Compiled by Ruwini Jayawardana

Victor's Vibrant Virtues...

Ganga Pradeepa

He commanded respect in the music scene and in no time conquered it. Respect and recognition came to him. A melodious voice mesmerised million of fans over the past four and a half decades. Versatile and vibrant Victor Ratnayake who pioneered the change in the classical and oriental type of music in Sri Lanka from early 1970s had arrived.

Victor Ratnayake has conquered more with his lilting voice and marvellous musical compositions. Music is in his blood and melodies run in his veins. Gifted with a melodious voice that yet stands the same for 45 years, makes many a young woman blush when he sings- "Gahenu Lamayine, Koheda Bala Inne........".

Victor's compassions were blended with creativity in both lyrics and music. His melodious voice added more glamour to these harmonious compositions which are still alive and echoes in the ears of Sinhala music fans. The nostalgic memories bring to mind the evergreen hit, "Api Okkoma Rajavaru, Okkoma Vasiyo" which is patriotic to all citizens, with a melody that ran in to the veins of musicians and fans.

A journey of 45 years of Victor Ratnayake was not a path of roses. Music lovers respect this vibrant man as an exclusive figure who stood above politics. Victor is a true Sri Lankan devoid of politics and colour with only music being is life line, rarely seen but often heard over radio transmissions.

Victor Ratnayake is a silent personality who has exclusive characteristics as a musician. The corridor of The Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation will bear testimony to the credentials of Victor Ratnayake as a vibrant musician of our time.

Victor Ratnayake celebrated his 66 birthday on February 18 marking and reminiscing 45 years of a melodious musical journey that brought harmony and symphony to many a million music fans.

He released the evergreen compact disc containing a number of his famous songs that also had "Gahanu Lamayine", Mal Pokuru Pokuru, Maliniye, Kohe Sita Obe Peminiyedo and Sanda Ken Vetena etc. The recording was done by Siyatha FM and Central Industry Finance Limited.

The long haired Victor Ratnayake in his youth was a Romeo of music to many a million fans of the opposite sex. And their hearts embraced his voice when he sang Hinahenna Romiyo Mamai in the film Raja Gedara Paraviyo which starred Gamini Fonseka.

This is the success story of this great musician. His sentimental song Aadaraye Ulpatha Vu Amma to this day moves to tears many a mothers.

Marion Cotillard:

Best actress at Oscars

Tangi Quemener

Edith Piaf might be a French cultural icon but Marion Cotillard knew little about her before landing her Oscar-winning role as the tragic chanteuse in "La Vie En Rose."

Cotillard, 32, became only the second Frenchwoman in history to win the Oscars best actress Sunday, 48 years after Simone Signoret's triumph at the 32nd Academy Awards in 1960.

"I didn't know the story of Piaf's life very well so I started by immersing myself in her," Cotillard said of her preparation for the part.

"I watched old films, I listened to her an enormous amount. Eventually I was living with two people - her and me."

Cotillard's extraordinary performance, which charts every stage of Piaf's adult life, from her rise to stardom before the descent into drink, drugs and death from cancer aged 47, may well come to be seen as the benchmark against which all future musical biopics are judged.

Ironically, Cotillard was nearly overlooked for the part.

Financiers were reportedly keen on a more established name, such as "Amelie" and "The Da Vinci Code" star Audrey Tautou, and only agreed to Cotillard after director Olivier Dahan said he would not make the film without her. Dahan's faith in his leading lady has been repaid handsomely, with the film faring well internationally and delighting audiences worldwide. And Cotillard on Sunday paid tribute to his vision.

"Oh - thank you so much. Olivier, what you did to me, you rocked my life. You have truly rocked my life," she told the Academy Awards ceremony as she accepted her golden statuette.

"I'm speechless now .. I thank you life, thank you love and - it is true, there is some angels in this city. Thank you so, so much."

Cotillard has been showered with critical garlands, earning a Golden Globe, a BAFTA and now an Oscar.

Born in Paris in 1975, Cotillard grew up in a creative household, the daughter of an actor-director father and an actress mother.

As a youngster she starred in several plays before she got her big movie break, a role in Luc Besson's 1998 film "Taxi", which she followed with appearances in two later sequels.

Cotillard received rave reviews for her performance in 2001's "Pretty Things," in which she played twins and two years later she introduced herself to English-speaking audiences in Tim Burton's "Big Fish."

An award-winning performance in Jean-Pierre Jeunet's "A Very Long Engagement", for which she earned a Cesar - the French equivalent of an Oscar - firmly established Cotillard as a rising talent.

Since then Cotillard has appeared in numerous films, including Ridley Scott's "A Good Year" opposite Russell Crowe in 2006. But it is Cotillard's performance in "La Vie En Rose" that signaled stardom was beckoning.

She has landed a starring role in legendary Hollywood director Michael Mann's latest film "Public Enemies" with Johnny Depp and Christian Bale, and is also reportedly set to star in a film version of the award-winning musical "Nine."

Bringing expertise in soul sounds

Anandi Fernando

Conflict and fighting, are images of what the world perceives Sri Lanka to be. But in the midst of it, in keeping with the saying that 'music cuts through all barriers and is truly universal, we see a group of talented young girls, trying to project an image of love, peace, unity and hope, through their singing which has captured the hearts of many throughout the world.

How do they do it? By reaching out to the world, and also by calling for help to better their talents to compete with the world.

Their latest endeavour was a series of workshops in the realm of gospel music. Prof. Wilson trained them, and put out a show at the end of the week, which was by all emans worlds standard.

Their concert received a standing ovation, with many requesting for another show. Through the choirs rendition of spiritual music they were able to touch the souls of many in the audience.

But is it just gospel music that makes this group special? Within the past 4 years, this groups of girls abl y led by experts in the field of music and theatre, Soundarie David, and Jerome L de Silva, have toured through the world, talking to the world through their music, and above all telling the rest of the world about the beauty that lies within Sri Lanka despite the war.

In internatiaonl label, working on a single with artiste such as the Beegees and Sir Cliff Richard. The single was released in the UK, and was Number 4 in the charts. Anyone who goes online, for a review of it, would note that it is the Sri Lankan choir version of the song that has been so popular.

One such review indicates "But I believe that the star of the show is the best track on the single for sure. Its simplicity makes it even better. We have the choir singing and a drum, that's it. The Soloists are amazing. All of the voices are hauntingly beautiful and really do give me a shiver.

I only gave this 3 stars because of the trite. If it had only been the choral and orchestral versions then I would have given it 5 stars.

Little has been said about this project, but classic FM UK has been airing the Sri Lankan choir version of the song for the past couple of months.

If this was not enough the choir was then invited by our neighbour India, to sing ina sacred Festival, called Bhakti Utsev, at the prestigious Nehru Park, Delhi in 2006. Here again they had rave reviews from The Hindu, and once again enthralled many in the audience, despite the difference in race and religion.

Basil Mihiripenna's:

Abhinandana seeks new ground

Sachitra Mahendra

Kalasuri Dr. Basil Mihiripenna is to launch a music and dancing performance show titled Abhinandana on February 29th in John de Silva Memorial Theatre at 6.30pm. Sixteen performers will be included in the show, while Dr. Mihiripenna will play Sitar.

The function will be decorated by a Russian singer, a guest artiste teaching at Russian Cultural Centre.

Dr. Mihiripenna, though a household name in dancing theatre, took off with music but his passion towards dancing put him in above it. The golden period of dancing was a long time ago, he says, and now the field's glory is fast going to pot. However, he is firm that the dancers in the past knew the path to develop dancing, whereas sadly we cannot see such a phenomenon in today's society.

Mihiripenne's glorious days took off in 1944 when the present college system was something quite unheard of. It was 'Guru Kula' or residential school that was present in his time; students did studies at the teacher's place, not for exams but to embrace skills of the teacher.

Quite oppositely, the purpose of today's exams is only measuring knowledge rather than expression of dancing. "There are people, they have hardly any knowledge but they show high modes of expression when they take to dancing.

When exams measure only knowledge, it certainly does injustice to the really talented student." Indian education system, nonetheless focuses on practical knowledge rather than theoretical knowledge.

"There was a time when dancing was studied seriously. But nowadays, you see serious dancing only on either Shantikarma or Thovil.

No scientific studies are being done apart from that," Mihiripenna grins.

Basil Mihiripenna entertains no civil words on the current university system.

"The students have to learn all kinds of dancing. For instance up country and low country dancing are vast subject areas. But here students learn all those things. Finally they end up grasping a full load of nothing."

Dr. Mihiripenna is also setting ground for a new building for budding dancing performers.

"For that we need funds of about Rs. 500,000. My sole intention is to create another generation of talented dancers.

We have criteria to select the students, we specially test their body flexibility." Mihiripenna emphasises the importance of body flexibility by recalling an experience in seeing a Russian ballet dancer. "Her name is Anna Pavlova. She performed the way a swan dies. I think hardly anybody was there without tears, she was emotional that much."

Let us help Basil Mihiripenne in his effort of bringing up a creative generation.

***

Some awards bestowed on Dr. Basil Mihiripenna

1957: Golden Award in Asian Dancing Competition held in Moscow, Russia.

1976: Parliament citizenship in Nebraska state, America.

1987: Best Performer's Award in Arts Festival held in Taiwan.

1990: Honour of being the chief performer in dancing festival in Perth, Australia.

2000: Kalasuri awarded by President (first class)

2001: Lions award from Piliyandala Sinha society.

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Shantha K. Herath's:

Cartoon exhibition

Shantha K. Herath's cartoon exhibition starts on March 6, and the event will be held till March 9 from 8.00 am to 7.00 pm. The event will be opened by the chairmen of all the newspaper companies of Sri Lanka.

Shantha K. Herath's association with newspaper art began as a schoolboy. In the past 26 years, he has mastered the delicate nuances in newspaper. Art forms focusing on political cartoons, caricatures, illustrations, portraits, etc.

His 'Collection of Pocket Cartoons' in 2003, was published by Sooriya publishers and the 'Collection of Political cartoons' his second work is by Godage publishers.

Amaradeva in Dubai, Sunil in Sabaragamuva

Dr W D Amaradeva's 'Amarasara' concert will be held in Indian high school auditorium, Dubai, United Arab Emirates on February 29.

The Master is to be accompanied by budding singers too.

Sunil Edirisinghe's 'Aluth Vessak' concert will be held at Sabaragumuva University auditorium on February 27th.

Concert organization is by Pushkara Vanniarachchi. Music is by Susil Amarasinghe.