Songs of the Bulbul
Songs of the Bulbul
WORLD PREMIERE
The world premiere of Aakash Odedra’s latest work creates a mediative exchange between the Indian classical dance Sufi Kathak and Islamic poetry.
Returning to the International Festival after his spellbinding presentation of Samsara in 2022, Aakash Odedra presents a spiritual and captivating new work. This world premiere creates a sensitive dialogue between the Indian classical dance Sufi Kathak and Islamic poetry.
Bulbuls are a common songbird throughout Africa and Asia. In Sufism – a mystical practice of Islam that emphasises a spiritual closeness with God – bulbuls symbolise the beauty of the natural world and the pursuit of religious enlightenment. Odedra’s dance piece explores an ancient Sufi myth about a captured bulbul, which sings an exquisite tune before perishing from despair.
In this piece, the bulbul myth becomes a metaphor for the ephemeral nature of dance and life itself. Developed with choreographer Rani Khanam and composer Rushil Ranjan, Odedra combines Ranjan’s new score with the music, dance and poetry traditions of Sufism to create an ambitious work that is both ferocious and contemplative.
Utterly compellingThe Scotsman – on Samsara
Programme
A keepsake freesheet is available at the venue for this performance.
Aakash Odedra Dancer
Rani Khanam Choreographer
Salvatore Scollo Production Manager
Emanuele Salamanca Set Designer & Stage Manager
Rushil Ranjan Composer & Musical Director
Dheerendra Tiwari Rehearsal Director
Fabiana Piccioli Lighting Designer & Dramaturg
Kanika Thakur Costume Designer
Dheerendra Tiwari Rehearsal Director
Music performed by Manchester Camerata conducted by Melvin Tay
Sarthak Kalyani, Abi Sampa Vocals
Rushil Ranjan, Aakash Odedra Choral vocals
Janan Sathiendran (tabla), Praveen Prathapan (bansuri) Additional instrumentation
Abi Sampa, Danyal Dhondy, Shuheb Hassan, Amman Ali Additional composition
Mixed and mastered by Andrea Gobbi at Gloworm Studios
Danyal Dhondy, Max Guthrie Music preparation
Salvatore Scollo Production Manager
Kuldeep Goswami Photography
Additional compositions:
Abi Sampa, Shuheb Hassan, Amman Ali, Danyal Dhondy Music preparation: Danyal Dhondy, Max Guthrie
The original score for Songs of the Bulbul has been written by Rushil Ranjan, a London-based composer known for creating exciting new music, inspired by uniting Indian Classical and Western Classical traditions. His unique work, crafted for an orchestra, Qawwali singers, and other Indian Classical musicians, will be played in recording by Manchester Camerata, UK's most relentlessly pioneering orchestra.