Sydney Fest brings to you Shubha Mudgal, Malakhamb performers and a play by S. Shaktidharan
Every January, Sydney Festival starts the new year with a bang, transforming the city with a bold cultural celebration based on critical ideas and cutting-edge art and performance. Its a Sydney-wide multi-art form cultural celebration of dance, drama, music, international artists as well as with an aim to nurture local artists and diverse art forms in the holiday month when our city comes together to showcase this wonderful festival.
The 2019 program, running from 9 ”“27 January, is adventurous and diverse, from cutting-edge international theatre such as Beware of Pity and HOME to glittering, raucous nights of music and cabaret like Shà nghÇŽi MiMi and Pigalle.
There are a lot of shows and events some free and others ticketed.
This year there are some interesting shows with Indian as well as Sri Lankan flavour.
Mallakhambindia
Parramatta Alfred Square, Church Street from January 11 to 13 will be alive with Mallakhambindia artists from India performing in a free event.
The ancient Indian sport of Mallakhamb is given new life by five astoundingly talented physical artists.
Combining gymnastics, wrestling and aerial yoga, these extraordinary artists eloquently perform feats of strength, poise and dexterity in a physical spectacle that borders on the impossible.
Tracing its roots back centuries, Mallakhamb originally developed from a training practice into a form of art. This performance is a rare opportunity to see the form’s top artists bring their unique practice all the way from Mumbai, in a masterful show by Australian director Benjamin Knapton with a live soundtrack performed by Mumbai-based musician Donn Bhatt.
MallakhambIndia is both physically brutal and tender, spiritual and irreverent, astounding and human; it’s about the artists that present it, their bodies and how they connect with the world around them.
TALKING CIRCUS: THROUGH DIFFERENT LENSES:
There is another free 60 minute by the artists at Riverside Theatre on January 13 that one should not miss.
How do diverse cultures shape contemporary circus? Circus is a flexible and inclusive artform that is continually developing, and adapts to different influences from all over the world. This talk brings together international artists from Shà nghǎi MiMi and Mallakhambindia with local artists.
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Radha and her son Siddhartha are finally ready to embrace their lives in Sydney’s western suburbs, when a phone call from Colombo brings the past spinning back to life. Sixteen actors play four generations of a family, in a story about Australia as a land of refuge; Sri Lanka’s efforts to remain united; and reconciliation within families, across countries, across generations.
Written by S. Shakthidharan, this powerful new Australian play is staged in Sydney Town Hall and served with a Sri Lankan meal.
It’s a timely illustration of the ways in which Australia transforms those who come here and is itself transformed, that ultimately reveals not how much separates us, but what we all have in common.
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Pic: Raghav Pasricha
BRIDGE OF DREAMS
SHUBHA MUDGAL AND ANEESH PRADHAN | INDIA / AUSTRALIA
WORLD PREMIERE
12 JANUARY, CITY RECITAL HALL, $50 + BF
120 MINS (INCLUDING INTERVAL)
India’s rich musical palette meets top Australian jazz talent, in a collaboration that includes revered Hindustani singer Shubha Mudgal, jazz saxophonist Sandy Evans, tabla maestro Aneesh Pradhan and his disciple Bobby Singh, and classical harmonium player Sudhir Nayak. They are accompanied by 17-piece jazz super-collective Sirens Big Band, who showcase Sydney’s leading female and trans musicians.
With music composed by Shubha Mudgal, Aneesh Pradhan and Sandy Evans, and recorded between Mumbai and Sydney, the Bridge of Dreams project is all about exchanging ideas between world-class collaborators working in complex, ever-evolving genres. Bridge of Dreams spans everything from improvisational jazz to Hindustani, classical, Bollywood and Indipop.
“[Sandy Evans] surely ranks as one of the best contemporary jazz composers/musicians anywhere” ”“ All About Jazz
“The Sirens are one of Sydney’s ”“ if not Australia’s ”“ treasures” ”“ Australian Jazz
“Shubha Mudgal is one of the best vocalists in today’s generation of singers” – Free Press Journal
Presented by Sandy Evans and Sirens Big Band featuring Shubha Mudgal and Aneesh Pradhan
Composed by Sandy Evans, Shubha Mudgal and Aneesh Pradhan
Musical director: Sandy Evans
Featuring:
Sirens Big Band led by Jessica Dunn (Australia)
Shubha Mudgal (India): voice
Aneesh Pradhan (India) and Bobby Singh (Australia): tabla
Sudhir Nayak (India): harmonium
Sandy Evans (Australia): saxophones
Presented in association with Sydney Improvised Music Association.
Supported by the Australian Government through the Australia Council for the Arts, its arts funding and advisory body; and by the NSW Government through Create NSW; and commissioned through APRA AMCOS Art Music Fund. Supported by the School of the Arts and Media, UNSW.
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Short URL: https://indiandownunder.com.au/?p=12220