Season starter with “Silver Bells”
Although we’re just into November, one cannot help but feel a sense of joy in the air. The coolness of the breeze that brushes past you on the street is something that you’d wait for all year. Children laughing, the occasional carol playing on the radio and preparations for the season ahead have already begun, in the air there’s a feeling of Christmas.
Jith Peiris gears up for the festive season with Silver Bells
Thirty years on and Jith Peiris looks to present his season starter “ Silver Bells” which brings together a collection of talented Sri Lankan musicians to the stage. It will be held at the Lionel Wendt on November 24, starting at 7.30 p.m.
Christmas has always meant a lot to Jith. As we sit in the comfort of his home with his radio softly playing some old tunes in the background, we take a stroll down memory lane. During his childhood, Jith’s mother would always go that extra mile to make the season extra special for him. And this is where his love for Christmas stems from.
Today, he fondly recalls all those memories that he holds so dear, through ‘Silver Bells.’
Jith enjoys the numerous decorations, the carols and the food, all in all “the pagan part of it,” he chuckles. On a more serious note though, he is also a staunch believer of infant Jesus. “The image of the infant Jesus is something that I worship throughout the year,” and that is why Jith looks forward to Christmas.
The main focus of the show is to create a sense of nostalgia which is why he sticks to the renowned carols. At the same time, he is also doing the best he could to bring in a set of new voices to the show, since Jith had started ‘Silver Bells’ with the hope of bringing local artists together.
This year’s lineup is set to feature the talented ‘Contempo’, ‘The Old Joes Choir’, Harin Amirthanathan, Gehan Cooray, Amarsha Tissera, Daniella Perera, Joanne Aloysius, Trudy Herft, Gananath Dassanayake, Kovindu de Seram and Shenelle Fernando.
Thirty years on and Jith has stuck to the one thing ‘Silver Bells’ has always been about and that is ‘simple’. He explains that what makes it so special is the classical style that it offers. This year is a little different, since it also marks the 200th anniversary of ‘silent night.’
The song was first composed in a little town in Austria and has been sung across the world at every Christmas since. Jith looks to have ‘Contempo’ join the world tribute for the song and their rendition will be an added feature to the show.
Aside from this, he tells us ‘Silver Bells’ will also include several instrumentalists. This year will also showcase a poetic tribute to Christmas, which will be performed by Amarsha.
Jith fondly explains his reason for having the programme early this year as things tend to get a little busy during Christmas. The way he looks at it, ‘Silver Bells is and will remain a nostalgic revival that opens the season.
(Tickets are priced at 3000, 2500, 1500, 1000 and 700 balcony)