Art & Soul

edited by Ruwini jayawardana

Munchee with little stars

Munchee Samaga Punchi Tharaka 2007, the mega children's song and dance festival brought together by the National Film Corporation (NFC) and Ceylon Biscuits Limited (CBL) was held recently at the BMICH. Students from schools islandwide took part in this colourful evening of songs, music and dance.

'Panchali', a dawn of a new era in local stylised drama

STAGE DRAMA: Fifty years after Dr. Ediriweera Sarachchandra's Maname and Sinhabahu, Panchali, the first stylised drama of Ananda Senaratne is now being groomed. Marking a new milestone in the ancient Sri Lankan stylised drama (Naadagam) history, Panchali will be staged on October 24 at the Tower Hall, Maradana.

Panchali is being staged this year, which is named as the "National Drama Year." It will add a new blend to the drama trend in Sri Lanka.

According to Senaratne, the Deputy Director of the Civil Aviation Authority, it consists of the Naadagama tradition, the ancient drama culture of Sri Lanka - a drama trend which is enriched with the musical tempos indigenous to the eastern music.

The actors and the actresses of Panchali are trained by Wasantha Kumara and Jayantha Arawinda who are maestros for dance and music respectively. The famous veteran stylised drama artist Nissanka Diddeniya who played main roles in Dr. Sarachchandra's dramas works hard by designing drama styles and in training the actors.

Maddala is the only traditional drum used for Naadagam. It carries a unique pleasing sound. Senaratne uses two Maddalas as the only Thaal (beat) instrument in Panchali.

Mahendra Gunasinghe, a grand son of late Charles Silva Gunasinghe (who was the Nadagam melody supplier to Dr. Sarachchandra) and Sanjaya and his brother Nandana Gunasinghe play these instruments.

During the past 50 years, no successful stylised dramas followed Maname and Sinhabahu. Senaratne is a Science Graduate and a specialist in aviation, but he has the talents required to make a stylised drama by composing a strong script with appealing song-lyrics and melodies. Senaratne also acts as the music director of Panchali.

He had been gifted with several pleasing melodies by Jayantha Arawinda who is the music consultant for Panchali. The specialty in Panchali is the introduction of several newly invented Sindu-ragas which will thereafter be added to the Nadagam music history.

The drama carries a different style of singing Potheguru or the conductor's poems.The Nadagam has its own styled melodies called Sindu-raga as the basis of melodies used for its songs.

Due to this uniqueness, they differ from any other melodies. A typical Nadagam song has a part played in the normal tempo together with another part played in doubled-tempo which is called Uruttuwa.

Nadagam is the earliest form of recognised drama in Sri Lanka. According to research on the origins and development of Nadagam, the first Sinhala Nadagama was Raja Tunkattuwa, a Catholic drama presented by Mihindukulasuriya Gabriel Fernando of Chilaw. Raja Tunkattuwa was followed by Ehelepola (Sinhala Nadagama) made by Pillippusingho of Kollupitiya.

In this era, Nadagama continued for about five days playing part by part each day. Both of them became very popular and thereafter many Nadagamas were produced.

Senaratne has conducted research on a large number of Nadagamas such as: Brumford, Eujin, Sthaakki, Belasantha, Wessanthara, Srimathie, Davith Golayak, Helena, Kalinga Sirimal Ethana, Vidura, Alaton Konstantika, Harischandra, Liyanora, Narabilla, Juhana, Rama Rawana, Kuweni, Pubiyola, Samsong, Orison Palanten, Gnana Soundari, Hambawak and Brahmadatta before creating Panchali.

He has conducted the researches under the patronage of Professor Dhammika Ganganath Dissanayake, Head of the Sinhala Dept., University of Sri Jayewardenepura.

Following the Nadagama structure, Dr. Sarachchandra's Maname produced in 1956, is considered the first modern drama in Sinhala. It is hoped that Senaratne's Panchali will become a great scenario in the legend of Sinhala Drama, together with much adored Nadagam art.

'Canto Perpetua' with past Thomians

'Nuova Vitae' (New Life), and ensemble of past choristers of S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia will make their debut choral performance on October 19 and 20 at 8 p.m. The much anticipated choral group has finally been put together by past choristers who have left in the last decade.

The youthful sounds of the choir will reverberate with music which is traditional and modern, specially arranged for TTBB voices.

'Nuova Vitae', will donate all proceeds of this concert to the chapel renovation project and the enthusiastic group is happy to do so as they all cherish the chapel even to this day. The unique aspect of this group is that all members are past choristers, and have been under the maestro Russel Bartholomeusz.

The line up of singers have all been members of the college choir. The group of singers have all come together and is hoping to be together for many years.

One of the rewarding factors is that they are all united and enjoy all practice sessions. 'Nuova Vitae' will also present their Christmas concert at the Russian Cultural Centre later in December.

The brainchild behind the formation of 'Nuova Vitae' is three past choir leaders - Dayan Fernando, Rumesh Fonseka and Vinodh Senadeera (Present Choir Master of STC). All three members have been choir leaders with immense amount of musical experience. And they are delighted to form this unique group with members of their time.

All performers are professionals in their own fields, who find the time to do what they love best - sing. Despite their heavy schedules they meet twice a week.

The evening performance will be another unique event for yet another first - The All Thomian choir. What is unique about this choir is that students from different religious faiths will make their debut. The Thomian Boys' Choir first performed in May but have officially formed themselves as a regular Choir.

The conductor is Amila Gunasena. And its leaders are Jurinesz Shadrach and Shehan Mendis. The choir consists of 50 students singing all four parts. The director is Vinodh Senadeera.

The concert features music from Bach, Handle, Mendhellson, Shubert, Rutter and modern music. The Concert will also feature two famous poets' works performed in Choral speech style. Jean Arasanayagam and Richard de Zoysa's poems will be narrated and will be directed by Tanya Bartlett.

'Canto Perpetua,' promises to be an evening rich in traditional music interspersed with a touch of modern music. The director of the performance is Vinodh Senadeera. On piano will be Shannon Jacob and Pankaja Dissanayaka, on drums will be Elmo Shanmugam, on Violon will be Harith de Mel, Shenal Pathirana and on flute will be Jurinesz Shadrach.

'Nuova Vitae' (Ensemble of past choristers of S. Thomas' College Mount Lavinia) comprises Dayan Fernando, Rumesh Fonseka, Johann Gunawardena, Anjelo Jesudason, Keshan and Sushan Jayatheepam, Rahulan Visvendaraj, Niruban Subramanium, Christy Sugitharatnam, Nirupan Richards, Ashan Fernando, Arthur Sovinaligam, Elmo Shanmugam, Ashan Algama and Elmo Marshall.

The All Thomian choir soloists are Sandesh Bartlett. Nrian De Mel, Dinel Dias, Shan Jayasena, Chatura Gunasekera, Ashwin, Shafter, Shehan Mendis, Milindra Kulugammanna and Harith De Mel.

Street song:

Art as human forms

Jayaweera, Sugathapala Attanagalla special corr.

Artist M. Chandrapala's 14th exhibition will be held at the Lionel Wendt Art Gallery from October 12 to 14.

The exhibition consists of his latest creations. Chandrapala looks seriously towards new avenues and forms to present his work.

Many of his work have been selected by art lovers in a number of countries such as UK, Germany, Austria, Sweden, France, Switzerland, Netherlands, Finland, Italy, Hungary, Korea, Pakistan and Japan to exhibit at their personal art galleries and residencies.

Since 2006 the artist is maintaining his own art gallery at Veyangoda. He will enter the Internet by opening a new website. www.artistchandrapala.com.

There are many paintings in this exhibition depicting love, affection, hope and personal bonds in human life.

A blend of the dance flavours

'Danceworld' School of Modern and Jazz Ballet will present their inaugural show 'JAZZAMATAZ' at the Lionel Wendt Theatre on October 14 at 7 p.m. This highly energetic production will feature dances utilising the flavours of Spanish, Arabian, African, Modern and Jazz styles.

'JAZZAMATAZ' will have 60 youngsters, between the ages of five and 15 and the show is produced and directed by Sureka Buell, Artistic Director of the school.

Having danced for a period of over 25 years at the Oosha Garten of Ballet in classical ballet and later years in both contemporary and modern dance, she has taken many lead roles in her productions.

Seeing the interest and the potential of the present day youngsters to learn modern dancing, Sureka founded 'Danceworld' School of Modern and Jazz Ballet in September 2005. Here she provides her students a comprehensive and complete jazz dance programme based on classical technique, while she weaves in modern and street jazz dance routines into her classes to make it more interesting.

Some of the items featured in the program are dances inspired by Broadway, performed to the theme song from Pink Panther, a soulful and elegant dance in modern jazz style performed to a Disney favourite 'He lives in me...', a classical dance with a strong ballet base performed by the youngest kids in the cast to the song 'When you wish upon a star...', a sassy blues number choreographed to 'I'm feeling good..' and an intense Flamenco style dance performed to the Aria, Habanera from Carmen.