Man dancing among cascading red flower petals

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.

The Warm Up: Songs Of The Bulbul

Festival programmer Emma Hay introduces Songs of the Bulbul, a mesmerizing solo Sufi Kathak dance piece performed by Aakash Odedra. Inspired by the myth of a caged bird seeking freedom, it promises to be an intense, emotional experience enhanced by the intimate setting of the Lyceum. Emma emphasises the value of giving our full attention to the artist to truly appreciate the depth and craft of this performance.

The Warm Up: Songs Of the bulbub

0 Stars

Utterly compelling

The Scotsman – on Samsara

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    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.

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