Abhimana Lanka mesmerizes Toronto audience

The Can-Lanka Theatre Company proudly presented its maiden artistic creation Abhimana Lanka at Don Bosco Auditorium, to well receptive audience recently.

Consul-General for Sri Lanka in Toronto, Bandula Jayasekera (centre), Mrs. Irangani Kalutanthri and Sarath Kumarasinghe (Music Director) at the Abhimana Lanka inauguration ceremony.

This exceptionally remarkable performance held the audience spellbound for nearly three and a half hours. It made it a night full of energy, joy and rising nostalgic feeling, for the mother country. There were five short dramas, such as Pramila-Daskon, Andare, Kaalagola, Elovin Banek and Kusa Paba.

The director of the superb drama creation was Desha Kala Keerthi, Kala Bhooshana, Irangani Kalutanthri, from Ottawa, a former Sri Lankan teacher and principal of school. The Director of the organising committee and the cast have been super busy, these three months, committed to this gigantic creation with such diligence and perseverance, and seem really delighted with the end product. The splendid performance by the mainly amateur cast, leaving the audience in awe, was very commendable. Their capacity for acting stunned the audience. The beautiful lyrics and melodies linger long in the ears. The exotic costumes took the audience to ancient times.

Consul General for Sri Lanka in Toronto, Bandula Jayasekera graced the occasion as the chief guest.

It is with our utmost pleasure we announce the accomplishment of all three objectives of presenting "Abhimana Lanka". To explore the talents, skills and capabilities of the Sri Lankan expatriates, living distanced from the cultural background and life in Sri Lanka, providing a forum and offering opportunities for them to manifest their talents in the creative arts.

Secondly, to facilitate pooling talents and ideas of all professional artists in Toronto towards a major project, which ran over two months, to perform together, share their experiences and to further enhance the knowledge in the field of drama.Thirdly and most importantly, to support a very deserving cause, with the lofty objective of sponsoring scholarships for the children of the war victims in Sri Lanka.

It was encouraging to note the capacity, commitment and united effort of the Sri Lankan expatriates to get together, in a spirit of friendly togetherness to make this event a success. A bank draft for Canadian dollars 4,000 was donated to this worthy cause through the Consul General Bandula Jayasekera.