The Revelations Academy wins again

The Revelations Academy of Performing Arts and Creativity, having won the Best Overall Performance for the Speech Festival, also emerged winners of the Best Overall Performance for the Music Festival at the Sri Lanka Festival for the Performing Arts (SFPA).

The SFPA is organised under the patronage of the British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, and conducted by the Institute of Music, Speech and Speaking Skills, affiliated to the British and International Federation of Festivals for Music, Dance and Speech UK.

Five ensembles of the Revelations Academy became all-island winners at the finals, three of the groups having won Honours at the preliminaries including the Senior Choir that won the award for the Best Choir and the All-Female Choir that won the Best Overall Performance for their ecstatic rendering of “It’s Raining Men”.

Other All-Island Winners of the Academy were performers of a variety of items ranging from songs from musicals to gospel songs/hymns to vocals, western solos, duets and trios.

They are, Tharuka Jayaratnam, Cheran Jayaratnam and Shean Solomon (Best Vocal Performance Junior for their trio); Dhearthik Ponnusamy (Most Promising Candidate); Shyalina Muthumudalige, Tharuka Jayaratnam, Manik Rodrigo, Adalia Ananthan, Buddvi Senadheera, Diyana Fernando, Shean Solomon, Rometh Suriyarachchi and Rebecca Surenthiraraj for their solos; Shyalina Muthumudalige and Sashyani Rodrigo for their duet; and Tharuka Jayaratnam and Cheran Jayaratnam also for their duet.

The Revelations Academy entered its students in 38 categories including the choir items, where a striking 84 percent of entries won distinctions or higher grades. The students were coached by Sanjeev Jayaratnam, Asanka Perera, Dilini Perera-Fox, Dharshi Edward and Rebecca Surenthiraraj.

The Revelations Academy was founded by the multi-award winning choral group The Revelations which is directed by the head of the Academy, Sanjeev Jayaratnam. It is ranked seventh in the world among male choirs.

This pre-eminent Sri Lankan acapella group made history when it was adjudged Champions of the 2008 World Choir Games in two categories. Along with its international exposure and unique artistry, the staff at the Academy is passionate about building a community of artistes.

Royal and Visakha win Inter School Shakespeare Competition 2013

Royal College Colombo and Visakha Vidyalaya won the Inter School Shakespeare Competition 40 years after it was revived by the Rotary Club of Colombo North and the Colombo YMCA.

Maris Stella and Bishop's College were runners-up. In the lead to the finals, traditionally called the semi finals among the Girls’ Schools Devi Balika Vidyalaya won the Stagecraft award for Othello while Good Shepherd Convent’s modern interpretation of the Merchant of Venice won third place.

Sirimavo Bandaranaike Vidyalaya, chose to perform Hamlet this year and Buddhist Ladies’ College chose Merchant of Venice making it one of the most ‘used’ scripts.

Girls’ High School Kandy performed Othello which won fourth place. Last year’s winners were disappointing this time around with an outstanding performance by Iago. Gateway College Rajagiriya, Negombo and Kandy chose Merchant of Venice, As You Like It and ‘Othello’ respectively, and the Negombo school won the Best Novices award. Bishop’s College had a weird Nazi interpretation to The Merchant of Venice which won second place. Visakha Vidyalaya, the ultimate winners, were enterprising in their rendition of As You Like It.

In the boys' schools, Kingswood College, Kandy and Gateway College Negombo performed The Tempest and the latter won the Best Novices Award. Gateway College, Rajagiriya presented Othello, and Royal College Colombo the Tempest.

Ananda College and S. Thomas College performed Much Ado about Nothing. St. Benedict’s College took on Hamlet and so did Wesley College. St. Sylvester’s College presented Othello and St. Joseph’s College’s Portia was impressive.

As You Like It - Visakha Vidyalaya

The last performance of the semi-finals saw Trinity College take on The Tempest with a Kandyan flavour.

Boys

Best actor-Royal College, Aneeq Hashim

Best supporting actor- Ananda College, Nadun Dissanayake

Girls

Best actress-Visakha Vidyalaya, Zaitun Hakeem

Best supporting actress- Girls' High School, Kandy, Dakshika Wijesekera

The chief guest was Lal Withanage, President Colombo YMCA and thw Guest of Honour, was Alagan Kadirgamar, former General Secretary YMCA in the formative years of the Shakespeare Competition.