December 2020 ® ON Stagevolume 10 • issue 5 2 00 Rising2 to the challenge the year was Chairman’s Note here is an odd arrogance that pervades the so-called enlightened species, the ‘educated’ man. He always Tknows better. Surely, an insignificant bug could be crushed under the superior infrastructure he has built around him over the centuries. The lessons learned in only a mite longer than a century of the huge damage done by a mere influenza strain, the misery caused by the HIV virus, etc., seem to have been forgotten. In addition to the untold tragedy mankind suffers of its own making, whether in the Middle East, in the areas around the erstwhile Soviet Union, and in vast tracts of many continents, the fury unleashed by nature is often due to our own contempt of our environment, on which trillions of every imaginable currency have been spent, combating these horrific plagues. If only enlightened leadership in powerful countries would establish armies for peace and powerful organisations with a preventive bent rather than expensive curative solutions, a fraction spent on steps taken to avoid or at least mitigate the present situation might see some light. But then, we have to open earlier than our medical advisors deem sensible. The economy has to tumble along, no matter the price. The age-old argument that the army has to march on its stomach now applies to everything. That the Wall Street or the Sensex just made another billion is far more relevant news than the opening of an academy of fine arts. An investment in teaching the quality of values is all unimportant compared to the company which just hit the jackpot converting an important commodity into some silly fashion object. Values, please. Khushroo N. Suntook 28 NCPA Chairman Khushroo N. Suntook Editorial Director Radhakrishnan Nair Editor Snigdha Hasan Contents Consulting Editor Vipasha Aloukik Pai Editorial Co-ordinator Khushroo N. Suntook remembers reflections on dance productions Hilda Darukhanawalla the authority on opera, they have presented at the NCPA, renowned writer and music Malavika Sarukkai discusses the Art Director critic, and a dear friend. creation of a production that Tanvi Shah takes on the formidable text of Associate Art Director Features the Bhagavad Gita. The result is Hemali Limbachiya 16 a powerful solo performance in Reflections on a Pandemic which the Gita is interpreted on Assistant Art Director Nandkishor Sawant Renowned names from the a battlefield that is both physical 06 world of Western classical music, and psychological. Graphic Designers Reflections whom the NCPA has hosted Gautami Dave Sleight of Hand. on its stage, weigh in on what Sanjana Suvarna By Anil Dharker cancelled concerts, the gift of 28 36 48 Advertising gestation, and the return to live Historical Beats Faulty Silences Peace Is the Thing with Anita Maria Pancras performances amidst restrictions To shed light on the elusive On performance, performativity Feathers ([email protected]; 66223835) 08 entail for the performing arts. Punjab gharana, which has and gender in Vijay Tendulkar’s Over 200 pictures of birds Tulsi Bavishi The Year That Was been shrouded in misconception Silence! The Court is in Session. contributed by photographers ([email protected]; 9833116584) Mr. Khushroo due to the separation of By Vara Ashita Raturi from across India will go up Production Manager N. Suntook, Dr. 20 Punjab into India and Pakistan, on the walls of the Piramal Mangesh Salvi Suvarnalata Rao and ‘The orchestra is a microcosm Jasdeep Singh, guided by Gallery when attending Mr. Bruce Guthrie of life’ tabla exponent Yogesh exhibitions becomes a part Senior Digital Manager 40 reflect on how Before he went on to become Samsi, discusses the historical The Dance Renaissance of life again. Until then, enjoy Jayesh V. Salvi what transpired in a bestselling author of development of the pakhawaj, In the final part of a two-part their digital showcase and a 2020 has affected unputdownable novels, Dan jori, tabla and other percussive series, eminent public intellectual few glimpses here. Produced by the world of the Brown studied music to forge traditions in the region. Jawhar Sircar writes a sweeping performing arts, a career as a singer-songwriter history of the renewal and revival the resilience it has and pianist. Seven thrillers later, of each of the eight classical Editorial Office 53 displayed, and how, he returns to classical music with dance forms of India. Kaleidoscope 4th Floor, Todi Building, 32 Mathuradas Mills Compound, though the odd his first picture book for young On a Literary Note Your window to the latest in the Senapati Bapat Marg, silver lining shines readers about a unique orchestra From encyclopaedias to performing arts across India and Lower Parel, through, the road to in the wild. In an exclusive biographies, documentaries 44 the world. Mumbai - 400013 recovery is a 20 interview with ON Stage, Brown to feature films, Farrahnaz Irani, The Wondrous World of Jazz long one. reflects on writing music and General Manager – International Collaborations Printer fiction, and why the twain do Music, NCPA, in collaboration Anurag Tagat takes a look at Spenta Multimedia, Peninsula Spenta, 54 meet. By Snigdha Hasan with her team, recommends some powerful collaborations, The Performing Arts Dispatch Mathuradas Mill Compound, N. M. Joshi Marg, Lower Parel, 12 14 essential reading and viewing to replete with skilful improvisation A series on performing arts Mumbai – 400013 Born in 2020: NCPA@home When the Arts Came Home widen your understanding of and and intense receptivity between venues from around the world. The NCPA’s digital broadcast NCPA@home was much loved 23 delve deeper into jazz. some of the greatest jazz In focus this month: Sydney Materials in ON Stage®cannot be series of curated performances by patrons and new audiences How Not to Pickle Composers musicians of the 20th century. Opera House. reproduced in part or whole without the from across genres was among from Mumbai and beyond. A few The Resident Conductor of the written permission of the publisher. Views the first in the country to be snapshots of what they had to say Symphony Orchestra of India, and opinions expressed in this magazine 34 rolled out within days of the about the series. Mikel Toms, takes a moment out Performing Arts: The are not necessarily those of the publisher. Follow us on: lockdown announcement. of rehearsals to consider the point Challenge and the All rights reserved. facebook.com/NCPAMumbai What started as a way of of it all as he asks and answers an Opportunity NCPA Booking Office keeping members culturally 15 important question: why do we Eminent businesswoman, Vinita @NCPAMumbai 2282 4567/6654 8135/6622 3724 engaged, went on to reach new A Friend, Connoisseur and rehearse at all? Bali, draws on her experience @NCPAMumbai www.ncpamumbai.com audiences beyond India and Guide in the corporate world to youtube.com/user/TheNCPAMumbai1 formed a virtual community In Vivian Liff’s passing, the NCPA examine why supporting the of connoisseurs, separated by lost its great patron and generous 24 performing arts is not only distance but united in their love contributor to the creation of The Battle Within culturally important but is also We look forward to your feedback and suggestions. Please do drop us an of art. the Stuart-Liff Library. Chairman DAN COURTER As part of a series on artistes’ good for business. email at [email protected]. ISHER DHIMAN OPINION Reflections Sleight of hand. By Anil Dharker Picture yourself sitting in the while Michael Clarke, Vinoo Mankad, Jamshed Bhabha Theatre listening Ravi Shastri to name just three, do the to the Symphony Orchestra of India. opposite? And weirdly, why does Adam Better still, imagine being in one of Gilchrist, probably the world’s best-ever the uncomfortable seats of Wiener wicketkeeper, batsman and a natural Musikverein watching musicians of the left-hander, play tennis right-handed, Vienna Philharmonic seemingly jousting or Nadal, a natural right-hander, play with each other on a small stage as the left-handed? Final mystifying question: bow arms of the left-handed and right- if only ten per cent of the population is handed strings clash. left-handed, why are 20 per cent of top This of course, does not happen because cricketers left-handed? all the string players—violin, viola, cello Paul Broca (1824-1880), a French and double-bass, hold the bow in their surgeon and anatomist, first discovered right hand whatever their dominant hand that a region in the frontal lobe of to what you would expect, the composers is: they have to, not just because it is more the left hemisphere of the brain (now among them did not favour either hand, harmonious visually for the audience to known as Broca’s area) is the speech while Johann Sebastian Bach, a right- see all the bows moving uniformly, but production centre for humans. He also hander, gave equal work to the left also because all string instruments are formulated that handedness indicated hand. (A special case here: pianist Paul made for right-handers. (Incidentally, specialisation on the opposite side of Wittgenstein lost his right arm during you can now order a left-handed violin the brain; so right-handers, because of World War I, but did not want to stop from Amazon in which the instrument the speech centre’s position on the left, playing, so he commissioned work is a mirror image of the standard violin, have greater developed skills in language, just for the left hand; the most famous both on the outside by repositioning the while because of the right hemisphere’s of these is Ravel’s Piano Concerto for neck rest and reversing the strings, and association with intuition and creativity, the Left Hand.