Two distinctive voices star for Soul Sounds
Dinushka and Shehara: Happy to be sharing the stage. Pic by Shehal Joseph
Nella Fantasia, which translates to ‘in my fantasy’, is a beautiful song that speaks of peace, freedom, and prosperity. Usually sung in its original Italian version, the song transcends the mundane world and inspires listeners to reach for something beyond their day-to-day existence.
This is also the name of the latest Soul Sounds concert and it has been aptly chosen because the proceeds from the event will go towards a worthy cause – the Tiny Stars pre-school and day care centre.
The current school building of Tiny Stars has a leaky roof which leads to flooding, crumbling walls and broken plaster. The building has been rented and paying the rent is a constant drain on the school’s already limited funds. Run by an established charity Community Concern, the school helps over 100 children in the Dehiwala Mount Lavinia area.
It was founded to help older children in low income families who were unable to attend school because they had to look after their younger siblings while their parents went to work.
Day care facilities are also offered so that mothers can go to work instead of looking after the children and thereby improve the family circumstances. Soul Sounds hopes to raise enough funds to complete the construction of a new building which has already been halted several times due to the lack of funds.
Soul Sounds, Sri Lanka’s leading all female choral ensemble, will be doing things a bit differently this time. Unlike their usual performances which focus on the choir, this concert will feature two of Soul Sounds’ leading singers – Shehara Liyanage and Dinushka Jayawickreme.
While most of the numbers will feature the duo, some will see the choir backing the two main singers. If you’re worried about the entire concert being themed around classical music, you needn’t, because Soul Sounds promises ‘something for everyone’ with songs from all genres of music.
The two stars of the evening, Shehara and Dinushka were a part of the Holy Family Choir which emerged first runners-up at a competition held in Wales 12 years ago. They have two entirely different voices, with Shehara singing more jazz and pop than Dinushka, who Music Director Soundarie David Rodrigo describes as having ‘a more operatic voice’.
Together they received a standing ovation for their rendition of ‘The Prayer’ in South Africa, when they performed there last year, which prompted Soundarie to explore the possibility of featuring them as a duo in a concert.
Shehara is excited and nervous to be performing at a concert which her family and friends have been urging her to do with Dinushka and feels that their sense of closeness will shine through in their performances and give them what Soundarie calls ‘the special Soul Sounds touch’.
Dinushka states that most people can’t even tell their voices apart, which sometimes includes them! She feels that she and Shehara have come a long way and overcome many odds since their first duet at a school carol service in which her lantern caught on fire.
‘Nella Fantasia’ will be held on February 10 at the Lionel Wendt Theatre. Soul Sounds is exclusively sponsored by Fairway Holdings and Dimo. Tickets will be available at the Soul Sounds Academy 57/2, Kassapa Road, Colombo 5.