BHARATANATYAM MAESTRO BALA DEVI CHANDRASHEKAR

TO PRESENT UNITED STATES PREMIERE OF

PADMAVATI: AN AVATAR

AT SYMPHONY SPACE, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2023

International Bharatanatyam performer and scholar Bala Devi Chandrashekar brings her acclaimed production of Padmavati: An Avatar to Symphony Space on Saturday evening, September 30, 2023 at 5:30pm. The United States Premiere of Chandrashekar’s solo dramatic work is based on the Gita Govinda by the 12th century poet Jayadeva, conveying the captivating love story of temple dancer Padmavati and Jayadeva.

First presented in Mathura, India in November 2021, Padmavati: An Avatar, conceptualized, researched, and choreographed by Chandrashekar, showcases cultural festivities, devotional songs, and resounding instrumentals. The work’s original music, recorded in India by an ensemble of 25 specialized musicians, was composed by Rajkumar Bharathi and features lyrics by Dr. S. Umapathi, Siromani. Vocals and chorus are complemented by the rhythmic recitation of Natttuvangam, a traditional South Indian art form.