Lakshmipriya’s Carnatic vocal concert was featured as part of Arkay Convention Centre’s 13th anniversary series. Endowed with a rich, melodious voice, the young singer began impressively with Ramanathapuram Srinivasa Iyengar’s varnam ‘Vanajakshi’ in Kalyani. As the daughter and disciple of senior violinist R. Hemalatha, she has been raised in a milieu of Carnatic music and that showed in the ease with which she proceeded with her performance. Her clarity of diction, confident approach and choice of kritis and ragas made her concert enjoyable.
Lakshmipriya presented Saint Tyagaraja’s ‘Padavini’ in Salakabhairavi, in which the composer declares that having true devotion to Rama is the highest achievement and nothing else has any value.
After the leisurely Varali alapana, Syama Sastri’s ‘Karuna joodavamma’, a kriti dripping with devotion, followed. Her niraval for ‘Marakathangi pancha nadheshu rani’ and the swaras that followed were lively.
When Lakshmi Priya sang Muthuswami Dikshitar’s ‘Arunachalanatham’ in Saranga , she laid emphasis on the clear delivery of lyrics and raga bhava. ‘Kanaka sabhapathi darisanam’ in Dhanyasi by Gopala Krishna Bharathi was bright and cheerful.
Mature handling of raga
There was great maturity in the way Lakshmipriya handled the raga Sankarabharanam, before moving on to the main piece, ‘Swara raga sudharasayutha bhakthi’ by Tyagaraja. She did full justice to the niraval for the phrase, ‘Paramanandamanae kamalamupai’, and added pleasing swaraprastharas to it.
The lighter session too was well-chosen with Purandaradasar’s ‘Harismarane maado’ in Yamuna Kalyani and ‘Saapashyat kausalya’ by Tiruppazhanam Panchapakesha Sastry in Jhonpuri. The lyrics of the latter describe how Kausalya had a darshan of Vishnu in all His grandeur when she gave birth to Rama.
Lakshmipriya concluded her concert with the Thiruppugazh, ‘Sinathavar mudikkum’. A powerhouse of energy, she presented pure, traditional music, devoid of any attempt to impress. However, if she exercises a little restraint, the sowkyabhava in her performance will be enhanced.
Violin by VSP Gayatri Sivani was smooth, sensitive and supportive. L. Sudarshan Srinivas gave her lively support on the mridangam.
COMMents
SHARE