CHENNAI: Walking into a show that’s known for its legacy and being totally clueless about the performances sounds pretty intriguing, doesn’t it? Well, that’s exactly what the second edition of Mixtura Vizha, organised by the Shreya Nagarajan Singh Art Development Consultancy, made the public feel.
With suspense and excitement layered at three different venues, the audience was in for an extravagant exhibit of art forms that weren’t revealed to them beforehand. Shreya, the founder of SNS Art Consultancy, said that people always look for something that excites them, and this surprise element, just played the trick.
“It also helps to prevent people from gravitating towards a particular kind of music,” she said. The event was held simultaneously at Gandhi Mandapam, Anna Nagar Tower Park, and Chennai Central Station.
The excitement of discovering the unknown undoubtedly grasped the attention of art aesthetes from all over, putting them in a dilemma over choosing the venue. From dreaming of listening to a Carnatic maestro to grooving to a rap goddess, one had the opportunity to experience both at the festival organised in collaboration with the renowned KM Music Conservatory. The festival saw an array of performances, spotlighting the rich Tamil heritage from Sufi music, Tamil poetry, storytelling, Carnatic music, mallar kambam to traditional tamil acrobatics and folk dances. Exquisite performances from the KMMC Sufi ensemble and Brass ensemble from the Sunshine Orchestra were highlights of the evening.
All under a single roof
Bringing together artistes from different genres of music, Mixtura Vizha paved the way for an exploration into the world of music. Mixing the Western and Carnatic music forms along with the inclusion of modern art forms, the event saw a wide display of artists bringing their art into the limelight. With the festival being organised to commemorate Tamil Day, the artists from Chennai were predominantly brought into focus, says the SNS team. The festival also put up audio installations, in which one could experience a stranger’s brief account of their life in Chennai. This presented storytelling in its rawest form.
When asked about her thoughts on Mixtura Vizha, Carnatic vocalist, Brindha Manickavasakan, who performed at Anna Nagar Tower Park, shared, “The thought of bringing to light the unknown kinds of music, and that too within a public platform, was something that caught my eye.” Wide acclaim greeted her, with the audience being truly amazed by the intricacy and aura her melodious voice had unleashed into the air. Keeping the mood ablaze was Gabrial Gladson, a young storyteller whose stories seemed to jerk the listeners into a world of love and romance.
The event that saw a whopping participation clearly seemed to highlight the fact that art is loved beyond barriers and how such festivals are being celebrated open-heartedly across the city. With ears yearning for more melodies and the heart longing for the beats, people bid farewell to the festival awaiting for a new season to come!