Hi all,
This is a review of concert of Smt. Manda Sudharani at Raleigh NC, USa on 23/4. I am posting a review by my friend (Dr. Sharad) who attended the concert.
Sarma
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A warm spring afternoon, a sizable audience, nice surroundings and talented vocalist, could one ask for more? A vocal concert by a simple looking Telugu vocalist from the northern Andhra Pradesh could have well been another run-of-the-mill concerts one is forced to attend these days. Yet it was a different story altogether as the events were to follow that late Sunday afternoon. A well maintained studio (Kalashrishti Dance Studio at Morrisville) and an ably handled sound system laid the foundations for the program.
A brief introduction was followed with a succinct rendition of a varnam in Saranga ragam. Smt. Sudha Rani immediately set the tone for the concert. A booming resonant voice reminded this listener of many famous singers of years past. This majestic voice coupled with a clear diction and pronunciation of chaste Telugu, clearly puts her amongst the most elite practitioners of this sublime art form. This was immediately followed by Pranamamhyam in Gowla. The beauty of the concert started to emerge with a wonderful essay of the Nalinakanthi alaapanam for Manaviyalakim. The rendition had flashes of genius, although the violin support was found wanting. This was followed by Sri Narada in Kaanada and later a brisk Edari sancharintura. The hallmark of the concert was a lively alaapanam of Karaharapriya for Rama Nee Samanamevuru. The gamakas and swara patterns were beautifully essayed and was one of the best ever heard by this listener. The versatility of Smt. M. Sudharani’s repotire was evident in her RTP in Hamsanadhi ragam. This was followed by Chinnamchirukiliye and a Thillana by Swati Thirunal in Ragam Dhanashree. The concert concluded with a Mangalam.
The audience was mesmerized, and spell-bound hoping to listen some more even after the managalam, itself stands testimony to the greatness of this vocalist. For the audience this concert would be the gold-line by which other concerts would be judged. As I pen this review, the gamakas continue to reverberate in the mind, long after it was heard no more. Clearly a new firmament for classical Carnatic vocal has been discovered in Smt. Sudha Rani. Proper publicity could easily make her one of the greatest vocalists of this art form.
Sharadsrikar V. Kotturi