Arts

Classical and fusion music concerts

Thusara Sara :

by Ranga CHANDRARATHNE

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Thusara Sara a classical violin concert by Dr. Thushara Ratnayake will be held at Ananda College Hall on March 26 at 7.00 p.m. The concert will consist of a violin-flute duet and violin-guitar duet. The concert will commence with playing the Rag Jog which will be followed by a semi-classical performance.

The concert will commence with Aalap which is an introduction to the Raga and then it is accompanied by Tabla by Visharadha Shantha Senarath Yapa. The first composition will commence with Mahdyalaya and will then shift to tritaal (however taal can be decided impromptu).

Techniques such Ektaal, titaal and kajaal (the fastest beat) Sawal-Javab (question and answer) and thana alakar, mahdya alaap will be utilised. The most acrobatic part is in the Kajaal section.

The semi-classical item is based on Thumri style which is converted into dhoon (it can be changed to Bhajan Dhoon, Kajari Dhoon in conformity with the Raga).

In duets, combination of flute or violin or guitar- violin which will be played on Dhoon style. The Rag mala is played with students. It will commence with creating an atmosphere of a Raga. (For instance if it commences with Mala Kaunse Raga, an appropriate mood is created).

A significant aspect of this is that a sudden change of Raga to another Raga so changing the colours which create a special aesthetic sense).

The Raga Mala is an item which Dr. Ratnayake will play with his students. In this performance different characteristics of raga will be featured and change of tones depicted.

For instance, how Rag Bahar differs from Miyamalhar and shifting from one raga to another is also manifested.In addition the Ragas that link with Bahar raga such as Adana Bahar, Malkaune Bahar, Kedar Bahar, Hindol Bahar, Hamger Bahar.

Techniques such as change of moods of Ragas and code (Sangathi) will also be demonstrated. In addition creation of Ragas from the composition of different features in Raga such as Kanhada, Kaune is also played.

Dr. Ratnayake is of the view that the performance will be of educational value to the students.

Launch of Jatika Totilla CD and book

Tribute to S.Mahinda Thero :

by Ranga Chandrarathne

The CD and book containing the poem in S.Mahinda Thero’s Jatika Totilla will be on March 16 at the John de Silva Memorial Theatre. Music for the songs was composed by Visharadha Sudath Samarasinghe.

The significance of the day is that it coincides with the 57th death anniversary of Ven. S. Mahinda Thero who was famous for poems extolling the patriotic sentiments of the nation. There will also be a memorable day for Sudath Samarasinghe as his official website will also be launched on the occasion.

Sudath firmly believes that although Sri Lanka gained independence sixty years ago, the country is still not free from foreign influence and the poems written by S.Mahinda Thero is still relevant. Therefore he had converted the poems into songs. From 96 poems in the anthology, Sudath has selected the poems relevant in the modern context.

The music for the songs was composed in a manner to uplift the patriotic feeling of the listeners. (RC)

A meeting of two great talents

by Ranga CHANDRARATHNE

Pradeep Ratnayake will play with visiting French guitarist Thibault Cauvin in a concert to be held on March 25 at the Lionel Wendt Theatre. Thibault’s father Phillip Cauvin is one of the well-known guitarist and composer.

Two of composition in which he had composed sitar parts will be played by the two musicians and the two compositions by Pradeep Ratnayake which he composed for the classical guitar and Sitar and Sri Lankan and Indian percussions will also be played.

The concert will also include items for solo guitar and solo Sitar.

Thibault Cauvin makes the most of the quality of the instrument with passion that is stirred up by youthful energy and irresistible fascination. He hails from a family deeply immersed in music. The concert will be a memorable encounter not only between two traditions but also between two talents.

Giving life to a legacy

by Indeewara THILAKARATHNE

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Kasun Wickramasinghe (19).

Taxidermy is an old art. However sculpture is an older craft than stuffing a dead animal’s skin to make it look live.

Perhaps, young Kasun Wickramasinghe (19) has, to a lesser degree, combined both in creating a replica of Ruwan Raja, the majestic tusker who paraded the streets of Colombo in the Navam Perahera (colourful pageant) of Gangaramaya.

The Ruwan Raja topped the lexicon of tuskers in Sri Lanka and was donated to Gangaramaya by the Ruwanwella Morawatte Walauwa in 1996. Ruwan Rja, also known as Daku Kota with its majestic gait was prominent among the tuskers who joined the colourful pageants such as Esala Perahera in Kandy, Gangarama, Kelaniya, Bellanwila and Kataragama.

Ruwan Raja who used to carry the casket bearing the sacred relics of Buddha in several Peraheras (pageants), died in the year 2003.Though the tusker died, its majestic gait and fond memory of it parading in Gangaramaya Perahera lingers in the minds of thousands of spectators who used to watch the pageant.

Perhaps, this helped young Kasun Wickramasinghe realize his dream of re-creating the image of the tusker in the form of a sculpture.The eleven-foot height sculpture of Ruwan Raja has been made with jaws and tusks of the elephant which rendered the sculpture a realistic outlook.

Although the skin of the elephant has not been used for the sculpture, Kasun meticulously painted surface of the concrete-made sculpture with black so that it looks like the live elephant.

Kasun Wickramasinghe is an old boy of Nalanda and Ananda Colleges and followed Arts stream for his A/L examination. In addition to Ruwan Raja, Kasun has made miniatures of almost all the major tuskers in Sri Lanka with a special cement mixture.

The attire for the miniatures have also been designed and made by him. Besides sculpturing, Kasun is also extensively involved in paintings and specially in drawings for Pandals which encouraged him to venture into sculpturing.

Kasun is grateful to his friends who helped him in this venture, especially to Ranjith Susantha, Sanjeeva and Udara. He is thankful to Ven. Galboda Gnaniswara Thera (Podi Hamuduruwo) the Veharadhipathi (the chief incumbent) of the Gangaramaya and venerable theras including Pallegama Gnanaratna, Assagi and Palatuwe Jinaratna theras.

Paintings with a classical touch

Himali Delapala’s paintings:

Himali Delapala will hold her solo exhibition ‘souls’ at the Harold Prices Gallery on March 29. One singular characteristic in Himali’s paintings is that they are heavily influenced by an avant-garde classical style.

Some of the salient motifs in classical mural paintings associated with Christianity have been a recurrent characteristic in Himali’s paintings in general and personnel in particular. Her style and treatment of subject matter as well as back ground and human figures draws parallel with creations of great painters such as Michael Angelo. (RC)

25 years as ‘Jesus Christ'

Ranil Rajapaksa who performed ‘The Role of Jesus Christ’ in stage dramas for the last 25 years will celebrate silver jubilee on March 21 with the drama being staged. He performed “The Role of the Jesus Christ” for the first time on April 21, 1983. The Drama was directed by Prof. Lal Thamel with the patronage of Rev.Fr. Joseph Perera of O.M.I.

Radio features on cinema and novel

by Ranga Chandrarathne

Ridi Nimnaya, a radio programme featuring veteran cinema personalities such as Sumithra Peiris, Tissa Abeysekara, and Malani Fonseka will be on air on Neth FM on every Friday from 7.00 p.m to 9.00 p.m.

Actor Sanath Gunatilaka will be the moderator of the programme which is aimed at creating an informed audience. Neth FM which adapted Sinhala novels such as Golu Hadawata, Gahanu Lamai. The latest in the series is adaptation of Kumara Karunaratne’s novel Ratu Rosa as a radio-play.

Kamal Addara Arachchi who played the main character “Sarath” in the teledrama Ratu Rosa will render his voice to the radio-play. Chapa’s character is played by Parami Ranasinghe.

Pix by Priyantha Hettige