Directed by Valerie Kuinka violist and artistic director

Photo Source: www.collabarts.com

Samskara connects Cultures - is the title given by William Littler in his review of the evening for a national newspaper. An Evening of Mysticism - is what a local Toronto ethnic weekly called it.

This was a presentation of Collaborations: A Chamber Arts Experience, founded in 1996 and still directed by violist/stage director Valerie Kuinka. Valerie pieced together many an experience amalgamating the east with the west, investigating connections between cultural opposites and different art forms, finding ways to relate them that encourage us to hear and see afresh. "We were invited to explore what it means to be of East Indian descent and living in Canada", says William Littler.

A poem by Tagore would emerge from a passage of bell ringing, more lines by Tagore would follow a percussion improvisation. The show was a complete audio, visual and truly sensory experience combining dance, vocal and chamber music, performing and visual arts.

There was even a live recording of sounds from a crowded street in Delhi, India, which was soon transcribed to a very European ambience created by the dramatic appearance of violinist, Parmela Attariwala. Parmela, who started to play the violin when she was 3 years old, played the "Giga" of Bach and simply heightened the reflective process.

The sound components included pieces by Christos Hatzis and Robert Rosen as well as the Carnatic music of South India; the words came from Sikh gurus as well as Michael Ondaatje.

In the background, Al Van Mil was painting a series of three iconic figures into the arched niches of a brick wall, thereby providing a visual metaphor for all this cultural diversity. The three figures reflected the west, the east and the contemplative figure in the centre signified the self-awakening. Draped in contemplation, the spiritual representation was splashed in saffron.

There was also a traditional South Indian dance sequence by dancer, choreographer Gitanjali Kolanad accompanied by vocalist Thanathevy Mithradeva and Ed Hanley on the Tabla.

Valerie explained her choice of the two jigs, in a programme note, as "a tribute to those ancient bards who perhaps sowed the musical seeds of both our cultures," adding that "the bells are a universal symbol of purity and are used in association with prayer" by many people.

Valerie says that she takes inspiration from a lot of sources. A lot of research has gone into the making of Samskara and even into the choice of title. "I wanted Samskara to be more spiritual... a moment in time, an extraordinary moment... searching for another option..."

(Info: http://www.collabarts.com/)