Product Description

Conceived and directed by Roysten Abel, the Manganiyar Seduction brings together more than 40 accomplished musicians. Performed live, it is a visually stunning musical, that draws inspiration from environments as far apart as the havelis of Rajasthan and the red light district of Amsterdam.

Review

Simple idea, complex music, stunning execution. The Manganiyar Seduction is essentially a musical performance of a single piece about one and a quarter hours long, but with a distinctly theatrical vision courtesy of its Director, Royston Abel. He wanted to design a show that would be visually exciting and also show off each of the musicians in turn as they joined in or soloed, as well as highlight the different interactions between them as the piece unfolds. Hence the 3 dimensional, vertical staging: 2,500 kilos of solid wood and metal scaffolding and platform draped in vivid red curtains and electric light bulbs, that takes 8 people 6 hours to put up and is 40 foot by 25 foot in size. Nothing, but nothing, could compete with that for sheer intensity, artistry and impact. --Worldmusic.co.uk
It would be hard to imagine a more joyous conclusion to Lincoln Center s ambitious White Light Festival than The Manganiyar Seduction, which rocked the Rose Theater for two sold-out nights in its United States premiere. From over one thousand songs, Abel ultimately chose three examples of traditional Manganiyar music for his ensemble. The core is a Sufi song, 'Alfat Un Bin In Bin,' in which a poet, Bulleshah, rejoices in his love of God. Abel added 'Halariya,' traditionally used to greet children when they are born, based on the birth of Lord Krishna, and the final song, 'Neendarli,' in which a wife tempts her husband with all sorts of delights to keep him from going to sleep.
But the infectious, vividly sung music is irresistible even without knowing the texts. These Muslim singers (and one Hindu), primarily from the Indian district of Rajasthan (near India s Thar Desert), have astonishing range and control, whether singing a cappella or with stringed instruments such as kamancheh and sarangi; the percussive sounds of dholak, morchang and dhol; and the distinctive woodwind colors of murli and algoza. During the fast-paced 75-minute show, the singers built powerful, throaty choruses, anchored by the viscerally exciting percussion battery. The charismatic conductor, Daevo Kahn, offered playfully athletic dancing and at one point, a hyperactive solo on kartal (similar to castanets), delivered with a grin toward the audience as if to say, 'You didn t know it was going to be this good, did you!' --Seen and Heard International: MusicWeb International Worldwide Concert and Opera Review