A match made through cinema
The father of Lankan cinema Dr. Lester James Peries will turn 99 on April 5. His wife of a half a century and more, the celebrated film director Sumitra Peries will give him the best gift of all – her latest film Vaishnawee (Divine Messenger) to be released on the same day, its script based [...]
Letters to the Editor
Cockroaches as train companions! While travelling on the “luxury” intercity rail from Mount Lavinia to Kankesanthurai, I noted a numbers of cockroaches crawling all over the compartment. At the food counter, I noted the same insects crawling all over the exposed buns and Chinese rolls for sale. I discreetly mentioned this to the vendor. His [...]
Appreciations
Snapshots of a life lived to the full Audrey Roberts My sister Audrey Roberts passed away in Oxford in February, a little before her 84th birthday. A divorcee, bearing the name of her second husband as Audrey Maxwell, she had no issue, but can claim to have lived a full life marked by remarkable energy, [...]
Don’t cry for the crucified Christ, but stand up for the weak and down trodden
He died for us……..He was killed. Why? This is what Fr. Lasantha de Abrew, a priest of the Jesuit Order, asked from the pulpit of a serene chapel in Colombo, just before Christians not only in Sri Lanka but across the world stepped into Holy Week. Starting last Sunday, which was Palm Sunday and ending [...]
Carrying on the legacy of a veteran scribe
Gunadasa Liyanage, journalist, author and distinguished editor, left behind him a great legacy, not least among his children; one of them a paediatrician and the other three following their father’s footsteps as journalists. The most public face among them is Chethana Liyanage, who as a news anchor is immediately recognizable, her photogenic allure added to [...]
“Little girls can be giants”
Wearing a colourful dress of yellow and orange with white lace around the neck line, she looked at the passersby with her large expressive eyes. Many who saw her, stopped in their tracks to take a picture of this pretty girl. Children were excited by the mere sight of her and a few intimidated, for [...]
A classical trio, a concert to delight
The Trio, comprising well-known and recognized performers, all of them with ties that bind them with Sri Lanka, with years of experience on the concert stages of the world and totally adjusted to appearing before audiences of all sorts, were in Colombo to perform for the Sunera Foundation at the Lionel Wendt Memorial Theatre, on [...]
Mutual respect and beauty of chamber music
For those unfamiliar with the classical music scene, this classical trio could perhaps be described as of particular eminence. British-born Rohan de Saram, is one of Sri Lanka’s best known musicians, having been described as “a Cello Phenomenon, one of the greatest cellists of our time” by the German newspaper Kolnische Rundshau, and a “rare [...]
French connections in 20th century classical music
Young pianist Louis Perera is back with a new concert of Musical Excursions after a lapse of two years. His first, an orchestral concert, was very well received for bringing in a fresh breeze with Twentieth Century classical pieces. The forthcoming concert is an excursion on two pianos. For more than an year Louis has [...]
Battle of intellect and passion out in the open
Love, politics and the power play between the sexes: The Workshop Players’ Antony and Cleopatra promises to be more than a bold, exotic love story. This year’s edition of Shakespeare in the Park will explore Shakespeare’s legendary tragic love story, the production directed by Tracy Holsinger-award winning director, teacher and founding member of Mind Adventures [...]
Canvas of colour from Royden’s students
The students of veteran artist Royden O. Gibbs will hold an exhibition of their paintings ‘Rendezvous in Colour’ on Thursday, April 5 at the Alliance Francaise, Barnes Place, Colombo 7. The artists are a diverse group: Lal Chandranath, Veeranthi Wijemanne, Keshani De Silva, Renuka Mendis, Hansaja Devnith, Malinka Samarasinha, Dharsha Samarasinha, Wasantha K. Siriwardena, Manel [...]
Await two famous concertos on violin and piano by mother daughter duo
If you have come to expect sublime lyricism and melody from Tchaikovsky, his violin concerto will certainly not disappoint. One of the most popular pieces of music ever written, this concerto is nevertheless described as the “most fiendishly difficult of all violin concertos.” This work is not just about display, but interlaces passages of rare [...]
Close knit group who meet to knit and chat
The Mount Lavinia Hotel will host an Avurudu sale of the Knit and Chat Group of Methodist Church Mount Lavinia on April 6 and 7 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The sale will feature knitted items, crocheted items, apparel, household goods, most of it handcrafted by this group of lively ladies, including mothers and [...]
Snack on scones & strawberry jam as you take a good rest in the hills
Situated in the heart of Nuwara Eliya, behind St Xavier’s church are the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary(FMM), founded in 1972 by Sr. Marcel. The story began when an elderly lady who came selling oranges, called at the convent and Sr. Marcel took pity on her and bought all her fruit, and thus commenced the orange [...]
The elegance of sand washed silk at Dilly’s
Dilly’s latest collection unveiled for the season, is born of founder Dilani Wijeyesekera’s quest to find the perfect timeless fabric for her customers. “In one of my travels to Hong Kong many years ago, I came across a beautiful sand washed silk palazzo pant that was so soft and sensuous on my skin making me [...]
Traditional chic and tropical vibes
HSBC CFW @15 Day 2 Day Two started with a collection by Parisian haute couture designer, Eymeric François whose evening wear featured corsets, asymmetric hems and wide messy fringes. The use of leather and worked shoulders in some of the designs gave the collection its edgy yet sultry feel and femme fatale aura. LICC jeans [...]
Haute couture of the saree drape
Bringing this 15th anniversary edition of HSBC CFW to a sparkling end on Day 4, celebrated Indian designer Tarun Tahiliani showcased a haute couture collection of absolute luxury, shimmering gossamer sarees and daintily embroidered see through blouses, plus exotic saree drape dresses, proving why he is on India’s celebrity designer list. (See more of CFW [...]