‘Tharana Sigiri Opera’ opens a new vision for ancient past
View(s):By Sanath Weerasuriya
Opera production ‘Tharana Sigiri’ the modern version of ‘the story of Sigiriya’ directed by Sagara Wijesinghe will be staged at Maradana Elphinstone Theatre on Friday 12th May 2023 at 3.30pm and 7.00pm.
‘Tharana Sigiri’ is a brainchild of Sagara and he was toying with this idea for a long time. He is a musician and more correctly is a maestro on keyboards. Sagara was the lead keyboardist at the ‘Agni’ Opera by Dr. Premasiri Kemadasa.
Sagara used his knowledge and the experience he gained from ‘Agni’ to create this new Opera ‘Tharana Sigiri’.
‘While I was composing music for Sigiri Graffiti poems, this was an idea that came to my mind. While I was singing the creations for Sigiri Graffiti, I realized this could be the seed for my project’ he said.
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- Director Sagara Wijesinghe
‘In general, bringing an opera to the audience is a task that takes a lot of work, time, and money. The work of composing music for ‘Tharana Sigiri Opera’ kept me occupied for two long years. It took another two years to train the artisans. An opera is born at the end of such a huge effort. I can breathe now’ Sagara explained how he started his ‘Tharana Sigiri’ project.
The cast of ‘Tharana Sigiri’ comprises of Sunil Thilakaratne as ‘Kasyapa’, Nihari Wickramarachchi as Kasyapa’s mother ‘Ranganatha’, Abhishek Weerasinghe as ‘Parjanya’- Lord of Rains, Niluka Tushari as ‘Vijjulatava’, Chanaka Thisera as ‘Agni Dev’, Gamini Suriyaarachchi as ‘Giri Aduru’, Chamila Kodikara as ‘Sigiri Apsaravi’, Jayanath Bandara as ‘King Dhatusena’, Asanka Perera as ‘Giri Aduru group’, Dilanjana Heshan, Sampath Marambage, Nishantha Bhadrasila, Malith Jayasankha and Hirunika Rajapaksa as ‘Agni group’ and Indika Prageeth Ranasinghe, Deepika Kumari, Nuvan Perera, Chandani Warushakone, Anuru Sumananjali, Dinidi Imalka, Shenon Kavinda, Poornima Delpachitra, Ruchini Wijesundara, Amila Wickramarachchi, Kumari Liyanage are artistes and craftspeople who act as Sigiri tourists and Yakkha tribe.
‘It was our aim to bring the historical truth of Sigiriya and our identity that we have missed without investigation. Accordingly, the story of ‘Tharana Sigiri Opera’ spans from the era of King Dhatusena to the 13th century’ he said.
The prologue to this opera is the arrival of tourists to Sigiri, who are intrigued by reading the graffiti on the Sigiri mirror wall. The main theme of the ‘Sigiri Opera’ is the story of King Kasyapa wandering in Sigiri in search of his life’s roots. In the next number, Prince Mugalan fights with King Kasyapa, who is shocked after revealing his past. Giri Aduru (Character of Sigiri Rock) and others invite Kasyapa’s mother to intervene to prevent King Kasyapa’s decision.
The plot summary of Tharana Sigiri Opera continues with arises of Ranganatha from the top of the rock and appears before Kasyapa. King Kashyapa, engaged in an intense emotional battle between motherly love, brotherly love, and country love, is attacked by enemies at an uncertain moment. The opera closes with the fifth act with a touching farewell presentation of King Kasyapa, a sun of Sri Lankan royalty blessed with solar bloodline and royal birth to King Dhatusena, an artist of astonishing imagination.
Tharana Sigiri Opera is directed, produced, composed and orchestrated by Sagara Wijesinghe. The script or libretto of the opera is done by Ajith Krishantha Seram.
The Choreography by Nilan Maligaspe and the set design is by Palitha Lokupothagama in this opera.
Stage Management by Ajanta Alahakon. Stage Management Support by Tissa Liyangama.
Light designs by Ajith Rohana. Costume Designs by Sweenitha Perera and Costume Artistic Arrangement by Diana Sriwardena. Make – up and props by Chamara Anudath Rajapaksha. Concert master of ‘Tharana Sigiri Opera’ by Dilshan Malitha Manaranga.
Indunath Nandasinghe, Manoj Hasanka Wijewardena, Jitendra Vidyapathy, Naveen Fernando, Hemanga Samaraweera, Neranjan Karasinghe, Jude Fernando, Tilak Tantrige, Ananda Premasiri, P.G. Dharmasiri, Rochana Ramanayake, Chamara Lakmal, Kasun Sanjay, Prasad Maxwell, Uditha Ruwan Wijeratne, Sanjay R. Gamlath, Suranga Sabaragamuwa and many other musicians will participate as Orchestra members.
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