New Delhi, Nov 18 (IANS) An Indian classical music and dance drama, “Indra Sabha”, first scripted and performed in 1850s in the court of Awadh’s last nawaab Wajid Ali Shah was performed here on Sunday.
Indra Sabha was presented as a musical production at Modern School in Barakhamba Road here.
Conceptualised and re-scripted as a 90-minute production of Kathak, Mujra and Nautanki styles by 2001 Padma Bhushan recipient and Kathak dancer Uma Sharma, the theatric musical initially ran into several days.
It was written by the nawaab’s courtier Amaanat Ali in 1852.
“(Nawaab) Wajid Ali Shah (ruled 1847-1856) was a patron of the Kathak dance and Indian theatre. He had written several brilliant thumris (a classical music form), and used to perform the role of Indra himself,” Sharma, 76, told IANS.
Indra Sabha is a fantasy production about a love story in the court of Hindu God of rain Indra, and has four artistes play the lead characters of fairies.
The dance drama combines the musical forms of thumri, dadra and ghazal, along with the performative traditions of Mujra, nautanki and Kathak.
“It’s a musical comprising actors, singers, and dancers,” the prominent danseuse and choreographer said, adding those taking the stage as dancers were her disciples.
The 90-minute dance drama also had Sharma’s niece and disciple, Radhika Shah, perform the female protagonist, the emerald fairy.
–IANS
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