Something for everyone
The last time Kishani Jayasinghe was on a Sri Lankan stage she was singing her heart out for alma mater Visakha Vidyalaya, charming her audience with that special brand of warmth and humour.
Kishani in New York with Harsha Abeyaratne and Sujeeva Hapugalle
This time, when she returns to her first home at the Wendt, Kishani will once again sing for a very special cause-although she’s not sharing those details with us yet. You’ll have to wait for the show on December 3 to find out.
‘Kishani Sings with Friends’ marks a return to Lankan soil after a year and a half for Jayasinghe, a talented operatic singer who made waves when she landed several leading roles in major productions around the world.
Born and educated in Lanka, Kishani studied at the Royal Academy of Music, making her debut at Covent Garden and going on to play significant roles in operas like The Marriage of Figaro, La Boheme and La Traviata.
“The last time I was on stage in Sri Lanka was such a poignant and extraordinarily special performance and it just really moved me,” she says over an email interview.
“This seems to have set the theme for my life this past year with so many extraordinary opportunities and performances which have been really special.”
Her debut performance with the Singapore Lyric Opera at their Annual Opera Gala Concert at the Esplanade and again as the prima donna in their annual production; recitals in London and Holland; debut performance in China followed by an invitation to sing at Beijing’s NCPA are a few highlights over the period.
Add to that a gala recital in New York with pianists Sujeeva Hapugalle and Harsha Abeyaratne and her role debut and 17 sold out performances as the Sri Lankan Priestess Leila in Bizet’s Pearl Fishers in Holland-“it has been a hectic and fantastic year and a half.
I have been truly blessed to be so busy doing so many beautiful things. And now to finish off the year, I get to sing at home – what could be more beautiful than that?”
Kishani will perform alongside some of Sri Lanka’s leading musicians at the upcoming show. “It was such a special line up that I immediately decided to call the concert ‘Kishani sings with Friends’!” she says.
Soundarie David Rodrigo and Sureka Amerasinghe will take to the Piano and the Flute, Neranjan de Silva “will provide us with his own type of orchestration” and special guest artist Ananda Dabare will perform with the violin.
With the show you can expect her usual “mixed” programme; a segment of opera, another of sacred music and a selection of “jewels”-familiar music which should have the audience humming along.
You can also expect a few seasonal favourites-after all, it’s a December show! “So hopefully something for everyone” says the singer.
‘Kishani Sings with Friends’ is on at the Lionel Wendt on December 3 from 7.30 p.m. Tickets will be available for advance telephone bookings from November 1-17 (1-6 p.m.) on 071 886 7071. Box plan and tickets will be available at the Lionel Wendt from November 18.