INDIA INVADES THE WINDY CITY
Just in Time for Autumn
I.
Tonight (Tuesday 9/21) at 6pm, the great tabla virtuoso Zakir Hussain kick off the annual World Music Festival with a free concert at the city's finest outdoor venue - Millennium Park. It is not to be missed.
The concert also kicks off a three-day festival-within-a-festival called India Calling! which includes concerts and of opportunities to purchase Indian handicrafts at an exhibition-cum-sale.
II.
The Merchants of Bollywood music-and-dance extravaganza comes to the beautiful, Louis Sullivan-designed Auditorium Theatre October 1 and 2. The show features 50 performers, 500 costumes, and "3000 pieces of glittering jewelry." I dare you not to be dazzled (see a sample, above).
III.
The first-ever Chicago South Asian Film Festival hits town October 1-3 with 16 films you probably haven't seen before, including the Chicago premiere of Deepti Naval's "Two Paise for Sunshine, Four Aanas For Rain," starring Manisha Koirala, Rajit Kapoor and Sanaj Naval - who are slated to appear in person. But I'm far more interested in Chicago native Ajay Naidu's directorial debut "Ashes."
zakir was unbelievable as were the dancers afterwards. i assume you were there? yesterday's bollywood selections were mother india (which i own) & om shanti om (which is NOT a classic in any book) so that was pretty disappointing. going again today to see what they are showing. all of the non-indian stuff is great, too. i heard a lot on the radio. today at the cultural center 12-7 is yoga & meditation, kirtan, mantras, chants & musical healing. i'm sure you will not miss that?
ReplyDeleteI didn't go to Zakir due to teaching + rain, and can't go today due to teaching (Wed/Thurs are, thankfully, very busy days this week). I'm glad you could go - and want to hear all about it.
ReplyDeleteAre there any other good shows at Millennium Park? Or is it wait til next year?
(Remember the Cubs game on 7/4? It feels like that today... only the sun is not as bad).
he played a raga for over an hour. took a 5 minute break & played another hour. sitar & tabla. then the dancers came. dance of siva :-)
ReplyDeletei went today & om shanti om was playing again so i watched it again. and cried. because it is kind of a tribute to bollywood. everyone is in it. i forgot about that. now i want to watch sholay. i think you understand.
the pritzker is pretty much done until next year.
but that south asian film fest will be good at columbia. yay!