Contributed Content (Edited at Copydesk with Editor’s Comments)
Auckland, July 2, 2024
As the house lights dimmed at the magnificent Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre (in Auckland on June 29, 2024), the stage flickered to life where a man who needs no introduction, Zakir Hussain walked onto the dais with his co-artistes Master Violinist Kala Ramnath and Veena Ace Jayanthi Kumaresh.
The electric response from the audience signalled the adoration and excitement the fans have for the legend.
The Tabla Ustad was at his usual humble and witty best as he explained proceedings for the night, a safari where all three artists showcased their mastery, before collaborating for a thrilling finale.
Charukeshi Raag overwhelms
A single piece presented for the night, Raag Charukeshi was picked as the theme for the concert, named Triveni, which combined the three instruments.
Editor’s Note: Charukeshi is a magnificent Raag in the Carnatic School of Music and belongs to the Melakarta Ragam, known as the Sampoorna (with all the Seven Swaras) Ragam. There are many songs that have been exemplified by this Raag, one of the most popular among which is the song Mann Mohna from Jodhaa Akbar. As the 26th Melakarta, it evokes feelings of pathos and devotion and had a special place in the compositions of Muthuswami Dikshitar, of the Carnatic Trilogy.
Kumaresh led the evening journey with precise note plucking of the pure Carnatic Raga, before passing the baton to Ramnath, who was simply outstanding on the Violin, perfectly syncing with Hussain’s impeccable and difficult tala rendition.
Hussain then entered his domain, enthralling the excited audience with some magnificent rhythmic magic, balanced perfectly by the touring sound engineers.
At 73 he played with such passion and energy that barely showed any signs of ageing and sounded no different to when he was last here over a decade ago.
The three musicians blended their skills perfectly, creating a beautiful musical conversation that was filled with intricate rhythms and stunning melodies.
Together they created a musical delight that had the audience mesmerised. It was a performance that was not just about playing music, but about creating something that was truly exquisite.
Short-Changed Music buffs
As the concert came to an end, it was clear that the audience was disappointed, and many thought it was just the interval.
The promoter had marketed this as a 2-hour concert, but the artists arose barely ninety minutes later.
In the end, for hundreds of concertgoers, it turned out to be a night of disillusionment as the promoters failed to deliver on what they sold. These patrons purchased a special ticket for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a “meet and greet, with photo opportunity”. What they got was a Q&A session where the artists remained on stage, and the audience also sat in their seats.
The problem arose as the promoter over-sold these special tickets, meaning the artists could not cope with a lengthy chat session, following a hard concert. After experiencing this debacle in Christchurch, the artists shied away from meeting such a large group in Auckland.
The sense of anger and betrayal was palpable, as concertgoers expressed the extent of their disappointment outside the auditorium.
Referral to Consumer Protection
Many said they were contemplating taking the promoter to Consumer Protection NZ for misleading advertising. Many of these were young Tabla players who felt outraged at paying $120 of their hard-earned money for a meet & greet, that never happened.
Another solemn lesson the promoters would be in how they market such shows.
They failed to fill even half the auditorium, despite signing up for the show almost a year back and flaunting a name such as Zakir Hussain.
The Organiser responds
Indian Newslink sought an explanation from the Christchurch-based Society for Performing Arts NZ. Known to us as one of the organisers. Co-founder Suruchi Vengurlekar sent the following response:
The show was about 100 minutes and we stuck to it. The 120 minutes included the interaction session with the artists.
It was far more valuable to have the artists share their experiences on creating the show and also answer questions the audiences had. A 35-minute interaction session- “Meet and Greet Session” followed the concert, and it was welcomed by everyone who bought the $120 tickets. Many of them, including students, asked questions that made the interaction lively and informative.
We are sure your young students enjoyed the session too.
Readers may respond to venkat@indiannewslink.nz or place their remarks at the end of the story here:
