendous during Mudra Dance Festival at Tata Theatre Foyer in April 2015 witnessing this session. He removed his shoes like the contribution to documentation and academic research as Sunil Kothari introduces the audience to the unique dance form children had, he clapped, he cheered and guided our in the field. He was an encyclopaedia of dance history. young audience to be keen observers. With kids seated He was instrumental in starting the School of Arts and all around him, he shared interesting information as Aesthetics at the Jawaharlal Nehru University and also they watched the performers demonstrate. At the end, taught in the Dance department of New York University he patted our backs for closely working with children, as a Fulbright Professor. He had also held the coveted telling us that this was something he would write about. Uday Shankar Chair at the Rabindra Bharati University For us artistes who were part of that session that day, in Kolkata where he taught for years. he gifted us one of our most memorable performances The octogenarian globetrotter flew out into the infinite presented in front of this renowned scholar, critic and after contracting the deadly Covid-19 in December above all, a dance lover. Through his presence that day, 2020, a few days after his birthday, leaving behind he taught us that no audience is unimportant. a world full of admirers. In every corner of the world In his last article for ON Stage, he mentions how he where the sound of ghungroos reverberates, we will find would frequently visit our current complex and this deep Dr. Kothari and we will hear his characteristic laughter At the NCPA ADD ART Festival in 2019 association continued until the very last time he set foot resonating in every round of applause for the arts.

NCPA February 2021 • 41 STAGECRAFT

from oral traditions or from storytellers like Jean de La Fontaine. Some professional theatre A large number of factories would go on to provide this kind of cutting-puppet sets, called Image companies have kept the d’Épinal, for more than a hundred years. This tradition legacy of toy theatre alive however disappeared slowly between the two World Wars, in part due to the growing popularity of and still stage traditional cinema. Spain was among the last countries where the toy theatre tradition remained alive till the 1950s. scripts or contemporary Some professional theatre companies have kept the legacy of the form alive to date and still stage plays for children and adults traditional scripts or contemporary plays for children and adults. Monty Python’s Terry Gilliam is known to have used paper theatre in their movies. We can even think of the TV set as a modern-day technical avatar of this domestic family puppet booth. Building a toy theatre at home Toy theatres are fairly simple to assemble. All you need is a corrugated cardboard or wooden box. The size can be chosen as per your requirements— anything from a tiny box to something which is the size of Toying a TV set can be used to make a toy theatre. The puppets or stick figures of course depend on the size of the box. These can be made using thick papers sheets—the kind which can support their weight and stand upright. One can also take cut-outs with Theatre from magazines to make stick figures by pasting Originally a 19th-century plaything for children, the toy theatre has enjoyed a them on sturdier paper. A little fold has to be left at sparkling, if intermittent, time in the spotlight. Its fundamental qualities—great art the bottom to ensure that the figures remain upright. and innovative storytelling—make it the perfect do-it-yourself family project that A wooden or metal stick can be stuck to these figures can be entertaining and educational in equal measure. By Frédéric Simon to make them move as per the requirements of the script. The performer has to memorise the relevant lines or just read out the story while manipulating the oy theatre, also called paper theatre and Back to the roots relevant figure to keep the narrative moving forward. model theatre, is a form of miniature Toy theatre became popular in bourgeois families All in all, a piece of cake. theatre that traces its origins back in England, France, Spain and Germany in the to the early 19th century in Europe. It early part of the 19th century, with parents Sparking creativity can be thought of as a distant cousin putting up small shows to entertain their children. Putting up a toy theatre performance is akin to of the leather puppets from Indian Initially, they simply used the silhouettes which becoming a theatre or Bollywood director. You Tshadow theatre and other shadow theatre traditions were printed on the sheets of theatrical have to find a good script that will mesmerise your waste—plastic bottles, magazines, paperboard, from Indonesia or Turkey. Toy theatres were often programmes saved as keepsakes. Soon, the editors audience, gather the best stick figures that you can packaging, etc.—in creative ways to come up with printed on paperboard sheets and sold as kits at the of these programmes started making entire sets find or assemble, and the right backdrop (a fitting attractive sets and stick figures. concession stands of opera houses, playhouses, or with the decor, the puppet-booth front, and even landscape or background made using pictures, When the curtain unfurls, you only have two tasks: vaudeville theatres. These were assembled at home figures. These were originally black and white but paintings, or collages). The more ambitious DIYers reading the script and moving the figures in tune and performed for family members and guests, shifted to colourful renditions in the beginning can also create beautiful red curtains with many with the lines. One can spend hours modulating their sometimes with live musical accompaniment. The of the 20th century. The practice usually focused folds. As is evident, this allows parents to propose voice or memorising their lines. Manipulating the form saw a decline in popularity in the late 19th on simplified versions of famous plays including many different physical and creative activities which stick figures can also develop motor skills and hand- century but has seen a resurgence in recent years the works of Shakespeare and Victor Hugo. Other can be used to keep a child engaged for a long time. eye coordination as you have to ensure that any among many puppeteers, authors and filmmakers. narrative sources included tales handed down Furthermore, you can also use a large part of your character who isn’t ‘talking’ remains still. One can

2442 • February 20212020 NCPA NCPA February 2021 • 43 Frédéric Simon conducts a toy theatre workshop

even turn their toy theatre into a full- blown production by playing with the lighting, creating a background score using mobile phones, live singing or even ambient noises (wind, sea, animals, city noises, etc.). Most of all, it offers to highlight a unique opportunity for the entire family to come wider issues. together and work on a mutual project that has no An important limits. With imagination and a bit of jugaad, toy consideration Putting up a toy theatre performance theatre productions can be very memorable. Not is the number of characters and sets in the to mention that you can record the performance on play. If one is putting up a performance alone, is akin to becoming a theatre or your phone to make a beautiful memory. then the dialogue takes precedence. On the other hand, performances involving larger Bollywood director...you have to find Engaging with complex themes groups and bigger puppet booths offer more scope Because toy theatres are easy enough to make, the for experimentation. a good script that will mesmerise performer can focus on engaging with the text or Currently, I am working on a personal project your audience the narrative that highlights the desired themes. This which involves two different puppetry techniques— can take toy theatre beyond the simplistic bounds realistic 1:2 size puppets and shadow puppets. While of a leisure activity. For example, one could use toy theatre is not relevant to the project, the story I classical Indian myths or extracts from the Ramayana am working on can be adapted to this form. In the of festivities. The man is beaten because of this The author, at the time of writing the article, was or Mahabharata to broach larger social issues. Music toy theatre version, I would like to see stick figures transgression, blames his shadow for his troubles, Executive Director of The Alliance Française of and poetry have also found a place in toy theatre. which resemble Warli drawings—the ‘set’ would be and decides to get rid of it. Having got rid of this Bombay and in charge of the cultural events in In Europe, some of the best scripts of this form the rusty red of Maharashtrian soil and the stick ‘darkness’, the man goes on to become an actor addition to administrative responsibilities. He has include classical theatrical pieces from luminaries figures would be white as paper. The setting is a living under the blinding limelight. But what becomes conducted several creative writing, theatre and like Molière, Corneille, Shakespeare and Goethe, village and the protagonist happens to be a young of his lonely shadow? Will they ever be able to puppet-making workshops over the years. This article among others. People have also played around Koli man who is fighting with his shadow as the reconcile and live together once again? Perhaps was first published in the July 2020 digital issue with fairy tales and stories from famous novels latter ‘touched’ a group of Brahmins during a night you can help me find the end of this story. (Volume 9, Issue 12) of ON Stage.

44 • February 2021 NCPA NCPA February 2021 • 45 at a glance February 2021

EventsTHEATRE INTERNATIONAL MUSIC DANCE FILMS / SCREENINGS INDIAN MUSIC WESTERN CLASSICAL MUSIC MULTI ARTS & PRESENTATIONS PHOTOGRAPHY & EXHIBITION

Day Date Time Event Venue

SOI Chamber Orchestra Wed 3rd 7.00 pm featuring Soul Yatra

The Lehman Trilogy Thu 4th 5.00 pm Theatre Screening

Mohan’s Masala Sun 7th 7.00 pm English Play

The Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess Wed 10th 5.00 pm Opera Screening Sung in English with English Subtitles

The Red Shoes Thu 11th 6.00 pm Ballet Screening

CITI - NCPA Promising Artistes Series: Fri 12th 6.30 pm Krushna Salunke (pakhawaj) Aparajita Chakraborty (dhrupad)

The Golden Years Sat 13th 7.00 pm Featuring Darren Das, Giselle Pinto & The Sixth Sense

Readings in the Shed Sun 14th 7.00 pm Chapter XXI: Letters of Love

Short Film Corner Thu 18th 7.00 pm Short Film Screenings

Shiva… Sat 20th 6.30 pm Facets of Him by Vaibhav Arekar & Sankhya Dance Company

Sun 21st 5.00 pm SOI Chamber Orchestra

Reality Check Tue 23rd 7.00 pm Documentary Film Screening

Cyrano de Bergerac Thu 25th 6.00 pm By Edmond Rostand Theatre Screening

Fri 26th 7.00 pm Yesterday Once More…

Massage Sat 27th 7.00 pm Hindi Play

46 • February 2021 NCPA