It’s that time of the year again for folks in Singapore to enjoy an explosion of arts with Kalaa Utsavam, the Indian Festival of Arts.
Showcasing cultural performances from classical to contemporary by artists from India, the Indian diaspora and Singapore, it promises to add to the festive Deepavali celebrations in our Lion city this year.
Kalaa Utsavam: Then and Now
Kalaa Utsavam – Indian Festival of Arts was launched in 2002 as a three-day event and has grown to become an iconic fixture in the city-state’s calendar.
“The festival reminds us of how tradition can keep us rooted and enrich us as we navigate this contemporary age,” said festival organiser Rajeswari Ramachandran, Producer, The Esplanade Co Ltd.
The 18th edition of Kalaa Utsavam will be held at Esplanade – Theatre’s on the Bay from November 15 to 24, 2019. The 10-day festival, which features a mixture of ticketed and free performances and workshops, is an annual event at Esplanade, Singapore’s national performing arts centre.
This year, some of the main performances include Bangalore-based Carnatic rockers Agam returning to the festival with an exclusive segment with celebrated Hindustani vocalist Kaushiki Chakraborty.
Dance maverick Aditi Mangaldas returns to Kalaa Utsavam with Inter_rupted, a work that showcases her signature blend of the classical kathak tradition, contemporary dance elements and theatre design.
The Lost Wax Project, a contemporary dance work by Bharatanatyam expert Preethi Athreya and The Threshold, a musical piece by artists Pallavi MD and Bindhumalini celebrating the journeys of remarkable women, will be among the prominent performances at Kalaa Ustavam.
Bollywood music fans can look forward to the Singapore debut of composer, singer and lyricist Amit Trivedi at the festival. Actors Ensemble India Forum, a theatre company also makes its Singapore debut with Ultimate Kurukshetra, a side-splitting comedy and a modern take on the epic Mahabharata. We can look forward to a debut concert by The Guitar Prasanna as well.
Singapore-based artists returning to the festival include Bhaskar’s Arts Academy co-producing Marabu – The First Ripple, the group’s first venture into the dance-theatre genre.
Swarhythm Ensemble, a multi-ethnic group of talented Singapore musicians founded and led by accomplished tabla artist Nawaz Mirajkar, will launch their first album during their concert. Homegrown Hindi band The Band Walle returns to the festival with their first ticketed concert.
Ticketed Programmes
Inter_rupted
Aditi Mangaldas Dance Company – The Drishtikon Dance Foundation (India)
Date: November 16, 8pm
Venue: Esplanade Theatre
Agam with Kaushiki Chakraborty (India)
An Esplanade Commission
Date: November 22, 8pm
Venue: Esplanade Concert Hall
Amit Trivedi Live In Concert (India)
Date: November 23, 8pm
Venue: Esplanade Theatre
Guitar Prasanna Trio featuring Mohini Dey and Harvey Wirht (India/USA)
Date: November 15, 7.30pm
Venue: Esplanade Recital Studio
Marabu – The First Ripple (Singapore)
Bhaskar’s Arts Academy An Esplanade Co-Production
Date: 15-16 November 15-16, 17, 8pm and 3pm
Venue: Esplanade Theatre Studio
The Lost Wax Project (India)
Date: November 15-16, 8pm and 6pm
Venue: Esplanade Annexe Studio
The Band Walle featuring Palwinder (Singapore)
Date: November 15, 6pm
Venue: Esplanade Annexe Studio
Swarhythm – An Album Launch (Singapore)
Date: November 17, 7.30pm
Venue: Esplanade Recital Studio
Airavata and his Mammoth Task (Singapore)
An Esplanade Production
Date: November 23-24, 11am and 2pm
Venue: Esplanade Recital Studio
Ultimate Kurukshetra – An EPIC! Comedy
Actors Ensemble India Forum (India)
Date: November 23-24, 8pm and 3pm
Venue: Esplanade Theatre Studio
The Threshold
Pallavi MD and Bindhumalini (India)
Date: November 23-24, 6pm
Venue: Esplanade Annexe Studio