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Fleur Bainger
For those who like their seduction to be long, slow, passionate and with a few big bangs thrown in, The Manganiyar Seduction's weekend performances clearly satisfied.
An instant standing ovation and cries of pleasure were proof the Indian musicians more than delivered with their energetic, beat rich music and operatic wails.
Playing as part of the Perth International Arts Festival, the troupes gentle and deliberate wooing was in the delivery of the traditional folk songs, which are drawn from their homeland and steeped in an exotic history of Rajasthan kings and deserts.
Forty three men sat in large boxes, stacked four levels high and nine across, in a kind of vertical orchestra. Red crushed velvet curtains concealed each boxs interior, and were only drawn when the musician hidden inside was ready to play.
You could see how the set was inspired by Amersterdams red light district - the effect makes you eager to find out who is behind the curtain, the suspense building your sense of anticipation. The moment the man inside was revealed and started playing, he was illuminated by a fringe of Hollywood lights, allowing the audience to see where particular sounds were coming from. Each man sat cross legged and cloaked in traditional white robes, wearing a red turban. Its a clever concept that was completely mesmerising
Like a lover teasing her partner, the music slowly built, with only a few players delivering their talents at the beginning of the show, until, box by box, the entire group were chanting, wailing, drumming and playing their Indian instruments. At one point the tribal-like sounds stopped, leaving only a high pitched Indian flute to pierce through the silence.
The conductor, Daevo Khan was just as engaging. Like a puppet master, he cajoled his orchestra, constantly dancing and swaying to the music. The musicians responded, beaming white smiles, bobbing up and down to the beat and using expressive hand movements, as though explaining the songs they were singing to an audience who didnt understand the language. Perhaps part of the allure was the mystery; no one knew what the songs were about but we could all read the passion and emotion the Manganiyar musicians were expressing, and we were all tapping our feet or moving our shoulders from side to side in time to the rhythm.
One of the highlights of the performance was when conductor turned around to face the audience and show off his prowess with a set of wooden castanets, challenging everyone in the concert hall to match his furious clacks with clapping. We tried, but eventually collapsed in laughter, no match for his frenetic talents.
It was obvious no one wanted the performance to end, and just before it did, director Roysten Abel took to the stage to talk about his troupe of 42 Muslims and only one Hindu. He joked about the challenges of securing visas for travelling Muslims in todays political and security conscious climate, particularly on their recent trip to the US. Abel then introduced the nights final song, a Hindu hymn to Krishna who he described as the Casanova of the Hindu world. Led by the sole Hindu musician, the hymn made for a stunning ending, well deserving of the standing ovation it received.
Indian music troupe woo Perth fans | Perth Now
---------- Post added at 10:17 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:16 AM ----------
The Manganiyar Seduction
After seeing The Manganiyar Seduction as part of the Perth International Arts Festival, I had to speculate why I hadnt seen a vertical orchestra before. Director Roysten Abel, who began his arts career with Shakespeare, has managed to combine his background in theatricality with the music of the Maganiyars in a joyous, toe-tapping spectacular.
A sturdy metal frame creates a huge cube on the Perth Concert Hall stage. Divided into individual boxes (four stacked rows, 36 in total), each box contained one or two musicians. Given the intensity of the music, the metal frame must have been incredibly strong both to support the musicians and the music they created.
Each box was enclosed by red crushed velvet curtains and surrounded by light bulbs. The show began in darkness, but as the music began, the curtains of a box opened and lit up to reveal a solo musician playing. As the music progressed more and more boxes opened and lit up to reveal the singers and musicians in an outstanding build-up of sounds and rhythm. At times it seemed like disco lighting as boxes were alternately lit up then darkened as the music prescribed.
Sitting down and dressed in white traditional garments, the all male musicians strummed, banged and sung together in a vibrant, joyful symphony. A wonderful array of Indian musical instruments was showcased, including the Dholak and Dhols (types of drums), Kamancha (Indian equivalent to a Cello), Sarangi (an Indian string instrument played like a violin) and Bansuri, a traditional Indian Flute. Combined with the voices, it was a eye opening cultural experience of the highest degree.
Historically, the Manganiyars are Muslim musicians who performed for the kings of Rajasthan in India. Now this troupe of 40 plus musicians performs at festivals around the world. Called folk musicians by most, but with elements of classical Indian music showing through, their repertoire ranges from ballads about Kings, to Sufi poems written by various mystics, through to celebratory music for births and deaths. As Abel explained at the conclusion, the Manganiyars are a Muslim community who also worship Hindu Deities. The sole Hindu musician of the troupe led the performers in the encore hymn to Krishna.
There was a rawness and passion to the music, especially the singing, which I found instantly appealing and mesmerising. Although not understanding what they were singing about, I was drawn into the story they were weaving and the life and rhythm they were creating. The conductor (whose name I can not find unfortunately), was hypnotising to watch, dancing and sweeping his arms about as boxes lit up and faded again.
The spontaneous standing ovation the audience is a testament to the affect the piece had. The combination of the unique set, the theatricality and the divine music combined to create a stunning, uplifting and resoundingly beautiful concert. The Manganiyar Seduction is a remarkable piece of music and theatre.
The Manganiyar Seduction
For those who like their seduction to be long, slow, passionate and with a few big bangs thrown in, The Manganiyar Seduction's weekend performances clearly satisfied.
An instant standing ovation and cries of pleasure were proof the Indian musicians more than delivered with their energetic, beat rich music and operatic wails.
Playing as part of the Perth International Arts Festival, the troupes gentle and deliberate wooing was in the delivery of the traditional folk songs, which are drawn from their homeland and steeped in an exotic history of Rajasthan kings and deserts.
Forty three men sat in large boxes, stacked four levels high and nine across, in a kind of vertical orchestra. Red crushed velvet curtains concealed each boxs interior, and were only drawn when the musician hidden inside was ready to play.
You could see how the set was inspired by Amersterdams red light district - the effect makes you eager to find out who is behind the curtain, the suspense building your sense of anticipation. The moment the man inside was revealed and started playing, he was illuminated by a fringe of Hollywood lights, allowing the audience to see where particular sounds were coming from. Each man sat cross legged and cloaked in traditional white robes, wearing a red turban. Its a clever concept that was completely mesmerising
Like a lover teasing her partner, the music slowly built, with only a few players delivering their talents at the beginning of the show, until, box by box, the entire group were chanting, wailing, drumming and playing their Indian instruments. At one point the tribal-like sounds stopped, leaving only a high pitched Indian flute to pierce through the silence.
The conductor, Daevo Khan was just as engaging. Like a puppet master, he cajoled his orchestra, constantly dancing and swaying to the music. The musicians responded, beaming white smiles, bobbing up and down to the beat and using expressive hand movements, as though explaining the songs they were singing to an audience who didnt understand the language. Perhaps part of the allure was the mystery; no one knew what the songs were about but we could all read the passion and emotion the Manganiyar musicians were expressing, and we were all tapping our feet or moving our shoulders from side to side in time to the rhythm.
One of the highlights of the performance was when conductor turned around to face the audience and show off his prowess with a set of wooden castanets, challenging everyone in the concert hall to match his furious clacks with clapping. We tried, but eventually collapsed in laughter, no match for his frenetic talents.
It was obvious no one wanted the performance to end, and just before it did, director Roysten Abel took to the stage to talk about his troupe of 42 Muslims and only one Hindu. He joked about the challenges of securing visas for travelling Muslims in todays political and security conscious climate, particularly on their recent trip to the US. Abel then introduced the nights final song, a Hindu hymn to Krishna who he described as the Casanova of the Hindu world. Led by the sole Hindu musician, the hymn made for a stunning ending, well deserving of the standing ovation it received.
Indian music troupe woo Perth fans | Perth Now
---------- Post added at 10:17 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:16 AM ----------
The Manganiyar Seduction
After seeing The Manganiyar Seduction as part of the Perth International Arts Festival, I had to speculate why I hadnt seen a vertical orchestra before. Director Roysten Abel, who began his arts career with Shakespeare, has managed to combine his background in theatricality with the music of the Maganiyars in a joyous, toe-tapping spectacular.
A sturdy metal frame creates a huge cube on the Perth Concert Hall stage. Divided into individual boxes (four stacked rows, 36 in total), each box contained one or two musicians. Given the intensity of the music, the metal frame must have been incredibly strong both to support the musicians and the music they created.
Each box was enclosed by red crushed velvet curtains and surrounded by light bulbs. The show began in darkness, but as the music began, the curtains of a box opened and lit up to reveal a solo musician playing. As the music progressed more and more boxes opened and lit up to reveal the singers and musicians in an outstanding build-up of sounds and rhythm. At times it seemed like disco lighting as boxes were alternately lit up then darkened as the music prescribed.
Sitting down and dressed in white traditional garments, the all male musicians strummed, banged and sung together in a vibrant, joyful symphony. A wonderful array of Indian musical instruments was showcased, including the Dholak and Dhols (types of drums), Kamancha (Indian equivalent to a Cello), Sarangi (an Indian string instrument played like a violin) and Bansuri, a traditional Indian Flute. Combined with the voices, it was a eye opening cultural experience of the highest degree.
Historically, the Manganiyars are Muslim musicians who performed for the kings of Rajasthan in India. Now this troupe of 40 plus musicians performs at festivals around the world. Called folk musicians by most, but with elements of classical Indian music showing through, their repertoire ranges from ballads about Kings, to Sufi poems written by various mystics, through to celebratory music for births and deaths. As Abel explained at the conclusion, the Manganiyars are a Muslim community who also worship Hindu Deities. The sole Hindu musician of the troupe led the performers in the encore hymn to Krishna.
There was a rawness and passion to the music, especially the singing, which I found instantly appealing and mesmerising. Although not understanding what they were singing about, I was drawn into the story they were weaving and the life and rhythm they were creating. The conductor (whose name I can not find unfortunately), was hypnotising to watch, dancing and sweeping his arms about as boxes lit up and faded again.
The spontaneous standing ovation the audience is a testament to the affect the piece had. The combination of the unique set, the theatricality and the divine music combined to create a stunning, uplifting and resoundingly beautiful concert. The Manganiyar Seduction is a remarkable piece of music and theatre.
The Manganiyar Seduction
