The National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) in Mumbai is known for its rich cultural heritage and diverse performances. They launched NCPA@thePark three years ago as an initiative to rejuvenate live performances and aimed to celebrate the return of live entertainment to physical spaces, marking a significant milestone for the cultural landscape. From Mumbai, they have now expanded the NCPA@thePark series to Bengaluru. It will feature an array of live performances ranging from dance, international music, western classical music and spoken word.
Day one kicks off with a performance by the Symphony Orchestra of India (SOI), followed by UnErase Poetry, which will be a blend of spoken word and music. Day two will feature renowned Srjan dance troupe, led by Ratikant Mohapatra, who will present Deesha – Navigating the Journey of Forging New Horizons, a neo-classical odissi performance. This will be followed by an electrifying set by Darren Das & The Sixth Sense, which will be a dynamic fusion of pop, retro, rock ’n’ roll and classic rock. We speak to Khushroo N Suntook, the chairman of NCPA and the co-founder of SOI; and Swapnokolpa Dasgupta, head of dance, NCPA to unravel everything you need to know about this upcoming festival.
“Odissi is a dance form that you don’t get to see much in Bengaluru. You see more of bharatanatyam and kuchipudi. So, while curating the performance, I wanted to bring something to Bengaluru that I don’t usually curate. I want to see if the show creates more interest in the young crowd that would be coming or among parents of young people,” begins Swapnokolpa.
Talking about the performance, the curator says, “Since I do not want to share details about every piece, otherwise the charm will go away, so I am going to let you in on one particular scene. There will be a lot of acrobatic movements and human pyramids, but there is also this one magical play of light emulating sunrise. We have done this particular choreography multiple times in our theatre in NCPA but somehow the walls of the theatre confined the sun rays. Here, the choreography is perfect because the light can go undisturbed and reach the ultimate level to which it can spread.”
The performance will have new choreographies that have not even been performed in Mumbai. “Even when we have the same kind of choreography, it is never the same. Indian classical dance cannot have a set choreography. So, even if you are watching the same production of an Indian classical dance twice, you will see remarkable changes,” adds Swapnokolpa.
Following the performance in Bengaluru, Swapnokolpa is gearing up for the Mudra Dance Festival, which will be taking place in April in Mumbai.
“Music in the park has been a tradition in several parts of the world, right from Japan to America, where during summers, people gather together, enjoy the climate, in very relaxed surroundings and enjoy all sorts of music like classical, jazz, pop and lots more. And people could be part of this at very low prices, so it became very popular. We are trying to bring back this culture,” begins Khushroo.
When asked why he chose Bengaluru as the next destination after Mumbai, to bring NCPA@the Park , Khushroo reveals, “It’s a city that loves good art. It’s been the garden city of India for years and I love it. It’s an ideal place to start. Whenever we have performed in Bengaluru, the crowd has been appreciative. It’s a very open city and it embraces everything which is of good quality.”
The two-day festival is taking place in Freedom Park and when asked how they decided on the location, Khushroo says that they always look for places that have sufficient space. “The space should be well-equipped and anybody should be able to walk in,” he adds.
Currently, SOI is looking to spread its wings in India and hopes to play in cities like Jaipur and Udaipur next, which are perfect settings for an orchestra.
Entry free. March 30 and 31, 6 pm. At Freedom Park, Gandhi Nagar.
Email: alwin@newindianexpress.com
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