Music & dance reviews

Vocal, instrumental music, apart from discourses were held in the special pandal erected at the Shankarmutt premises.

Kadri Gopalnath who gave a saxophone recital here on Friday, is a internationally acclaimed artiste. He was well supported by Vittala Ramamurthy on violin, Harikumar on mridanga, Rajendra Nakod on tabla and B Rajashekar on morching. In the opening Hamsadwani invocatory piece kadri dwelt on its vast potential for improvisation. The Panthuvarali Kriti was yet another aural Luxury. The "Pancharathna Krithy" "Endaro mahanu Bhavulu"- is a ever popular composition. So also the "Brochevarevarura" is always a favourite of connoisseurs and the "Niravadi Sukhada" was a Quickie. The "Bhajare" found the maestro in a splendid  mood.      
                                                                                                                                                                                                 The elaboration of the raga was followed by an evocative rendition of this popular krithi. Swara prasthara with different permutation and combinations was lively and interesting. Few well known devotionals were also rendered in the end.

Mix of both styles
The enkateshaNatya Mandira conducted the "Rasa Sanje 2009" with dance performances. Many artistes alumni of the Mandira gave not only Bharathanatya but also Kathak recitals, both solo and group performances Speakers congratulated Radha Sridhar, principal, for training hundreds of students during the last 40 years.Prakash Naidu, Mysore Nagaraj, Suparnavenkatesh and Sankya Gopal students of Maya Rao, gave a kathak recital on Thursday, in the festival. The opening piece (Guruvandana and Shivastuthi) itself proved that they are experienced dancers, but not beginners.
"Baajitha Mridanga" was lively, with the powerful Thabala back ground. With taut Laya and good movements the Nrith (Ten Thaal) was performed with a touch of elegance.
Dramatising the situations, both the Bhajan (Sri Ramachandra Kripalu) and the devaranama (O Enabarade) the enlivened the recital and they concluded with a Thiruvat.

Kumara Sambhava
It was followed by a dance drama by the members of the Khechara Academy of Bhrathanatya. Celebrated Artistes Sridhar and Anuradha, with a band of their students, presented "Kumara Sambhava". Popular episodes — Parvathi's anger, Manmatha Dahana etc. were enacted impact fully. Young students, Changing the roles in quick succession, performed with gay abandon and was well received by the audience, gathered in good number.