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Delhi
Theatre
A love story from the land of the dragon: Bravia Capital Sadir Theatre Festival presents The Peony Pavilion, one of China’s most loved classical operas, for the first time in India. The most famous opera of the Ming dynasty, the The Peony Pavilion was originally written by Tang Xianzu and performed for the first time in 1598. It is a love story of a daughter of a high official, named Du Liniang, who meets Liu Mengmei, a young scholar in her dream. By using metaphors and various nuances, the opera depicts different emotions and desires of individuals. Although conventional in its narrative structure, notably for its deus ex machinaending, it features highly refined and subtle lyrics and is hailed as a high point in Chinese literature. In 2001, UNESCO recognised it as one of the masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. The opera stars Zhang Yuanyuan and Shao Zheng.
Where: Siri Fort Auditorium, Asiad Village, New Delhi
When: December 12, 7 pm
Celebrating the best of American cinema: American Centre in collaboration with Cinedarbaar presents “Coen Brothers Film Festival”. The festival is showcasing six of the finest works of director-producer duo Ethan Coen and Joel Coen , the most visionary and idiosyncratic filmmakers of the late 20th century. Oscar winning film Fargo, the critically acclaimed Barton Fink, Raising Arizona, Llewyn Davisand the classic The Big Lebowskiare among the few movies that will be screened at the festival. The three-day event is a tribute to the Coen brothers for their remarkable contribution to cinema over the decades and their unique perspective of realms of various genres, adopting appropriate methods of realisation to reflect these representational frameworks.
Where: American Centre, Connaught Place, New Delhi
When: Till December 13
Spanish comedy: Instituto Cervantes will be showcasing The Heifer, a 1985 Spanish comedy film set during the time of the Spanish Civil War. The Heifer is a film about a unit of republican soldiers who infiltrate the border and steal a bull to feed their famished troops. The theft ruins the nationals' celebration as this bull is a part of a religious procession. The films shows how the republican soldiers get caught in the procession and go through a series of funny incidents before they getting back. The film is directed by Luis Garcia Berlanga and stars Alfredo Landa, Guillermo Montesinos and Santiago Ramos.
Where: Instituto Cervantes, Connaught Place. New Delhi
When: December 14, 4:30 pm
Textile Art: Galleryske will be showcasing the latest collection of work of Italian artists Isabella Ducrot and Andrea Anastasio. Inspired by India, the works are textile-based and are portray the great diversity of the Indian heartland. Isabella Ducrot is a Roman textile artist and painter who has created artworks using fabrics collected during her extensive travels across South and East Asia. In her works, she presents reflections on the nature of textile and weaving that arise both from her major textile collection and from her close reading of mythology and art history. Andrea Anastasio’s work encompasses design, sculptural installation, and photography. In this latest exhibition, the artist will be showcasing photographic prints depicting the storage of textile, as well as vases made of Murano glass, woven through with thread.
Where: Galleryske, Connaught Place, New Delhi
When: December 14-January 28, 11 am-7 pm
Where: Lalit Kala Akademi, Connaught Place, New Delhi
When: December 13-19
Mumbai
Music
Magic of Motown: Attend a tribute to the Motown era and the music superstars whose lives were influenced by it in a show titled "The Magic of Motown". It includes the music of Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Ray Charles and others. The performers include Shazahn Padamsee, Sharon Prabhakar, Neal Murray and Sid Meghani.
Where: Tata Theatre, NCPA, Nariman Point, Mumbai
When: December 13, 7.30 pm
Tickets: Rs 300-1,000
Pandit and the disciple: Pandit Jasraj, the octogenarian torchbearer of the Mewati gharana which has its roots in the Mewat region of Rajasthan, will perform in his inimitable lyrical style. His repertoire also boasts pads from the temple music of Haveli sangeet, known for the cultural overlap of bhakti and the classical tradition. The maestro and his senior disciple Sanjeev Abhyankar will present, individually and together, traditional khayal compositions set in common as well as rare ragas of the gharana.
Where: Tata Theatre, NCPA, Nariman Point, Mumbai
When: December 14, 6.30 pm
Films
John & Jane: Directed by Ashim Ahluwalia, John & Jane is a blend of observational documentary and tropical science-fiction. The film tells the stories of six call agents, who answer American 1-800 numbers at a call center in Mumbai. Following sessions of American “culture training” and 14-hour night shifts, the job begins to take its toll. Counterpointing the fluorescent interiors of late night offices with the unsteady currents swirling around the characters, the film reveals a generation of urban Indians that are beginning to live between the real and the virtual.
Where: Alliance Francaise Auditorium, New Marine Lines, Mumbai
When: December 12, 6.30 pm
Festival for young thespians: Thespo, the annual festival for “theatre-wallahs" under the age of 25, will showcase full-length plays, platform performances, workshop and music events. In its 16th edition, the festival will also include presentations by international groups including from UK and Sri Lanka.
Where: Prithvi Theatre and Sitara Studio, Mumbai
When: December 14-21
For details, visit www.thespo.org
Space craft: Artist Sachin Tekade, in his solo exhibition titled the "Poetics of Space", will show a series of artworks which deal with the emotional quotient of space. He was inspired by the philosopher Gaston Bachelard’s eponymous book. Drawn to the colour white, over the years, Sachin is said to have “experimented with the textural qualities of paper, to arrive at a poetic and pristine style of art making.”
Where: The Loft, Lower Parel, Mumbai
When: Till December 14
Bengaluru
Tate gallery unites with Biennale, Shrishti: London's Tate gallery presents "Tate: Global Art Space", a collaborative project with the Kochi Muziris Biennale and the Shrishti School of Art, Design and Technology, with exhibits that are a collaborative effort of Indian and international artists. While the exhibition will be on display for two days, the Shrishti Interim Showcase, featuring works by various artistes, including a dance performance by Sonia Rodrigues will also take place on December 11, from 7 pm onwards.
Where: The Collection, UB City, Vittal Mallya Road
When: December 11 and 12
When the lines are blurred: Between The Lines, a play by Nandita Das and Divya Jagdale will be screened this weekend. Set in urban India, the play revolves around Maya and Shekhar a lawyer couple, who have been married for 10 years. Shekhar is a high-profile criminal lawyer, while Maya balances work and life, drafting routine contracts for a law firm. They end up arguing on opposite sides of a criminal trial, resulting in the blurring of their personal and professional lives.
Where: Atta Galatta, 134 KHB Colony, 5th Block Koramangala, Bengaluru
When: December 13, 7 pm and 8.45 pm
The aftermath of the fall of the wall: Hubertus Siegert's film, Berlin Babylon, is set during the peak of the construction boom that started after the fall of the Berlin Wall. In the conflict between preservation and change, prominent architects, urban planners, politicians, officials and building owners move at breathtaking speed. Hubertus Siegert observed and documented the development – with fascination and scepticism, but without commentary.
Where: Max Mueller Bhavan, CMH Road, Indira Nagar, Bengaluru
When: December 11, 6.30 pm
Where: Chowdiah Memorial Hall, Malleshwaram, Bengaluru
When: December 11, 7.30 pm
