Fusion of electronic music at Barefoot

Schaeben & Voss have been making electronic music since 1998. From the get-go the duo’s live acts have been for dancing - a far cry from the kind of electronic music that’s primarily out to demonstrate a mastery of ultra-complicated and “academic” sound processing techniques, which was so prevalent in the late ‘90s.

Instead the duo thrive on groove and the dance floor, and their uncontrived, spontaneous style has always bred a kind of solidary fusion with the public.

And in the studio, friends and fellow-musicians were often around - and often joined in to make the music. Oliver Schad took the mike time and again and in 2002 became a permanent fixture of their live act, which would be billed subsequently - and now worldwide - as “Schaeben & Voss feat. Schad Privat”.

E-bass, e-guitar, vocals and analog Synthis - Schaeben & Voss feat. Schad Privat draw a line of suspense through their live act that turns prime-time music into a truly prime time.

After two or three tracks of most live techno acts you know where it’s going: not so with Schaeben & Voss feat. Schad Privat. What starts with a bluesy, guitar-heavy downtempo track and makes for a total change of mood in the club mutates more and more into a driving, energetic techno act that has a master plan from the outset: entertainment.

Schaeben & Voss. Schad Privat will perform at the Barefoot Gallery on April 9 at 7 p.m. This is their first performance on their tour of South Asia.

Crusz puppeteers at UNIMA 2008

Marionette Fiesta goes to Australia:

Maxwell and Yvonne Crusz, Directors of the award winning Lamplight Puppeteers of Sri Lanka have been invited to the UNIMA 2008 Congress in Perth, Australia from April 2 to 12 as delegates, and with their team of three others, to perform their variety show, Marionette Fiesta at the Congress.

This will be the first time that a puppet troupe from Sri Lanka will perform officially at a UNIMA Congress.

UNIMA (Union Internationale de la Marionnette) is the prestigious international organisation dedicated to uniting people from around the world who contribute to the ongoing development of puppetry as an art form.

UNIMA promotes the use of puppetry as a vehicle to promote human values such as peace and mutual understanding between people regardless of race, culture, political or religious convictions.

UNIMA was formed in Prague, Czechoslovakia in 1929. In 1959, UNIMA joined the International Theatre Institute and in 1960 they became an official consultant for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

Maxwell Crusz started carving his own puppets nearly 50 years ago and what began as a hobby soon turned into a life long passion for himself, his wife Yvonne and their children. For the past 45 years they have been entertaining a variety of local and foreign audiences with their puppet shows.

In 1975 Marionette Fiesta won four Special Awards at the Sri Lanka Cultural Council’s Festival of Puppet Theatre. The awards were for Best Puppets, Best Costumes and Stage, and two awards for Best Manipulation.

In 1976 the Government of Sri Lanka specially commissioned the Lamplight Puppeteers to perform their Puppet Play Daham Eliya (The Light of Truth) in honour of the Delegates to the fifth Conference of Heads of States of Governments of the Non-Aligned Countries held in Sri Lanka in August.

The Lamplight Puppeteers have also travelled abroad many times to perform their popular entertainment.

The Marionette Fiesta variety show has a collection of endearing characters from Sri Lankan folk lore and also has other items representing various countries, cultures and art forms. A number of performances have been scheduled for the delegates and visitors of the UNIMA 2008 in Perth.

Today, UNIMA is celebrated as the oldest theatrical association in the world. There are currently 65 national UNIMA centres worldwide with active members from each country.

UNIMA organises an international congress every four years, produces publications, disseminates scholarly and practicable research, and facilitates international exchange.

The 20th UNIMA Congress in Australia is the first UNIMA Congress held in the Southern Hemisphere and only the third outside Europe.

It will be ten days of local, national and international puppetry performances, exhibitions, street theatre, workshops, conversations and community events. Maxwell and Yvonne Crusz and the Lamplight Puppeteers are the only Sri Lanka puppeteers to be at the UNIMA Congress this year.

Portrait of Sri Lanka

‘Portrait of Sri Lanka’ an exhibition of paintings by S. Nuwan Nalaka will be held at the Alliance française de Kandy from April 19 to 25. The exhibition will be declared open on April 18 at 6.30 p.m. by the Chief Guest Kalabooshana Thilak Palliyaguruge.

A path to life

The Four Square Gospel church launched a magazine called Jeewana Nadiya, (River of life) and a CD of mass called Gala Halena Nil Nadiyake (A flowing blue stream) at the Jeewana Margaya church on March 29.

Nidana Kele Abhirahasa to be launched

Dr. Dinesh Gunatilleke Samarawickrema’s latest Sinhala novel Nidhana Kele Abhirahasa will be launched at Dayawansa Jayakody Book Exhibition Hall, Colombo 10 on April 8 at 10 a.m.

The story is about four brave children who lived in a village that existed 100 years ago. The novel depicts his medical knowledge and the villages’ beliefs.