The historic city of Parramatta will become the stage for the five day Australian Festival of South Asian Arts
Parramasala
from 4 to 8 November.
It will bring an eclectic mix of contemporary and traditional Indian- and South Asian-inspired events varying from music, dance, theatre, film and visual arts that will be performed by local and international artists.
Featuring a vibrant masala or 'mix' of cultural influences, the program includes global music stars, kathak dance, American tap, contemporary music improvisors, DJs, traditional Rajasthani folk arts and a bustling street marketplace
The festival will also feature two of the world's most influential music artists –
Kailash Kher and
Nitin Sawhney.
Kher his band Kailasa will headline a concert in the Crescent amphitheatre at Parramatta Park. Meanwhile, Britain's Sawhney, who will be accompanied by a 39 piece orchestra, will perform a new live score to a rediscovered masterpiece of Indian silent cinema.
Other festival highlights at Riverside Theatre include
Tap Kathak, a dance spectacle with one of India's foremost Kathak masters, Pandit Chitresh Das, and USA tap dancer, Jason Samuels Smith; and
The Guru of Chai, a comic play by Auckland's Indian Ink Theatre company.
Also, witness a desert wedding with three groups of traditional Rajasthani folk artists including musicians and dancers entertaining audiences with the songs and rituals.
Free and community-driven events will also be on including a themed
Twenty20 Cricket Match (the 'art' of cricket) and the annual
Deepavali Fair at Parramatta Stadium.
For a day by day festival guide,
click here.
