Cultural Diary

Traditional and contemporary folk dance performance

A traditional and contemporary folk dance performance by Rivega Dance Studio will be held at Lionel Wendt theatre at 7.00p.m on May7.

The performance is made up of Dalu Mura (The Bulath Padaya a section from the Hath Padaya belongs to the up country Kohomba Kankari Shanthi Karmaya) , Thaname (a crescendo of musical sounds brought together to perform an up country traditional dance. (Danced by Rangika & Rangana), Yathura( harvest dance showing rice cultivation), Senpathiyo (A male dance combining ancient fighting & up country dance style, Riddibisav(A section from a low country ritual, Pol Katu (A dance showing one of our chief exports, the coconut, which we use here as a prop & also to decorate the costumes, Semera(A dance showing the fanning of our kings by courtiers (female), EluwanKaema(A dance which is performed by children especially during the festive Sinhala), Thataya(Instruments brought together for a drum orchestra), Raksha(Raksha which is a traditional low country dance using face masks, Pathuru(Pathura a dance with clappers which is used as the main attraction for the village folk dance, Sankalana (An experimental dance combining regional dance styles of low country, up country, Bharatha Natyam (India) and Western dance.).The Rivega Dance Studio was set up in 2001 by Rangika Jeevantha and his twin brother Rangana while both were still in school.

The brothers are warmly appreciative of their supportive parents and family.Rangika has just graduated after four years at the University of Visual & Performing Arts.Rangana has done a Bachelor of Business Studies (BBs) at Charles Stuart University, Melbourne, Australia, and also continue to dance.

Spring recital

by Mahes PERERA

An interesting programme of classical music by the Menaka Singers will be presented by the Alliance Francaise on Friday May 7 at 7.30 p.m. It is a welcome return of the Menaka Singers under the direction of Menaka De Fonseka Sahabandu, and this Spring Recital will feature solos and ensemble by the Senior Singers of the choir singing a repertoire from the Classical, Romantic and Modern periods. The programme will include Arias and Art songs from Handel, Mozar, Donizetti, Debussy, Faure, Cesar Franck, Lehar and Bernstein. The singers will be accompanied on the piano by Menaka, who holds a Fellowship from the Trinity College, London for Voice and Piano and a Licentiate from the Royal Schools of Music for Voice and Piano and is one of the leading Piano and Vocal teachers in Western Classical music in Sri Lanka.

Menaka De Fonseka Sahabandu

The Menaka Singers have had their fair share of success and appreciation not only in Sri Lanka but abroad as well when they performed in several International operas. The most recent appearance was in 'Sij'etais Roi' at the Siri Fort Auditorium, New Delhi under the auspices of 'Bonjour India' of the French Embassy in New Delhi and the Neermana Music Foundation.

The other acclaimed performances by the Menaka Singers were in the major productions of "The Pearl Fishers" and 'Carmen' both operas composed by Georges Bizet. The group has worked with well-known conductors Benjamin Levi, Clare Levacher, Pierre Michel Durand and opera directors Patricia Panton and Jean-Francois Vinciguerra.

The Menaka Singers are regular prize winners, High Scorers and Exhibition and Medal winners for Trinity College, London and Royal Schools of Music London. Many of them have persued studies in voice and opera in the USA and the UK and have been featured by the Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka at many of their concerts.

Attendance is by invitation which could be collected at the Alliance Francaise, Colombo.

Deegeta Evith (The Proposal) and Kandoskiriyawa

Deegeta Evith and Kandoskiriyawa, two comedies directed by Namel Weeramuni will go on the boards at Punchi Theatre at 6.45 p.m. on May 6, 7 and 9. Degeta Evit is the adaptation of Anton Chekov's 'The Proposal' while Kandoskiriyawa is a comedy by Somapala Gunadeera.

A significant departure from the previous adaptations of 'The Proposal' is that it has been set against the backdrop of medieval upcountry or Kandy where the gentlemen wore trouser underneath Sarong, who were known at the time as Redda Assemahattaya (gentlemen underneath the clothing).

The plays depict the life situation at the time they were written. Kandoskiriyawa is woven around the chaotic situation at a polling centre.

Two clerks and Returning Officer at the polling centre have to listen to woes of the people who come to cast their votes. Mrs.Gajasinghe boasts about her background and two clerks Panditha Kesara who shows off his education and drunkard who is proud of himself come into clash with Mrs.Gajasinghe. It becomes a nuisance to Returning Officer.

Malani Weeramuni, Wijeratne Warakagoda, Daya Thennakoon, Grace Ariyawimal, Seneth Dikkumbura take part in Kandoskiriyawa while Anusha Dissanayake, Anil Wijesinghe and Prabhath Manohara are in the cast for 'The Proposal'.

Accolades for Irahandayata at Singapore International Film Festival

Irahandayata, a film by Benet Ratnayake and Prasanna Vithanage's Akasa Kusum were selected as two of the best 12 films for the 'Silver Screen' award at the 23rd Singapore International Film Festival which was held from April 15 to 24 in Singapore.

The story was woven around a chance meeting of two Sri Lankan soldiers at LTTE's camp and a soldier who accepts responsibility for the death of another albeit indirectly and his search for life.

The film was well received by audience in Singapore.

Irahandayta was selected for the category of 'Best Performance' while Akasa Kusum was for 'Best Camera'.

The ballet opera ' Patavi' goes on the boards today at 5.45 p.m at Ananda College Hall, Colombo 10.