Music
Shankarlal Music Festival — February 14: Rakesh Chaurasia (flute), Rajan & Sajan Mishra (vocal); February 15: Biswajeet Roy Chowdhury (sarod), M. Venkateshkumar (vocal); February 16: Pandit Jasraj. 7 p.m. all days; February 16 (11 a.m.): Subhra Guha. Kamani auditorium, Copernicus Marg, Mandi House, New Delhi
Dance
Kathak by Moumala Nayak — disciple of Pandit Birju Maharaj. February 20, India International Centre auditorium, 40, Max Mueller Marg, Lodhi Estate, New Delhi
“Scoring Dance Writing” — lecture-workshop on writing about dance conducted by author, critic and researcher Gabriele Wittmann. How can you write about a dance production using more than your eyes? Participants will chisel verbs in relation to Laban’s legacy, and try out elements of Wittmann’s developing methodology, “Scoring Writing”. Open to all people interested in writing about dance. February 15, S-17 Khirkee Extension, Opp. Select City Walk, New Delhi, 10 a.m.-12 noon Contribution: Rs. 500
Music & Dance
Champu Utsav — Day 1: musical rendition of Kishorechandranand Champu, oral tradition of Odisha, by Guru Ramhari Das, Sangeeta Gosain, Sukanta Kumar Kundu. Day 2: Odissi performance of Kishorechandranand Champu by Madhavi Mudgal, Guru Niranjan Rout & troupe. Presented by Odissi Akademi. February 20-21, India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road, New Delhi, 7 p.m.
Theatre
“Holiday Out” (Postcard from the Sea) — by Iztiar Pascual. A monodrama. Soledad returns from a seaside vacation to find her luggage lost. Thrown straight from paradise into the twilight zone of the airport waiting room, Soledad finds herself having to justify the fact that she is a single woman, travelling alone. Eventually she understands the clarity she was seeking was not to be found on a sunny beach but closer to home. February 14, auditorium, Instituto Cervantes, 48, Hanuman Road, New Delhi, 7 p.m. (Part of Delhi International Arts Festival)
“Don’t Dress For Dinner” — (Hinglish/90mins) Directed by Sinia Dugal. A comedy adapted to an Indian scenario about a middle-aged urban couple. Uday plans a weekend with his girlfriend while his wife is away visiting her mother. A chance phone picked up by his wife upsets all his plans. One hilarious situation leads to another. Cast includes eminent theatre personalities like Ramesh Thakur, Dimple Singh, Sahil Kapur and Nancy Grewal. Tickets Rs.300 avl at the venue. Suitable for 18 years & above. February 15, Epicentre, Sector 44, Gurgaon, 7.30 p.m.
Rang-Pathh — two-day festival featuring dramatic reading of new plays by eminent theatre directors, presented by Natarang Pratishthan. The readings of two new plays – “Isi Din…Isi Vakt” by young Marathi playwright Abhiram Bhadkamkar and “Putra, Phal Aur Zahar” by eminent playwright Shri Rameshwar Prem will be rendered by Kshitij theatre group and Flying Feathers Art Association under the direction of Bharti Sharma and Rajesh Singh respectively. Readings to be followed by open discussion. The playwrights will be present on both the days. The effort here is not only to bring new plays but also provide a forum for dialogue between the writer, director and audience. February 18 and 19, Triveni Kala Sangam auditorium, 6 p.m. All are invited.
Theatre & Dance
An evening dedicated to Manto, Ismat Chugtai, Faiz, and other writers — Reading of excerpts by Sheema Kermani & Anwer Jafri from play “Manto Mera Dost” about the life and writings of Saadat Hasan Manto as seen by his comrade and contemporary Ismat Chughtai. Details the interaction between the two great Urdu short story writers as depicted in their writings about each other. Followed by play “Kafir” (Urdu/20mins) directed by Anwer Jafri. Based on Chughtai's short story about a Muslim girl Munni and her childhood friend Pushkar, the play presents flashbacks from their childhood and adolescence. The relationship develops as they grow up and finally decide to elope. Followed by dance performances (Kathak and Modern Indian) based on poetry of Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Sarojini Naidu & Hazrat Ameer Khusrau. February 18, India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road, New Delhi, 7 p.m.
Visual Arts
“Sind Haath Heart Exhibition” — exhibition of dye works on elegant Indian fabric. Till February 15 Kamala Gallery 1, Rajiv Gandhi Handicrafts Bhawan, Baba Kharak Singh Marg, New Delhi, 10 a.m.- 7 p.m.
“The Camera as Witness: Capturing Mizo Pasts” — exhibition of photographs from Mizoram curated by Joy L.K. Pachau. Till February 18, India International Centre Annexe Art Gallery, off Max Mueller Marg, Lodhi Estate, New Delhi, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
“In pursuit of Silence” — solo show by Gopa Trivedi. Till February 20, Art Konsult Gallery, F-209, old MB Road, Lado Sarai, Delhi, 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.
“Folding House” — a solo show of paintings in handmade paper and ink by New York-based artist Zarina Hashmi. Till February 28, Gallery Espace, 16, Community Centre, New Friends Colony, New Delhi, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
“The Full Space” — exhibition of paintings, photographs, videos by Kavita Jaiswal. February 16- March 12, Art Heritage Gallery, Triveni Kala Sangam, 205 Tansen Marg, New Delhi, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily except Sundays.
The sometimes warm, sometimes cold evenings have lots to pull theatre lovers out of the comfort of home, including two significant play reading sessions. While Natarang Pratishthan holds readings of two new plays, Sheema Kermani and Anwer Jafri team up for a reading of “Manto Mera Dost”, about the relationship between celebrated writers Ismat Chughtai and Sadat Hasan Manto. On the classical music front, the Shankarlal Music Festival would most likely get pride of place, but an interesting initiative is the Champu Utsav, dedicated to the poetic tradition from Odisha, which will feature both musical and dance renditions of the champu.
