Simplicity
was the theme
No jarring music. No meaningless dances. No lengthy speeches. The
launch of the 'Laa sanda paaya' CD and audio cassette with Damayanthi
Jayasuriya's latest collection of songs was a simple event. The
stage décor consisted of a solitary graphic of an unopened
lotus and the moon in the centre while lotus flower arrangements
adorned the stage. Damayanthi herself was elegantly dressed in a
white saree.The army orchestra played well without distracting the
audience.
Damayanthi
has been singing for three decades starting in Lama Pitiya over
SLBC. She came into the spotlight when she sang the best film song
of the year in 1996 with Kamal Addararachchi and won the prestigious
Presidential Award for 'Unmadavu Premaadare' in H.D . Premaratne's
'Sapta Kanya'.
The
audience at the John de Silva theatre got a taste of the new compositions
in 'Laa sanda paaya'. I didn't keep a count but she sang most, if
not all of the 18 songs in the CD (a Singlanka production) during
the two- hour show. Her son Nuwan Kumara joined her on a few numbers.
Damayanthi
had made the right choice in asking Dr. Carlo Fonseka to comment
on the songs. A few digs here and there made the audience laugh.
He just spoke on three songs, hinting that the others were as good.
He picked on Major General Ananda Weerasekera's lyrics on a mother's
words of advice to the son when selecting a partner, to add his
own thoughts and wondered whether a military approach to the subject
would not be risky!
In
the presentation, husband Ranjit Kumara's touch was also evident.
We remember the time when he, as editor of Sarasaviya, was responsible
for sleek and imaginative presentations at the annual Sarasaviya
Festival, in contrast to what happens these days.
It was fine entertainment, neatly presented. Well done, Damayanthi!
Group
of 76
It was Royal's Group of 76 that organised the Royal Farewell
to the Super Golden Chimes as a fund-raising project for their alma
mater to build a Skills Development Centre.
Andare
in English
At the launch of 'Andare' at the National Library Services
Board, I met one -time Daily News feature writer and editor of the
women's and children's pages, Vijita Fernando and instantly remembered
her own work on Andare in English. The Typeforce publication, 'The
Adventures of Andare, the court jester' was released not so long
ago.
My
former colleague on the Sunday Observer, Neville Weeraratne (now
domiciled in Australia) was responsible for the publication - a
neat little work ,well illustrated by Sybil Wettasinghe's black
and white drawings. The 30 stories are a fine collection of the
old tales which Neville introduces as "yarns narrated of an
evening when the day's work was done and children demanded a story
as they prepared to go to sleep”.The book was released along
with another - Tales of Mahadenamutta. Both were snatched up and
a second print had to be done. |