Starting off with Muthuswami Dikshitar's ‘Parameswara Jagadeeswara' in Nattai, Vidya Kalyanaraman set a bright tone to her concert. She then presented ‘Marivere Dikkevvaro', the Lathangi raga kriti of Patnam Subramania Iyer. The sangatis were rendered with grace. However, the landings in the lower octave needed more attention. She exhibited rich bhava in her niraval in ‘Dharaloka' and the swaras that followed. Vidya's exposition of Dhanyasi was pleasant and displayed her versatility in handling the upanga ragam with the stress on the jeeva swaras – gandhara and nishada.
Roopa Rajagopal on the violin matched this with her brilliant sancharas in three octaves. ‘Syama Sundaranga' of Tyagaraja in rupaka talam was absorbing. The fast number ‘Sripathe' in Nagaswarali followed. Authentic and confident strokes splashed from Jayamangala on the mridangam. Vidya has a soft voice that is not harsh on the ear. But the intricate gamakas and brigas she employs in her renditions vanish when she slightly moves away from the mike.
The delineation of Kharaharapriya brought out the flavour of the raga well. The different vakra proyogams and gamakas added to the overall effect. ‘Janakipathe' composed by Papanasam Sivan, was taken up for the main item. She exhibited matured swaraprastaras in the kalpanaswara segment in the classic style. Jayamangala, being a vocalist as well, presented a soothing but a bold thani and her percussion added inspirational support to the main artist throughout the concert.
After a ragamalika viruttam ‘Katra Kalviyum', Vidya sang Swati Tirunal's ‘Visweswara Darshan' in Sindhubhairavi in all leisure and wound up with Lalgudi Jayaraman's tillana in Maand.
