BENGALURU: It is clear that aspiring talents waiting in the wings are ready to soar and this was evident on last Monday at ADA Rangamandira.Trained by veteran Bharatanatya Guru BK Vasanthalakshmi, Nagaraj and Latha Ramesh presented energetic dance compositions.The duo entered and swayed in a unison and the duet started from an overtly classical based Pushpanjali followed by the familiar Dasa-krithi Nammamma Sharade in eulogy of Goddess Saraswathi and Lord Ganesha. There was a fine linear continuity and the duo generated the most rewarding nritta material while dancing to a demanding Kadanakutoohala jathiswara. Nagaraj in particular soared to intense heights in executing those complicated and powerful karanas, lifts and leaps.
One was delighted to see the dancers’ detailed production of Dashavataras on the basis of a Kanakadasa pada Nodaiah ninna daasara mele which their Guru had both choreographed and designed. The 10 incarnations were focussed with their salient features shown in a nutshell. Each avatara was portrayed in a ragamalika with vivacity.
The most poignant moments of the avataras were pondered over, with dancers swirling in and out of the action, re-enacting the most famous roles. Every scene was done with complete abandon, mining both the technical and dramatic depths of the characters. They were absolutely magnetic throughout — whether tossing themselves high into the air and landing with jarring force or performing the smallest of movements. One was enthralled by the nritta, nrithya and abhinaya and the intensity of the performances was matched by the musical support extended by Guru Vasnathalakshmi (nattuvanga), Bharathi Venugopal (vocal), Natarajamurthy (violin), Narasimhamurthy (flute) and Janardanarao (mridanga).
A sensitive violin recital
Lovers of Karnatic music could hardly wish for a more scintillating soloist than the violin maestro L. Subramanyam. The veteran instrumentalist is a genius of multiple genres of music. But he meticulously sticks to the distinctiveness of their respective genres. He plays with great delicacy and at the very next moment, can be vibrant and resonant. A violinist of a beguiling fluency over the widest variety of material, his playing has exemplary clarity, a distinctive style and character.
Karnatic music’s colours really glowed and his pearly quiet tones in the centre of the Seva Sadana Hall were nothing short of magical. He initiated the golden jubilee celebrations of the most prestigious Karnataka College of Percussion on January 26. The head of Sri Datta Avadhoota Peetha, Mysore, Sri Ganapathi Sachchidananda Swami inaugurated the celebrations and also released a souvenir.
The Swami who is a music therapist par excellence and a remarkable player of various musical instruments besides being a melodious singer, threw light on the greatness of classical music and lauded the services of the mentors of the Karnataka College of Music — ace mridangist TAS Mani and his multi-faceted vocalist-wife Ramamani.
The formal inauguration was followed by a short and sweet violin solo by Subramanyam flanked by his son Ambi Subramanyam (second violin), TAS Mani (mridanga), Ranganatha Chakravarthy (ghata) and Ghantasala Satya Sai (morsing). Subramanyam began with a detailed alapana in Kambhoji raga. Cool and calm, he went through the entire gamut of the raga with artistry. The audience were surprised when he began the ata tala varna (Sarasija) in a slow tempo which facilitated him to manipulate it in the increasing higher speeds. Thus the listeners were amazed to hear the kaala and nadai bedhas which were negotiated adroitly by the champion violinist. A short alapana in Shanmukhapriya and the rendition of Siddhi Vinayakam with a bit of sahitya and swara vinyasa was another feast to ears. He swayed the rasikas with a crisp and popular bhajan by the Swami.
Stirring vocals
A scholarly concert by the noted singer R.A.Ramamani was delivered to a packed Seva Sadana Hall last Tuesday. It was an exciting and stimulating recital, prepared meticulously by her. The concert proved her to be a consummate professional. She was delightfully accompanied by CN Chandrasekhar (violin), Pathri Satishkumar (mridanga) and Sukanya Ramgopal (ghata). She explored her wonderful vocal technique and interpretive capabilities.
Greatness, intensity and expressiveness were inherent in the first two selections that defined the entire architecture of the concert. The intricate Kedaragowla varna was sung in two kaalaas. Its charana portion was rendered in madhyama kaala. Dikshitar’s Gam Ganapathe (Hamsadhwani) in trishra nadai with chittaiswaras were further beautified by kalpanaswaras. She sang some rare krithis too. After a long time, one heard Thyagaraja’s Aada modi galada in Charukeshi raga. It was ornamented by erudite swaras.
As it happened to be a Tuesday, Ramamani invoked the blessings of Angakaraka by singing Dikshitar’s Navagraha krithi Angarakamashrayami with feelings. An ear pleasing Nee chittamu (Thyagaraja, Vijayavasantha raga) was crisply rounded off with a swaravistara.
The vocalist excelled in the delineation of Shahana (Giripai) and Shankarabharana (Enduku peddala). The stamp of expertise, excellence and elegance made these elaborations in the form of raga, sahitya and swaravistaras a great experience. She packed all her rhythmic profundity into the manodharma elaborations. The way she dealt with the edupu covering all the intricacies of laya was marvellous.
Dr.M.SURYA PRASAD
drmsuryaprasad@gmail.com