“Keeping it Real”: The De Lanerolles’ return to BMICH
BMICH Director Sunil Dissanayake announcing the show flanked by Rohan and Ishan De Lanerolle
2017 is proving to be a busy year for the energetic De Lanerolle Brothers. The musical duo recently wrapped up a massive concert (with 200 singers and 1200 in the audience) at the Cathedral of Christ the Living Saviour. Next month will find them on stage at the BMICH with “Keeping it Real” the latest instalment of a series of concerts they have performed at the BMICH.
Fans of the duo’s signature smooth harmonies and their genial stage presence may remember the last time the two performed for a sold out production at the BMICH last year. A departure from their annual dinner shows which easily draw in fans by the numbers; the “Keeping it Real” series of shows allows the brothers to divert to a more “theatre style” performance, backed by a live band on stage. This year’s edition will also include an option of dinner planned together with the BMICH.
For Sunil Dissanayake, Director of the BMICH, this marks the third partnership the venue has with Rohan and Ishan. In their support of multicultural diversity, the BMICH has hosted artistic undertakings which cater to different cultural communities. This year has already featured a concert by Keerthi Pasquel to celebrate Sinhala pop music while they hope to hold a show dedicated to Bharata natyam in the future. The idea to partner with the De Lanerolle Brothers for their celebration of western music was because of the duo’s “captive audience” which finds them singing to packed audiences both here and abroad.
While the Brothers have performed to large audiences, (their audiences abroad have ranged from 500 to 50,000) their largest audience in Sri Lanka up to date has been at the BMICH. As with their previous concerts, this year’s “Keeping it Real” will find the Brothers revelling in the timeless favourites of the 60’s and the 70’s.
Performing on their home turf always finds the duo feeling “more nervous” than usual, they admit. But that little deterred crowds filling up the BMICH’s 1700 seats at the very first “Keeping it Real” concert in 2015, and the feeling of performing to such a crowd is one the brothers hope to relive this year too.
The BMICH will present “Keeping it Real” by The De Lanerolle Brothers on September 6 at the BMICH, directed by Shobi Perera. Tickets are priced at Rs. 1,000 onwards and includes delivery to your doorstep for a collective value of Rs 5000 or more. Balcony tickets will be available at The Commons Coffee House. For further details contact 0777996991.