Diplomatist Magazine Diplomatist August 2018 | Page 49

CULTURE CONNECT
A MODERN AUSTRIAN NIGHT
INTO INDIAN MYTHOLOGY
Art transcends borders. Cliché yet true in this perfect example of Shakuntala – an opera on the famous
Indian love story. Composed by Austrian musician Franz Schubert, the opera will be performed under
the Cultural Forum of the New Delhi Austrian Embassy in October this year.
T
he ancient Indian epic Mahabharata tells the love
story between Shakuntala, a half-celestial, and King
Dushyanta. Theirs is an epic tale of love and separation
and how they are reunited in the end. 4th-century Indian
playwright Kalidasa, through his Abhijñānaśākuntalam,
captured the world’s imagination of this mythological love
story. Since then, Shakuntala has emerged as one of India’s
most memorable mythological characters, featuring in famous
artist Raja Ravi Varma’s canvases as well as on the movie
screen, not to speak of endless literary works. Indeed, as the
historian Romila Thapar notes, “Shakuntala was crowned the
ideal of Indian womanhood, her integrity and blamelessness
going down as virtues to be emulated by every good daughter
and wife”.
Europe’s fascination with this Indian heroine is played
out through this opera titled ‘Shakuntala’ – which has been
composed by the famous 19th-century Austrian musician
Franz Schubert. However, due to his early death, the opera
was not completed. Hence, a concert version of the musical
masterpiece was arranged and completed by the composer,
conductor and president of the Vienna Boy’s Choir, Professor
Gerald Wirth. The concert will be performed by the Austrian
Chamber Orchestra together with the renowned Indian
Shillong Choir.
Sunit Tandon, the Director of Indian Habitat Center in
New Delhi, will be the narrator, guiding the audience through
the evenings in English.
Schubert’s musical text will also be interpreted by the
Indian classical dancer Shovana Narayan – one of the most
celebrated and outstanding Kathak dancers of the present
age. She has received Padma Shri, 1992 & Sangeet Natak
Akademi Award 1999 – 2000.
The focus of the series will be the opening concert on 2
October in New Delhi; on Mahatma Gandhiji’s birthday. It
will be staged in the concert hall of the Lotus Temple. The
temple is not only one of the top sights of the Indian capital
but offers adequate acoustics and enough space for the
international cast.
The other concerts are on 4 October in Calcut ta and 6
October in Mumbai.
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist • Vol 6 • Issue 8 • August 2018, Noida • 49