Chitrasena Ballet Australian tours (1963 - )

Stringer, Walter: Artist of the Chitrasena Ballet in 'Nala Damayanti' [2] , 1963

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The Chitrasena Ballet first toured to Australia under the auspices of the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust in 1963. After their initial performance at the Festival of Perth, the company presented seasons in Sydney, Melbourne, Launceston and Hobart. Produced and directed by its founder, Chitrasena, and led by Chitrasena and his wife Vajira, the company presented two programs in their inaugural Australian tour:

Program 1: Included Karadiya (An Oriental Ballet in Two Acts), and Divertissements.
Program 2: Included Nala Damayanti (which also appeared in tour programs as Nala and Damayanti), and Divertissements.

The Divertissements within the first part of the program comprised ‘traditional dances, music and songs’, including Drums, Gajaga Vannama, Mask Dance, Kandyan Dance Duet, Folk Song, Leekeli, and Arjuna (Warrior’s Dance). Part two of the program saw the performance of Chitrasena and Vajira’s Karadiya (An Oriental Ballet in Two Acts). This second part was set to music by Amaradeva, with costume and set design by Somabandu and lighting by Mahinda Dias. The ballet is described in the program notes as follows: ‘”Karadiya” means “salt water” and the story is set in a fishing village. It tells of the men who go to sea in frail boats and the women who await their safe return … The theme is love, the joy and sorrow it brings and the human and natural forces that can thwart it'.

The Chitrasena Ballet was named after its founder, Chitrasena, an exponent of Kandyan dance form of Sri Lanka. Chitrasena was influential in reviving Kandyan dance through his Chitrasena Kalayathanaya dance school in Colombo, and through the creation and performance of new theatrical dance works with the Chitrasena Ballet.

In 1972 the Chitrasena Ballet returned to Australia, as the Chitrasena Ceylon Dance Ensemble, supported by the Arts Council of Australia and the Ceylon Tea Bureau. This second tour saw them perform at the Adelaide Festival, the Festival of Perth, Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra. The company presented two programs in this tour:

Program ‘A’: Included Drum Invocation, Mask Dance, Gajaga Vannama (The Song and Dance of the Elephant), Devol, Kandayan Dance Duet, Udekki, Raban, Sinha, Leekeli, Warrior’s Dance, Ves, Ukussa Vannama (The Dance of the Hawk), Suddha Mathraya, Pantheru, Thelme, Kolam (Nonchi Akka), Kandayan Dance Solo, Thalam, and Drum Orchestra.
Program ‘B’: Included Drum Invocation, Mask Dance, Mayuru Vannama (The Dance of the Peacock), Asipati (Sword Dance), Harvest Dance, Devadatta Hansa, Pathini Dance, Warrior’s Dance, Savaran, Kolpadu, Thelme, Thalam, Rajaliya, The Tea Harvest, Kolam (Nonchi Akka), Asadissa Vannama, Raban, and Drum Orchestra.

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Find more about Chitrasena Ballet Australian tours in:

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• Articles - New York Public Library Dance Collection
• Pictures - Picture Australia