Scintillating concert

A. RAMALINGA SASTRY

Poothi Krishna Madhavi Reddy and Gummuluri Krishna Swetha showed dazzling finesse in their Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi renditions.

BODY LANGUAGE Krishna Madhavi and Swetha present Vinayaka Koutvam' in Bharatnatyam and Kuchipudi.

Celebrating the event of completion of 83 years and four months of age (occurrence of the same number of full moons called Sahasra Chandradarshanam) Visakha Music and Dance Academy organised Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi recitals in its auditorium Kalabharathi.

US-based Poothi Krishna Madhavi Reddy, who is being trained by Padmarani (US), a prime disciple of Adayar Lakshman in Bhartanatyam style and Gummuluri Krishna Swetha (MBBS, AMC) expertly trained in the Kuchipudi tradition by Guru Akundi Ramakrishna, presented the recitals.

Both danced their way into the hearts of the audience presenting the very first item, Vinayaka Koutvam, sans any mix-up of the traditions they learnt.

This was followed by Swetha's recital, Alakalalla ladaga gani of Tyagaraja in Madhyamavathi, charmingly emoting the bhava embedded in the lyrics and Sivataandavam surfacing the Lasya, Karuna and Roudra rasas with empathetic finish. Next, a Swarajathi in Husseni in Aditalam was presented by Madhavi.

Fluid in the face and coupled with a dazzling finesse executing hasta and padavinyasams along with commensurable sancharibhavas, she proved herself to be a bright star in the making in the firmament of Bharatanatyam. Sustaining the scintillating tempo Swetha proved to be her peer presenting Annamayya's Mangambudhi Hanumatha, Yemiseturalinga exquisitely set to music and highly popularised by Balamurali and Tillana of Lalgudi Jayaraman in Mohanakalyani. Expert nattuvangam by guru Ramakrishna and the resonant vocal support by Dr. Dwaram D.V.K.G. Tyagaraju in the able company of G. Venkata Rao on mridangam, M. Neeladri Rao ( violin) and T. Atchutha Rao ( flute),s constituted the splendid backdrop of music.

Veena recital

Visakha Music Academy featured a veena recital by the noted `Vidwamani' Geetha Krishnamurty in Kalabharathi last week. Geetha, who had training in playing on the instrument from the maestro late Chittibabu, later honed her skills in the art of exposition under the expert tutelage of Sangeetha Kalaanidhi Nedunuri.

Building up excellent rapport with Tirupathi M. Sudhakar (mridangam - Tirupathi) and N. Rajaramam (ghatam - Chennai) from the word go playing the Nata varnam, she played Yevarani (Devamruthavarshini), Himagiri Tanaya (Suddha Dhanyasi) adorned with ragam and swaram, Sarasaaksha (Pantuvarali) prefixed and suffixed with elaborate alapana and swaram, Chinnanade (Kalaanidhi) and an expansive expatiation of Manasu Swaadheenamaithe (Sankarabharanam).

Her taanam after alapana in ragamalika comprising Kalyani, Anandabhairavi and Kaanada stood testimony of her in depth knowledge coupled with dexterity in technique handling the veena with felicitous charm. Sudhakar and Rajaraman executed a scintillating thani negotiating Trisram and Khandam as well.

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