Songs
of devotion at Wolvendaal
"It is to be an evening of aesthetic beauty and devotion,"
smiles Deloraine Brohier, the President of the Sri Lanka Netherlands
Association. The Association has organised an evening of music to
be held this Wednesday, January 7, at 7 p.m. at the Wolvendaal Church
in Colombo.
The
Sri Lanka Netherlands Association, which was established three years
ago will have renowned Sri Lankan-born soprano Gayathrie Peiris
singing for them. "It seemed to be the ideal opportunity and
we invited her to perform at the Church," says Ms. Brohier.
Though
the idea of holding a recital at the church is a relatively new
one, the Sri Lanka Netherlands Association is confident of its success.
"As a child I remember listening to such recitals in the Netherlands.
It was an accepted form of expression - for this type of music is
full of devotion."
The
Wolvendaal Church built in 1749 is one of Colombo's most historic
churches. The site for the church was chosen by the Dutch Governor
outside the walls of the city. "This grand old edifice remains
as it was originally built - as a memorial to the oldest Dutch institution
in Sri Lanka, the Dutch Reformed Church." Wolvendaal is the
Dutch rendering of a Portuguese name for the locality, which translated
means, the "Dale of Wolves".
"If
I was unable to sing, I'd be a very miserable person," laughs
Gayathrie Peiris who is stopping by in Sri Lanka for a working holiday
before making her way to Australia.
Gayathrie
began her vocal training under Mrs. Mary Anne David. In 1991 she
went to the Royal Academy of Music in London where she graduated
with a Royal Academy Bachelor of Music Diploma. She furthered her
operatic training at the Mayer Lisman Opera Centre, London.
Gayathrie's
range includes a wide repertoire of popular music. She has sung
lead roles in musicals such as Annie, Oklahoma, Hello Dolly and
West Side Story. And her operatic roles include Orfeo in Orfeo ed
Euridice, Romeo in I Capuletti ed I Montecchi and Rosina in Il Barbier
di Siviglia.
"My
most treasured performance was at an international festival held
in Wales where we performed in front of an audience of 8000,"
she says. Where does she see herself in a few years? "Singing
is an art.So I really cannot say. It's a fulfilling profession -
and it is such an achievement to please the audience."
What
kind of music will the evening include? "Mainly devotional
and inspirational music as well as some operatic pieces,”
says Gayathrie. Her husband, William Patrick will accompany her
as always. Entrance is by programme priced at Rs. 300. The proceeds
of the sale are towards covering the cost of the evening and the
repair of the church organ. -RHG
Broadway songs and dance
Veteran director Jith Pieris is back with 'A Night In Tinsel Town',
a grand musical to be staged on January 16 and 18 at Bishop's College
auditorium at 7.30 p.m.
A
Night In Tinsel Town presents orchestral music, individual artistes
playing a variety of instruments, five dance items and songs by
groups and individuals and a dramatized item.
Young
performers who have achieved merit in different fields will be the
stars of the show which highlights the Broadway theme. This production
will be in aid of SUROL (Society for the Upliftment and Rehabilitation
of Leprosy patients).
Lankan
dance duo in Kerala
A brother and sister duo from Sri Lanka appeared on the
Kerala stage, performing at Guruvayoor. Sashikala Subramaniam, a
student of Holy Family Convent, Bambalapitiya under the tutelage
of Kalasuri Smt. Vasugi Jegatheeswaran together with Suresh - APU
University, Cambridge under the guidance of Smt. Pushkala Gopal
and Shri Unnikrishnan of Mudralaya, London performed in Kerala,
on December 31.
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Giving form to thoughts with tender shades
"Owls" introduced me to Daisy Dias-Abeyesinghe Campbell.
"Strange shared passion" would you say? Well, yes ...
one has to be intrigued by these beautiful birds. When "Owls"
introduced me to Daisy, it was through their beauty captured on
canvas. My mind goes back a few years when the Alliance française
de Kandy at 412, Peradeniya Road hosted Daisy for her exhibition
...
Now, from Owls to Images.
A
self taught artist whose palette of colours attracts, touches and
gives life to a myriad of subjects. Tender shades that give form
to a thought.
Rare
artistic talent that transforms a flight of stairs, a range of hills,
pine trees or the Ehela tree at the entrance to Belvédère
into uniquely beautiful creations. With the gentle murmur of the
Mahaweli waters providing the backdrop to her passion, Daisy was
working on her newest tableau. I watched as the canvas came to life
and forms started to appear, colours mingled with each other making
real a thought ... and with such ease, definite brush strokes...
the passionate artist at work. I marvel at the harmony of shades,
blues and whites built into this creation, it holds my attention,
'la mer'... hear the waves as they touch the reef. Real!
Daisy
will call her next exhibition "Images". How very appropriate.
The Alliance française de Kandy moves into its own home at
642 Peradeniya Road this January taking with it so many fond images
of the past and opening its doors to many more. "Images"
is the very first exhibition our new Alliance française will
host in January 2004 and what better way to capture this significant
moment than through the "Images" brought to life by this
artist friend.
"Images" ... symphonie des images. -Kush Herat
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