From: durgam@berlioz.nsc.com (Jaisimha Durgam)
Subject: Music Program
Organization: National Semiconductor Corporation, Santa Clara
Distribution: ca
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 21:23:18 GMT


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    CLASSICAL INDIAN MUSIC -- Musical Opera, January 30th 1993

 
		** SHIVA PRIYA ** ( Shiva's Beloved )


		A GRAND MUSICAL OPERA

	       produced and directed
			by

		Jayashree Varadarajan

         (Artistic Director, Sri Rama Performing Arts) 

=========================================================================
			
BRIEF SYNOPSIS:

The theme of this presentation is Parvati, Beloved of Shiva.  It
portrays the deep love that Parvati has for Shiva.  Parvati , the
gentle consort of Shiva, symbolizes Cosmic Energy in its dynamic form.
In this opera her love for Shiva is portrayed through three stages -
first Parvati doubts the existence of the perfect man Rama, the second
stage where her doubts result in separation from her beloved and the
third where she is born to King Himavan.  It culminates in her deep
love and devotion being realized as she becomes one with her beloved
Shiva.

With authentic costumes, dramatic story-line and intriguing theme
complementing the exquisite rendering of Indian classical music this
is a must-attend for music lovers and aficionado  of Indian culture,
art and drama!

This program is partly funded by the Arts Council of Santa Clara. 

For further information and/or tickets please contact Jaisimha Durgam.
							(408) 721-2822
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PLACE: Foothill College Theater, Los Altos Hills, California
DATE: Saturday, January 30th, 1993
TIME: 7.00 p.m.
TICKETS: $8.00 General ; $ 5.00 Student/Senior
CONTACT: Jaisimha Durgam (durgam@berlioz.nsc.com) (408) 721-2822 (flyer, tickets)
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DETAILS:

In Western musical tradition, opera has long epitomized the musical
and dramatic essence of Western Culture.  Opera emerged from the
Middle Ages as an amalgam of all the arts: verbal, visual and musical.
It is a play set to music.  However, this particular form has not
flourished in India where traditionally Indian classical music
performances feature a solosit (vocal or instrumental) accompanied by
supporting artistes.

Bay Area's Jayashree Varadarajan however has been a pioneer in
integrating South Indian classical music into the framework of an
opera.  As artistic director of Sri Rama Performing Arts, founded in
1985, Jayashree introduced Bay Area audiences to an unconventional
format in 1988 when her students stood and sang choir-style in a
production 'Nada Yoga'(Meditation through musical sound).  Continuing
to innovate, in 1990, Jayashree presented her first production in the
style of an opera, 'Syanandureshwara'.  Last year sellout audiences
were enthralled with the 'Prince of Ayodhya' which expanded the
horizons for Sri Rama Performing Arts.  This year, Jayashree will
feature 102 students in Shiva Priya (Shiva's beloved).

Shiva Priya will reflect the complexities inherent in classical music
and present an added challenge when rendering it in the style of an
opera.  81 out of the 102 students oerformers were born and raised in
the United States and consequently are not proficient in Indian
languages.  Shiva Priya's musical score is composed in five Indian
languages; Sanskrit, Hindi, Telugu, Tamil and Kannada.  Training so
many American born students to sing with authentic and accurate
enunciation is no mean feat.

Many songs will be sung by groups ranging from two to nearly twenty;
they will not have a drone (sruti or pitch) at close proximityh.  Yet
all members of the group will strive to sing with a synchronized
pitch.  Several students will render arias much like in an opera.  An
aria is an elobrate melody sung by a lone singer with musical
accompaniement.  This presents yet another challenge as Jayashree
works to make the singers evoke a wide gamut of emotions while
singing.

The students of Sri Rama Performing Arts particpating in Shiva Priya
have followed a rigorous schedule spanning three months!  Most of the
score has been composed specifically for Shiva Priya by Jayashree.
More than 50 ragas or melodies will be represented as they have been
specifically selected to suit both lyrics and the emotion of the
scenes.  A few well-known songs by such eminent composers as Thyagaraja,
Purandaradasa, Maharaja Swati Tirunal and King Shahaji have been
included.  Well-known Bay Area artistes will accompany the singers on
the flute, violin and percussion instruments.  There will also be
narration in English describing the story-line.