Kusa Paba in Canada
GROUP EFFORT: Team behind Kusa Paba.
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STAGE DRAMA: The Sri Lankan Buddhist Association in Calgary is
primarily committed to propagate Buddhism and help Sri Lankan
expatriates to model their spiritual life. It also contributes in
various other ways to help lovers of Sri Lankan culture to expand and
widen the horizon of appreciation and promotes an awareness of our rich
culture and heritage.
Desha Kala Keerthi, Kala Bhooshana, Iranganie Kaluthanthri, teacher,
principal, artist, writer and veteran dramatist is here in Calgary at
their invitation, and has undertaken to produce Kusa Paba, the
well-known love story based on Kusa Jathakaya.
Mrs. Kaluthanthri has been honoured with these honourary titles for
her outstanding contribution to this field. She draws inspiration form
history, legends and culture of Sri Lanka, in undertaking her varied
artistic creations.
She has confirmed her stature as a veteran dramatist and is a
prominent personality, in literary and social circles. Her innovative
programmes and her strong work ethic make her a great asset to anyone,
anywhere, and she is still a huge motivation for those around her.
An ardent lover of culture, heritage and history, and firmly rooted
in Sri Lankan customs and traditions, her artistic creations reflects
her devotion to it.
She is an art graduate of the university of Peradeniya and has done a
postgraduate course in drama. Wherever she is, she decides on
culture-vision programmes, to provide opportunities for Sri Lankan
expatriates who live distanced from the cultural background of Sri
Lanka.
She produced Glimpse of Lanka for Vancouver, Bhavaye Chaya for
Ottawa, and Pride of Lanka for Edmonton. A few of the outstanding stage
plays to her credit are Kuvanna, Le Nayo, Kusa Natakaya, Sapaya Laddo,
Dayaka Kandulu and Dutugemunu. She gives pride of place to Dutugemunu.
Her latest three children's books Grandpa's tales', A letter to the
teacher, and Lassie weeps, published already, will enter the children's
world, providing invaluable messages, entertainment, and excitement.
She was the principal of Ceylinco Sussex College, Bandarawela, which
she relinquished to make this trip to Canada.
The Muhurthi was held on December 31 with a large gathering at the
Ehipasiko Buddhist Temple in Calgary. Rev. Dedunupitiye Upananda Thera,
the Chief Incumbent and Lal Perera, the President of the Association
chanted blessings on the artists and the producer, director to make this
fund arising project a success. Kusa Paba will be staged at the
University Theatre, Calgary, Canada on April 8.
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Britain's Buckingham Palace shows off Italian art
MAJESTY OF ITALY: A detail of Caravaggio’s ‘The Calling of Saints
Peter and Andrew’ is seen at The Queen’s Gallery of Buckingham
Palace in London. AFP
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PAINTING: Buckingham Palace opened the doors last Friday to a rare
exhibition of Italian art in the Royal Collection, including two
paintings discovered to be lost works by Italian master Caravaggio.
"A Boy Peeling Fruit" and "The Calling of Saints Peter and Andrew"
went on display in Britain for the first time since being identified as
Caravaggio works. The Art of Italy exhibition also features works by
Raphael, Michaelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and Titian.
Desmond Shawe-Taylor, officially the surveyor of the queen's
pictures, said the paintings were an "unsurpassable" collection of
Baroque and Renaissance art.
"We knew we had an unimaginably great drawings collection and knew we
had unbelievably wonderful individual paintings," he said. "I don't
think anybody quite knew how good it was together. It's an absolutely
exceptional collection en masse, as well as individual examples, and it
does tell a very interesting and distinctive story of Italian art."
The exhibition runs until January 20, 2008.
AFP
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