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| Thursday, 23 January 2003 |
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Landmark in dance maestro's career An exhibition entitled the 'History of Chitrasena and his dance' will be held to celebrate the 82nd birthday of dancing maestro Chitrasena.  It
will be held at the Art Gallery, Colombo from January 24-26 from 10.30
a.m. - 8 p.m. The Minister of Cultural Affairs and Human Resources
Karunasena Kodituwakku will be chief guest.
Chitrasena's father Seebert Dias was responsible in bringing out the best in his son. Dias sent his son to India to study dance drama. Back in Sri Lanka Chitrasena turned folk dance into modern theatre through ballet. Owing life to the indigenous arts, he travelled extensively abroad. In 1944 the first school of art named after him was set up. The exhibition will be in aid of the intended Chitrasena Kalayathanaya. Those who will attend the exhibition are Dr. Sunil Kothari from India, Bandula Jayawardena, Professor Carlo Fonseka and Dr. Sunil Ariyaratne. A Kohomba Kankariya will be held on February 22. His contribution to Sinhala theatre shall remain alive even after he is no more. Not only has he kept Sinhala culture alive in this country, he has even taken it across the globe acting as a sort of cultural ambassador. Those visits abroad have brought fame not only to him and his wife, Vajira, but to Sri Lanka as well. The Chitrasena troupe was selected by the World Peace Ccouncil as the first delegation to Europe. He also took the ballet - 'Triumph of Peace' in 1957 to Moscow, Leningrad and Prague. He led the Sri Lanka cultural delegation to India in 1959. In 1970 he undertook an exhaustive tour abroad sponsored by the West German Land Graf Concert Agency. Fifty performances were made in West German theatres, ten shows in Holland, three in France's Municipal Theatre of Colmar and also followed by performances in Switzerland in St. Morritz and St. Gallen. Their repertoire consisted of 'Nirthanjali' and the two ballets 'karadiya' and 'Damayanthi.' The following year they performed 12 nights at Sadler's Wells Theatre in London. Shows were also held in Malaysia and Brunei. Chitrasena headed a government sponsored tour to Expo '67 in Montreal where they performed four nights at the Port Royal Theatre. In Delhi, Bombay, Calcutta, Lucknow and Madras he was hailed as the 'brilliant ballet from Ceylon'. Chitrasena and his ensemble performed in Sydney and Melbourne as well. We in the Daily News wish him well.
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