True believer in power of music
Daniel Froschauer, Chairman of probably the world’s most prestigious musical ensemble – the Vienna Philharmonic – after more than three decades of playing classical music professionally, still finds himself inspired by the music he plays, by the connections it creates among complete strangers, and the power it carries to make a difference in the world. [...]
Village boy from Jaffna who dreamed in leaps and bounds
On Thursday, April 18, 2024 at 11.55 a.m., Dr. Nagalingam Ethirveerasingam passed away peacefully at his home in Los Angeles, California, USA, surrounded by his family. He was 89 years old. ‘Ethir’ was born in 1934 in a one-room hut with a palmyrah leaf roof and a mud floor in the small village of Periyavillan [...]
Appreciations
Those halcyon days in Maha-Illuppallama Ajith Abeyratne Ajith, my older brother, was born on April 28, 1949 and passed away unexpectedly on October 26, 2023. We were all deeply shocked and saddened by his untimely demise. No one ever imagined he would pass on before celebrating his 75th birthday which would have been today – [...]
Brilliant strokes of a great artist and milieu in which he moved
There has been much written about George Keyt, but it was not till I had read this beautifully produced volume that I registered that a comprehensive account of the man and his work was long overdue. There had been three major studies produced before Keyt died in 1993, the first by his friend Martin Russel [...]
De Lanerolle Brothers take Sunil Shantha’s music into the future
Celebrating their 15th anniversary, the De Lanerolle Brothers, are paying tribute to Sunil Shantha and their heritage in their latest show ‘Olu Pipeela’. With the collaboration of the Sunil Shantha Padhanama and the support of the musician’s son Lanka Shantha, they will present the songs of this legendary musician, considered the father of modern Sinhala [...]
A paean to nature and sprinkling of philosophy
Lockdown poems by Shanthi Weerawardene Shanthi’s maiden effort is unique in the magnificence of its production. Each poem is accompanied by a striking full-page illustration. She writes with a simplicity and sensitivity which would appeal to a wide audience. Her poems are a paean to nature, interspersed with a sprinkling of philosophy. They enhance our [...]
Promoting and conserving our shipwreck heritage
Rasika Mutukumarana (Marine Archaeology Unit, Central Cultural Fund) and Anuradha Piyadasa (Institute of Archaeology and Heritage Studies) will deliver the Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka’s monthly lecture for April. They will speak on ‘National Shipwreck Database of Sri Lanka: as a tool for tourism promotion and biodiversity conservation’. The lecture will be on Monday [...]
Sahana needs helping hand to help four-legged friends
Meet Sahana Ravishankar, the compassionate and sole driving force behind Purrs &Woofs, a non-profit organisation taking on the mammoth task of feeding, rescuing, fostering, rehoming, and providing medical treatment to neglected animals in need in the city of Colombo. What started with a rescue of a single dog in Peliyagoda has turned into a weekly [...]