March 2, 2010

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

presents

maximum

INDIA

A Festival Highlighting the Arts and Culture of India

to Take Place March 2–20, 2011

WASHINGTON, D.C.—From March 2 to March 20, 2011, the Kennedy Center will present maximum INDIA, an unprecedented celebration of Indian arts and culture that will include performances in music, dance, and theater, as well as exhibitions featuring art installations, cuisine, and more. The festival is presented in cooperation with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations.

Contemporary India is a vivid kaleidoscope, featuring magnificent landscapes from the Himalayan Mountains in the north to the Indian Ocean in the south and some of the most densely populated cities in the world. It is a mystical place that has captivated people spanning the globe. In the home to approximately one-sixth of the world‟s population, one can hear dozens of languages and more than 1,600 dialects spoken. Overflowing with color, smells, cars, cows, and rickshaws, the brilliance of India is that it is a country of extremes—intellect, innovation, survival, and experimentation. India offers the maximum. In addition to the best of contemporary and classical Indian performing arts, exhibitions will grace the halls and galleries of the Kennedy Center, featuring contemporary visual art and the finest textiles, pottery, and jewels.

“The arts create a unique platform for understanding each other,” said Kennedy

Center President Michael M. Kaiser. “This festival will highlight India‟s magnificent arts and culture offerings on the Kennedy Center‟s stages and throughout the building.”

A number of the festival highlights follows. A complete listing of festival participants will be released at a later date.

DANCE

Madhavi Mudgal, New Delhi

Choreographer and Dancer

Contributing to the evolution of classical odissi dance with her artistic vision and extraordinary talent, Madhavi Mudgal is a renowned dancer, choreographer, and teacher. Known for using expressive hand motions and gestures, Ms. Mudgal‟s performances are accompanied by traditional Indian instruments such as the sitar and bansuri (bamboo flute). She has become India‟s premier odissi exponent, garnering awards and acclaim for sustaining the art form‟s authenticity while pushing it beyond traditional constraints.

Alarmel Valli, Chennai

Choreographer and Dancer

Alarmel Valli is one of the world‟s leading dancers and choreographers in one of the oldest forms of dance in India, the classical bharatanatyam style, which features quick-paced, nimble footwork, restrained floor work, expressive hand gestures, and a complex system of head and eye movements. An enthusiastic proponent of artistic collaboration, Ms. Valli frequently works with poets and musicians to create group and solo performances.

Malavika Sarukkai, Chennai

Choreographer and Dancer

For three decades, Malavika Sarukkai has been a hallmark dancer and choreographer in the traditional bharatanatyam style. A firm believer in the continuity of Indian classical tradition, Ms. Sarukkai preserves key elements of bharatanatyam while providing a personal interpretation of the dance‟s cultural significance. A favorite of Indian dance critics, she inspired the phrase “innovative-within-tradition” to describe her stimulating dances.

Shantala Shivalingappa, Paris, France

Choreographer and Dancer

Treasured in both India and Europe, Shantala Shivalingappa is an acclaimed dancer and choreographer of kuchipudi, a 2,000-year-old classical style that takes the name from the South Indian village where it originated. The graceful style is based on the Natya Shastra, an ancient codification of dance, music, and theater. Born in India and raised in Paris, Ms. Shivalingappa has had the privilege of working with some of the greatest artists of our time, including Maurice Béjart, Peter Brook, Bartabas, and Pina Bausch.

The Daksha Sheth Dance Company, Trivandrum

Daksha Sheth, Founder, Dancer, & Choreographer

Daksha Sheth is the first Indian woman soloist in chhau, an ancient dance from east India. Ms. Sheth‟s choreography features warrior-like movements animated with raw, primal energy. Her independent spirit and precise skills have molded this style into an entirely new form.

Kerala Kalamandalam, Kerala

Indian Performing Arts Center

Dancers from the Kerala Kalamandalam will give a performance of kathakali, a stylized form of dance-drama from the southern state of Kerala. Kerala Kalamandalam is the premier public institution for the preservation and promotion of the state‟s traditional performing arts. Since its founding in 1930, it has been a thriving cultural center for artists, art scholars, historians, theater directors, and choreographers.

Natyalakshana, Bangalore

Usha Venakteswaran, Director

Natyalakshana, the Institute of Choreography and Innovative Dance in Bangalore, India was established in 1987 and specializes in training young artists, offering workshops and master classes. The company presents classical dance forms such as bharatanatyam, odissi, kathak, and manipuri in a contemporary format.

Sharmila Biswas, Calcutta

Dancer and Choreographer

Sharmila Biswas‟s versatility ranges from classical odissi dance to experimental choreographic work. Noted for her originality in composition, technique, and stage design, her choreography showcases her technical mastery of odissi within a modern context. Ms. Biswas is the founder and artistic director of the Odissi Vision and Movement Centre, which promotes Indian dance and music through research, training, and performances.

Tanusree Shankar, Calcutta

Choreographer and Artistic Director

An internationally acclaimed dancer and choreographer, Tanusree Shankar leads the company that bears her name in original, contemporary Indian choreography. Ms. Shankar‟s work is primarily set to music by her late husband Ananda Shankar, a world music composer whose melodies complement her dynamic choreography. Frequently drawing upon art and literature, she based her recent production Chirantan (Eternal) on the poems and songs of Rabindranath Tagore, winner of the 1913 Nobel Prize in Literature.

MUSIC

Anoushka Shankar, New Delhi/USA

Sitarist and Contemporary Composer

Sitarist Anousha Shankar will make her National Symphony Orchestra debut with a piece written by her father, the legendary sitarist Ravi Shankar. Ms. Shankar is a world-renowned performer, having studied with her father since the age of 13. Her work is notable for the way she has applies her expertise of the classical Indian raga framework. She has made guest appearances on recordings by other artists, including Sting, Lenny Kravitz, Joshua Bell and Thievery Corporation.

Zakir Hussain, USA

Composer and Tabla player

Zakir Hussain is today appreciated both in the field of percussion and in the music world at large as an international phenomenon. His performances are marked by his uncanny intuition and masterful improvisational technique. As a powerhouse in the world music movement, he has collaborated with artists as diverse as Yo-Yo Ma, George Harrison, and Béla Fleck. Mr. Hussain is also an in-demand composer whose commissions include works for the San Francisco Jazz Festival, Mark Morris Dance Group, and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. In 1992, he founded Moment! Records to showcase the finest musicians in the classical Indian and world music scenes.

The Manganiyar Seduction, Rajasthan

Directed by Roysten Abel

In The Manganiyar Seduction, acclaimed Indian director Roysten Abel brings together Muslim musicians from the deserts of Rajasthan whose music is a compelling mixture of folk and classical Indian styles. Mr. Abel frames their music with a full-throttle musical production, resulting in a dazzling union of the Manganiyar‟s highly energetic sound and the visual seduction of Amsterdam‟s red light district. Featuring 43 musicians spanning three generations, seated in 36 red curtained cubicles stacked 4 high and 9 across, The Manganiyar Seduction is as much a treat for the eyes as it is for the ears.

L. Subramaniam, Chennai

Violinist, Composer, Conductor

Violinist L. Subramaniam has gained international acclaim with his dynamic performances in both traditional Carnatic and Western classical styles. His own compositions for orchestra, ballet, and film combine these Eastern and Western traditions. Throughout his prolific studio career, he has amassed more than 200 recordings. Additionally, he is the author of Euphony, a definitive book on the history of the Carnatic form.

Shubhendra Rao & Saskia Rao-de Haas, New Delhi

Sitarist and Cellist

The husband-and-wife team of sitarist Shubhendra Rao and cellist Saskia Rao-de Haas weaves European and Indian folk music into their original compositions. In order to comply with Indian classical music‟s stringent requirements, Rao-de Haas adapted her cello, adding one additional playing string and ten sympathetic strings. Building upon India‟s well-established musical framework, the couple adds Indian chord progressions and rhythmic variations in order to create an unprecedented style.

Rhythm of Rajasthan, Rajasthan

Group of Musicians and Dancers

Featuring driving percussion and hypnotic instruments such as the sarangi (bowed lute) and algoza (double flute), Rhythm of Rajasthan performs a diverse program, ranging from vibrant and joyous folk music to ecstatic Sufi songs. The ensemble, comprised of five musicians and a dancer, was founded in 2007 by Nitin Nath Harsh, an active member of the folk art community. The ensemble members represent the Langas and Manganiyars, groups of hereditary professional musicians sponsored by wealthy landlords and aristocrats for generations. Rhythm

of Rajasthan aims to create an exciting fusion of these communities‟ traditional rhythms and melodies.

The Raghu Dixit Project, Bangalore

Raghu Dixit, Founder

Indo-World-Folk-Rock band

The Raghu Dixit Project is a seamless amalgamation of Indian music, rock and roll, and other world styles. The band is led by singer-songwriter Raghu Dixit who is noted for his clever insertion of Indian ethnic folk, Sufi, and classical phrases into his songs. They have performed for crowds of up to 200,000 people.

Sunny Jain and Red Baraat, USA

Dhol, North Indian Drum

Highly respected drummer, composer, and educator Sunny Jain leads Red Baraat, a one-of-kind dhol and brass band melding the infectious North Indian rhythm Bhangra with funk, soca, and improvisatory conducting. In addition to being a two-time recipient of the Arts International Award (2003, 2005) Sunny was designated a Jazz Ambassador in 2002 by the U.S. Department of State and the Kennedy Center.

Rudresh Mahanthappa’s Indo-Pak Coalition, USA

Synthesizing jazz with the astutely improvised musical forms of South Asia, the Indo-Pak Coalition transcends any preconception of Indo-jazz fusion. Led by Indian American saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa, this trio with Pakistani American guitarist Rez Abbasi and rising tabla star Dan Weiss is turning heads internationally in both the jazz and world music scenes.

Vatsala Mehra, USA

Ghazal singer

Known as the Ghazal Queen, Vatsala Mehra is an Indian ghazal singer now based in Washington, D.C. She was honored by the Indian government for her contributions to India‟s musical tradition and has performed around the globe to great acclaim. In addition to her mastery of ghazal, Vatsala frequently sings songs of the Sufi tradition, showcasing her remarkable range and the emotionality of her voice.

Parikrama, New Delhi

Rock band

With their name signifying the Hindu word for „revolving around‟ or „encircling,‟ Parikrama‟s sound draws upon a wide spectrum of genres, ranging from blues to classical Indian. While deeply inspired by bands such as Led Zeppelin, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Jimi Hendrix, the six-member band also incorporates Indian instruments such as the mridangam, tabla, and flute into their traditional Western combination of guitar, drums, and keyboards.

Rajan and Sajan Mishra, Varanasi

Khyal singers

Brothers Rajan and Sajan Mishra sing in the 400-year-old khyal style of Indian classical music. Originally from North India, the term khyal comes from the Arabic word for „imagination.‟ Since giving their first concert as teenagers, the Mishra brothers have toured India and the globe for

decades. They have released more than 20 albums and are the recipients of numerous accolades, including the Sanskrit Award presented by the Prime Minister of India.

Utsav Lal, Dublin, Ireland

Piano

Born in New Delhi, 17-year-old piano prodigy Utsav Lal has used original interpretations of Indian ragas and his mastery of Western classical music and jazz to command international attention. Dubbed “the Raga Pianist,” Lal seeks to meld the best of Eastern and Western music through his compositions without detracting from either one.

National Symphony Orchestra

The National Symphony Orchestra will present three concert weeks featuring repertoire influenced by India‟s vibrant culture and guest artists selected by Music Director Christoph Eschenbach. Sitar player Anoushka Shankar, one of the leading figures in world music today, is deeply rooted in Indian classical music, and is now one of the foremost performers in that tradition. She will perform a concerto for sitar and orchestra by her legendary father Ravi Shankar. Other repertoire will include Messiaen‟s Turangalîla-Symphonie, as well as the NSO‟s first performances of Zemlinsky‟s Lyric Symphony, a work that takes its texts from the writings of Rabindranath Tagore, one of India‟s finest writers, who won the 1913 Nobel Prize for Literature. The NSO will also perform Roussel‟s Padmâvatî Suite, drawn from the culminating expression of the composer‟s fascination with the sounds and legends of India.

THEATER

Chorus Repertory Theatre, Imphal, Manipur

Ratan Thiyam, Founder and Director

Writer, director, and actor Ratan Thiyam draws upon ancient Indian theater traditions and performs them in a contemporary context. Taking inspiration from epic Indian stories and mythology, Mr, Thiyam‟s work explores themes such as personal responsibility, good and evil, and the importance of community. Highly acclaimed around the globe, international tours have taken his work to the United Kingdom, France, Greece, Switzerland, Australia, and Germany. The company made their United States debut in 2000.

Adishakti Theatre Arts, Pondicherry

Veenapani Chawla, Founder and Artistic Director

The Adishakti Laboratory for Theatre Arts Research in Puducherry (formerly Pondicherry) is a theater, music, dance, and shadow puppetry troupe, as well as a locus for hybrid performing arts. Since 1985, they have written and produced critically acclaimed original works that draw upon the rich tradition of Indian theater.

Motley Theatre Group, Mumbai

Naseeruddin Shah, Artistic Director

Presenting multi-genre theater performances to Indian audiences, the Mumbai-based Motley Theatre Group performs works in both Hindustani and English. The group, established in 1970 by Naseeruddin Shah and Benjamin Gilani of the Film and Theatre Institute of India, has found

its niche in „story-telling‟ theater. Originally performing classic Western plays such as Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett, the Motley Theatre Group now performs in Hindustani in order to preserve India‟s theater legacy.

The Ishara Puppet Theatre Trust, New Delhi

Dadi Pudumjee, Director

A leading puppeteer in India, Dadi Pudumjee is the founder of The Ishara Puppet Theatre Trust. Mr. Pudumjee‟s puppetry goes beyond the traditional string and hand puppets, incorporating semi-sculptural puppets that are attached to actors‟ bodies and carried across the stage. While many performances are conceived for young audiences, he also tackles pressing adult themes and social issues. Mr. Pudumjee is the President of the International Puppetry Association.

Theatre & Television Associates, New Delhi

Amal Allana, Artistic Director

Amal Allana has directed more than 50 plays in Europe and India, ranging from August Strindberg‟s Miss Julie to Frank Wedekind‟s Spring Awakening. A meticulous observer of the human condition, Ms. Allana‟s direction draws inspiration from Indian, Asian, and Western theatrical traditions. In addition to directing the Theatre & Television Associates, she is the chairperson of the National School of Drama at New Delhi, where she oversees the annual Bharat Rang Mahotsav, the largest theater festival in Asia.

VISUAL ARTS

Jitish Kallat, Mumbai

Often autobiographical in nature, Jitish Kallat‟s sculptures, paintings, and photographs pop with color. His work explores myriad topics, ranging from family life and ancestry to meditations on the passage of time and death. Mr. Kallat earned a degree in painting from the Sir J.J. School of Art in Mumbai. Cities featuring past solo exhibitions include London, Sydney, Zurich, Milan, Chicago, and New York.

Reena Saini Kallat, Mumbai

Reena Saini Kallat‟s paintings, photographs, sculptures, and installations comment on the crises that humans have come to accept as normal facets of everyday life. Violent clashes such as the conflict between India and Pakistan are often the focus of her work. Ms. Kallat studied painting at the Sir J.J. School of Art in Mumbai. Outside India, her work has recently been seen in London, Milan, New York, Chicago, and Singapore.

Thukral and Tagra, New Delhi

Designers/artists Thukral and Tagra collaborate on a wide variety of media including graphics, video, music, interior design, product design, and painting. Their vivid, colorful work reflects their fascination with consumerism, presenting the world from a uniquely Indian perspective. Their work has recently been presented in solo exhibitions in New York, Berlin, and Sydney.

FUNDING CREDITS

maximum INDIA is supported through the generosity of the HRH Foundation.

Additional support is provided by Amway Corporation.

International Programming at the Kennedy Center is made possible through the generosity of the Kennedy Center International Committee on the Arts.

For more information about the Kennedy Center please visit kennedy-center.org.

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PRESS CONTACT: TICKETS & INFORMATION:

Amanda Hunter (202) 467-4600; (800) 444-1324

(202) 416-8441 TTY: (202) 416-8524

[email protected] www.kennedy-center.org