TV Times

TV Times

Its WOMAD time in Sri Lanka
By Sanath Weerasuriya
‘WOMAD SRI LANKA FESTIVAL OF DRUMS’ will come alive in Sri Lanka for the first time from Wednesday, 21 to Sunday, 25 September, with indoor and outdoor concerts and workshops in Colombo and special acoustic performances also, in Kandy and Negombo.

The organisers of ‘World of Music and Dancing’ (WOMAD) and The Sri Lanka Tourist Board will be presenting this festival and there is already huge excitement surrounding this ground-breaking international event. The festival programme features both live performances and workshops from an absolutely all-star line-up.

The theatre performances will come alive at Bishop’s College Auditorium from September 21 to 24 followed by the workshop at the Gallery at Beira Lake from22 to 25. The club session too will be at the same venue. The main Festival featuring all the performers will come alive at Galle Face Green on 24 and 25.

The action at the University of Peradeniya will come alive on September 22 and the concert at the Browns Beach will be on September 23. The performers of the WOMAD Sri Lanka are ASERE (CUBA), BILL COBHAM (USA), CHEMIRANI ZARB TRIO (IRAN), DRUMMERS OF BURUNDI (BURUNDI), JOJI HIROTA & TAIKO DRUMMERS (JAPAN/UK), NANA VASCONCELOS (BRAZIL), THE BAYS (UK), THE DHOL FOUNDATION (UK/INDIA), TOTO LA MOMPOSINA Y SUS TAMBORES (COLOMBIA), WICKED AURA BATUCADA (SINGAPORE), YELEMBA D'ABIDJAN (COTE D'IVOIRE) and RAVIBANDHU VIDYAPATHY AND DRUMMERS and DANCERS (SRI LANKA)

Cuba's inventive and soulful seven-piece group ASERE will collaborate with the world's number-one drummer, BILL COBHAM; and Bill will also feature in solo performance and master-classes.

From central Africa, direct from Burundi, the DRUMMERS OF BURUNDI bring their compelling and ground-moving rhythms for what will certainly be a highlight performance of the whole festival.

From Asia, meditative Taiko drumming is brought to Sri Lanka from Japanese master JOJI HIROTA; and audiences will also be delighted by the deft mastery of the CHEMIRANI ZARB TRIO from Iran.

Also featured will be the peerless talents of Brazilian superstar NANA VASCONCELOS; Colombia's fantastic TOTO LA MOMPOSINA; improvisational beats from hot UK dance act THE BAYS; and yet further artistes from all over the globe.

And SRI LANKA itself will provide the most beguiling of settings for this great musical feast, with some of the island's most outstanding percussion and dance artistes contributing also to the unique meeting point which is created and celebrated by WOMAD as a festival spirit.

Classical Kandyan dancer and renowned boundary-breaking choreographer RAVIBANDHU VIDYAPATHY will coordinate and direct performances of the percussion and dance of Sri Lanka, bringing distinct drumming and dance traditions to the festival, reflecting the huge cultural diversity to be found throughout the island.

WOMAD organisation was created in 1981 by a group of individuals including the English singer and artiste Peter Gabriel and Thomas Brooman, Artistic Director of WOMAD.

Since 1981, WOMAD has produced over 145 music events in 23 countries always aiming to offer audiences an insight into cultures other than their own through the enjoyment of music.

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