Filled with emotion Visharada Amaradeva sat at Sarasavipaya (the good old Elphinstone theatre) on New Year's Eve to hear the best in the land sing, paying tribute to the Great Master. The show titled Mindada Hee Sara ( Songs of Love) was organised by the Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC) in recognition of Amaradeva's contribution towards the developments of Sinhala music.
When our foremost songstress Nanda Malini went down on her knees and paid her respects to the Master on her way to the stage, he was visibly moved.
He would not have expected Nanda Malini (who rarely appears on a public show) to go on singing so many numbers. She began with Rasai Kiri Ne Diyaru, Amaradeva's first rendering for the HMV label way back in 1940. The Mohamed Ghouse creation was sung by Nanda Malini with Edward Jayakody, a rare combination.
While many a well known singer joined to pay tribute, the evening turned out to be Nanda Malini's homage to the maestro. With Narada Disasekara she sang the award winning song in the first ever Sarasaviya Awards Galana Gagaki Jevithe from Ranmuthuduwa (1962), for which Amaradeva did the music score. (He won the Best Music award that year for Gamperaliya).
It was a rare treat for the audience to hear her sing Rattaran Duwe, Carlo Fonseka's creation which has become a hit in recent months, with Rohana Weerasinghe.
Another rare appearance was Nanda and Sanath Nandasiri. She sang many a popular number solo and was joined by Ananda Perera and the Siha Shakthi Group to sing yet another song with a difference - Nilambare Taru. The Group's rendering of a medley of Amaradeva songs to open the show saw Amaradeva quietly humming some of his old favourites.
When presenter Nalin Karunaratne invited Amaradeva to the stage, he wasn't quite sure whether he should really go up. Obviously he was not ready to sing. But it was for a presentation - a token of recognition from the SLRC. Then when the other singers gathered to sing Ratnadipa Janmabhumi, homage to the motherland by Mahagama Sekara, Amaradeva too joined in.
All in all, it was a fitting tribute to a man who had devoted many decades to improve our taste for good Sinhala music.
We all remem ber him as Weerasekera, the retired government clerk or better still Ranjinige Thaththa, the way his wife Sudu Hamine (Iranganie Serasinghe) addressed him in Yasorawaya. The man who stole the show in the first ever Sinhala novel (by Somawira Senanayake) to be made into a teledrama (by Parakrama Niriella), G.W Surendra is no more. He died of a sudden heart attack as the new year dawned.
Although
many would remember Sure (that's how we all called him) as Weerasekera,
he broke into the theatre world with Ape Kattiya playing roles in
Boarding Karayo and Tattu Geval in the early sixties. Whenever
he appeared in a film even though they were not major roles, he made his
mark, as he did in Gamperaliya as Baladeva's (Tony Ranasinghe) friend.
Sure was very talented. Beginning his career as a journalist in Dina Dina, the magazine edited by Ananda Tissa de Alwis, he later served in Dawasa. His ability as a superb page make-up man was widely acknowledged. Velenda, the monthly magazine he edited for Siddhalepa Group was an easy to read, interesting journal. He had a stint with Gulf News too.
From journalism he moved over to the advertising field writing some superb creative copy. He had a deep sense of love towards the environment and it was only the other day he told me he was completing some TV scripts on environment and was on the lookout for a sponsor. As a translator he was excellent. His last work was for Jayawardene Centre - a translation of President Jayewardene's life story.
We've lost a talented artiste. A complete media person. Above all, a good man. May he attain Nibbana!.
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The Philatelic Bureau is planning to release four stamps commemorating the completion of 50 years of Sinhala Cinema. Scenes from four films will be depicted. Kadawunu Poronduwa, Gamperaliya, Nidhanaya, and Handaya, are the four films. The date of the release of the stamps is not decided yet. The only instances when the Sinhala cinema was honoured with stamps were the two releases in memory of Rukmani Devi (October 1990) and Vijaya Kumaratunga (October 1992). |
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Not only is Sugathapala de Silva recovering, it was good to hear that he came to pay his last respects to Ape Kattiya colleague GW Surendra. In fact, he had even written a few sentences in the book of condolences. "I was the one who had to go. You should have been there to bid me good-bye. Instead you have gone. Much of the accolades I got were due to your brilliant performances in the Ape Kattiya plays".
Continue to Plus page 3 * Religious themes from ancient times * Murals to be restored
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