The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : A high-spirited and energy-filled performance

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Thursday, Oct 16, 2008
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Karnataka

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A high-spirited and energy-filled performance

Staff Reporter

Russian ensemble has the audience on their feet

The ensemble has toured many countries
It visited Bangalore as part of Russian Cultural Festival

— Photo: K. Murali Kumar

Foot-tapping: Russian artistes performing at a show in Bangalore.

Bangalore: At the end of the evening, they had the audience on their feet — on stage, in the aisles and if it were permitted, perhaps the audience would have even been on the chairs at the Chowdiah Memorial Hall.

The ensemble “Russian Song” was brought to Bangalore by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations and the Embassy of Russian Federation in India as part of the Russian Culture Festival.

Led by Nadezhda Babinka, the two-hour show was high-spirited, energy-filled with barely any breathing time, and before one knew it, it was over.

Wearing big flowing gowns, boots, elaborate headgear that was soon shed to reveal glittering scarves, the group was breathing colour through the show. Each of the twenty-odd members of the ensemble was trained singer and each of their voices came together in complete harmony as they danced. With complimentary recorded music, their voices in different timbers along with their dancing was a show of relentless energy.

The show had songs sung at Russian weddings, to songs about love and heartbreak and the evening had a range of offerings for the packed auditorium — many of whom were Russian expatriates.

Set up by Ms. Babinka in 1975, the ensemble has toured many countries and has evidently drawn on many pop influences and, in truly ensemble style, talks about different historical periods and movements in Russian music, including sacred songs to more contemporary numbers. However, members of the ensemble say that they do not set a task to preserve ethnographic authenticity, thus modifying it self as it travels.

Technically, the ensemble was mostly flawless and worked on running the show through without breaks. Ms. Babinka’s solos seemed to be as well-received as were the acoustic numbers, with no musical accompaniment.

Director-General of Police (Corps of Detectives ) Ajai Kumar Singh felicitated the members of the ensemble.

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