Stage set for people to savour the taste of global arts

The third Bangalore International Arts Festival to be held from Thursday  will be bigger in scale and stature than in previous years.

Some of the participating artistes will be performing for the first time here. About eight embassies will present the artforms of their respective countries.

The theme of the festival this year is harmony. Hence, a lot of collaborative work will be seen during the 10-day festival organised by Artists’ Introspective Movement (AIM).

“OS Arun and Sanjeev Abhyankar will present Bhakti Sangeet. They haven’t done this in Bangalore. Ravikiran, Billy Cardine and Sudha Raghunathan will come together for an evening of music at the amphitheatre in UB City,” says Dr Suma Sudhindra, one of the directors of the festival.

She recommends the play When We Dead Awaken by Ratan Thiyam troupe from Manipur which will be staged on September 23 at Chowdaiah Memorial Hall.

“It will give Bangaloreans a Broadway experience. None should miss this,” she says. The festival is vying to become one of the biggest like the Edinburgh International Festival.

“We want to collaborate with big events around the world. It is already happening; a few artistes of this league are coming to Bangalore,” Dr Sudhindra says.

Dr Veena Murthy Vijay says the theme will reflect in most of the 25 programmes that will come to multiple venues. Artistes from Mexico, Norway, Japan, and the US will perform. The festival is also doing its bit to showcase young and talented artistes who may not be well-known in the city.

“Sonam Kalra and group are inaugurating the festival with The Sufi Gospel Project. It will be the youngster’s first time in the city. We are encouraging the little-known group to open such a big festival,” says Dr Sudhindra.

While Bangalore-based artistes like Anooru Anantha Krishna Sharma and troupe, Vijay Prakash and Padmini Ravi are getting to be part of the “multi-event” festival and find mention in the invite, Karnataka’s folk forms do not. But they are definitely on the list.

“Beesu Kamsale and Goravara Kunitha will be part of the two-day folk extravaganza that will also include performances by groups from the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Manipur and Orissa,” Dr Murthy says.

There is also a ‘green’ aspect attached. With ‘support’ from the BBMP, the festival will also witness planting saplings at an organic farm in Nelamangala on September 18.

“Instead of garlands, we are giving away saplings to artistes. This way, plastic usage is also minimised,” says Dr Sudheendra. Donor passes are being made available; most programmes can be enjoyed for free.