Amidst Bengaluru’s approaching summer, the evenings usher in gentle gusts of breeze that dance among vibrant blooms. Adding to this picturesque setting, the National Centre for the Performing Arts held its first edition of NCPA@ThePark outside Mumbai, at Freedom Park, situated in the heart of the Garden City.

This initiative was spearheaded by Mr. Khushroo N. Suntook, Chairman, NCPA, whose vision of enhancing accessibility to the arts that play a crucial role in the enrichment of society culminated in the idea of NCPA@ThePark in 2022, in association with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. Since then, music, dance, theatre and poetry have been taken to gardens, amphitheatres and other public spaces across Mumbai, to an overwhelming response from audiences. The Bengaluru edition was organised in association with BLR Hubba and supported by Westside. Speaking about their first open-air presentation in Bengaluru, Mr. Suntook said, “It has always been the NCPA’s endeavour to make the performing arts accessible to the public, and this initiative, supported by partners like the Bengaluru Hubba and Westside, makes it possible. A promising edition of NCPA@ThePark in one of the country’s culturally flourishing cities, Bengaluru, to spread the joy of live performances beyond Mumbai is part of our remit to strengthen communities across the country through the arts.”

The festivities, which stretched across the 30th and 31st of March, began with the lighting of the ceremonial lamp by Mr. Bhaskar Bhat, former Managing Director at Titan Company Ltd.; Ms. Vinita Bali, former CEO and Managing Director of Britannia Industries Ltd. and Advisor to the NCPA; Ms. Malini Goyal, Co-founder of Unboxing BLR Foundation and Ms. Arundhati Nag, theatre personality and Creative Director of Ranga Shankara in Bengaluru.

Mr. V. Ravichandar, Chief Facilitator, BLR Hubba and former Director, Bangalore International Centre, said, “We are pleased that the NCPA’s foray outside Mumbai is to delight the Bengaluru audiences with a diverse set of performing arts and cultural events that are free to attend. This is in sync with our desire to revitalise our common public spaces by making them come alive and part of the monthly programming for Bengalureans in the lead up to BLR Hubba 2024 in December.”

Day one of the event commenced with a virtuosic performance by the SOI Chamber Orchestra, featuring 32 musicians under the baton of Music Director Marat Bisengaliev. The evening opened with two brilliant works of Mozart with arrangements tailored for the occasion. It was quite fascinating to watch a display of the pizzicato technique for the Britten Symphony involving the string section of the orchestra. The inclusion of Jenkins’s masterpiece, ‘The Wooing of Étaín’, revealed to the audience the folk sensibilities of classical music. Here, Bisengaliev seamlessly transitioned from his role as conductor to performing solo on the violin. The performance commenced with a mesmerising dialogue between Aruzhan Bisengalieva on the flute and Bisengaliev on violin. Subsequently, the orchestra joined the soloists, leaving the audience spellbound.

Following their classical set was a delightful surprise of arrangements of melodies from popular culture, like the enchanting scores of the Harry Potter films and the swashbuckling theme from Pirates of the Caribbean. Furthermore, they treated the crowd to A. R. Rahman’s illustrious ‘Jai Ho’. Timeless hits from vintage Bollywood cinema followed with tributes to legends like Lata Mangeshkar, Kishore Kumar and Mohammed Rafi, among others. The audience responded to the presentation with a standing ovation.

In the second performance of the evening, Abin Joshi sustained the musical momentum with a heartfelt solo acoustic indie set and later provided accompaniment on the guitar to spoken word artistes from UnErase Poetry. The first poet, Priyanshi Bansal, bravely shared her journey of grappling with societal beauty standards. Simar Singh, founder of UnErase Poetry, shared three poignant poems on themes ranging from freedom in career choices to challenging traditional masculinity. Vanika Sangtani started her session with an engaging segment, guiding the audience in understanding and appreciating shayari, and moved on to more personal themes.

“For an 18-year-old college student like myself, watching the SOl perform live was magnanimously beautiful. The soundscape, with the natural setting of the park filled with trees and birds, added to the atmosphere of the concert. The biggest learning for me was in terms of [how and where each section of the chamber orchestra was positioned onstage for optimum sound] … This setting of NCPA@ThePark is something everyone should experience, as it creates a unique sense of perception of the sound and the visual elements that add to it. The poetry that was performed was relatable to a lot of people in terms of the content and how they put it across,” said Adityashiv S. Pai.

It is this sense of community and a shared love for the performing arts that has paved the way for Westside’s support to several editions of NCPA@ThePark in Mumbai and now, Bengaluru. Commenting on the association, Mr. Umashan Naidoo, Head, Customer & Beauty at Trent Ltd., said, “We are thrilled to collaborate with the NCPA for yet another magical treat of the arts at the park, this time in Bengaluru. Building a community which celebrates dance, theatre, music and poetry is one of our many pillars around lifestyle. Westside loves creating platforms for creators, artistes and influencers for showcasing the joy of India’s talent.” 

The second day of the event kicked off with an Odissi dance presentation titled Deesha by the Srjan ensemble, established by the legendary Kelucharan Mohapatra. His son, Ratikant Mohapatra, who choreographed the event, adopted a neoclassical approach with a modern touch to resonate with contemporary audiences while upholding the essence of the dance form. The performance at Freedom Park consisted of three pieces. The initial piece portrayed the theme of Ardhanarishvara, which draws inspiration from the Ardhanarishwar Stotra, written by Adi Shankaracharya, and aims to provide insights into the spiritual journey of the dancer seeking salvation. 

In the second segment, the performers danced to music based on Raga Keeravani. The dancers seamlessly formed various intricate patterns, maintaining them for extended durations—a feat that garnered much praise. The final piece, Surya, was first choreographed for the NCPA’s Nakshatra Dance Festival. A notable segment involved dancers forming a circle to depict the sun’s rays, gradually opening their hands one by one. This routine also featured extensive acrobatics, capturing the audience’s attention. The lighting, costumes and hairstyles contributed to the overall aesthetic charm.

Musician and educator Richard Andrew Dudley, who was in the audience said, “I chose to attend day two primarily because my daughter happens to be an aspiring Odissi dancer. What struck me was the innovative blend of neoclassical elements infused into this traditional dance form. Having attended numerous classical dance programmes (arangetrams) in the past, l’ve noticed that they often overlook factors like lighting, screen and camera alignment. However, NCPA@ThePark brought the essence of Odissi to life. They paid meticulous attention to camera angles, ensuring that even those seated at the back could appreciate the intricate mudras and graceful movements onstage. Moreover, the hospitality and organisation were top-notch. This experience has left me eager to travel to the NCPA in Mumbai to attend more of their events.”

The finale showcased an electrifying performance by Darren Das & The Sixth Sense. With infectious energy, the band urged the audience to join them closer to the stage. From upbeat numbers like ‘Long Train Running’ to songs by ABBA, Boney M, Whitney Houston, Ed Sheeran and others, the band ensured a night of lively dancing in Bengaluru. Spanning various genres, including pop, classic rock, retro and film soundtracks, the band belted out one hit after another.  

As the stars twinkled overhead and the melodies of the band faded into the night, the vibrant energy of the crowd lingered, transforming Freedom Park into a pulsating dance floor where the spirit of Bengaluru thrived, promising memories that would echo long after the music ceased.

--

Aditya Veera Venkatesh is an award-winning podcaster known for his music interview podcast, Stalwarts Of Music with Aditya Veera. He has featured over 200 legendary musicians on his show, including Grammy and Emmy Award winners and Hall of Fame inductees, and has also introduced innovative festival and concert edition podcasts. He hosts a Sunday primetime radio show for Big FM Shillong and Aizawl. He is a singer with the band Thayirsadam Blues.