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Programme: Culture
'Classic Incantations: The German Film Orchestra Babelsberg performs A.R Rahman'
Classic Incantations At the rehearsals for the concert "Classic Incantations", the German Film Orchestra Babelsberg performs A.R. Rahman at the National Centre for the Performing Arts, Mumbai, on January 19, 2012. A.R. Rahman performs "Mausam & Escape" from Slumdog Millionaire at the premiere of "Classic Incantations: The German Film Orchestra Babelsberg performs A.R. Rahman" in Mumbai. Matt Dunkley at the premiere of "Classic Incantations: The German Film Orchestra Babelsberg performs A.R. Rahman" at the National Centre for Performing Arts, Mumbai, on January 20, 2012. Flautist Navin Iyer at the concert "Classic Incantations: The German Film Orchestra Babelsberg performs A.R. Rahman" at Siri Fort Auditorium, Delhi on January 22, 2012. L-R: Cord Meier-Klodt, Deputy Chief of Mission, German Embassy; A.R. Rahman; Dr. Marla Stukenberg, Director, MMB Mumbai; Andreas Lapp, Lapp Holdings AG & Jyoti Nair Belliappa, KM Conservatory. A score sheet with musical notes at the concert "Classic Incantations". The German Film Orchestra Babelsberg at the concert Classic Incantations. The wind section of the German Film Orchestra Babelsberg at the concert. The members of the German Film Orchestra Babelsberg before the concert.
The members of the German Film Orchestra Babelsberg before the concert.

MUMBAI20 Jan 2012 Click to view details

Venue Jamshed Bhabha Theatre, The National Centre of Performing Arts, Mumbai
Opening Time7:00 PM

NEW DELHI22 Jan 2012 Click to view details

Venue Siri Fort Auditorium, August Kranti Marg, New Delhi
Opening Time7:30 PM

KOLKATA24 Jan 2012 Click to view details

Venue Science City Auditorium, Science City, J.B.S. Haldane Avenue, Kolkata
Opening Time7:00 PM

CHENNAI26 Jan 2012 Click to view details

Venue Sir Mutha Venkata Subba Rao Concert Hall. 31 Shenstone Park, Chetput, Chennai
Opening Time7:00 PM

BANGALORE29 Jan 2012 Click to view details

Venue Tripuravasini, Palace Grounds
Opening Time7:30 PM

Babelsberg and Indian Cinema – Celebrating the Legacies

The German Film Orchestra Babelsberg with over a hundred musicians performed orchestral interpretations of symphonic highlights from A.R. Rahman’s film compositions. It was for the first time that a hundred plus film orchestra performed the compositions of an Indian musician on his home ground!

This endeavour was to bring to the fore the elaborate musical orchestration that enhances the impact of a scene in a movie, or the movie as a whole. Artists and choir members from A.R. Rahman’s KM Conservatory joined the orchestra in a multi-city tour starting January 20th, 2012 in Mumbai, followed by Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata and Bangalore.

More on the Concert Tour

The concert tour also marked the centenary year of the Studio Babelsberg and the year that Indian cinema began its journey – back in 1912.

The repertoire included symphonies from the scores composed by A.R. Rahman.
 
About Matt Dunkley: Conductor, Orchestrator, Composer

The compositions were specially arranged for this orchestral event by Matt Dunkley, a long-time collaborator with Rahman. Matt has a rich body of work for Hollywood film composers such as Hans Zimmer, James Newton Howard and Clint Mansell. He has also conducted for prestigious orchestras in the UK and other parts of Europe, including the German Film Orchestra, Babelsberg in the recent past. For the first time, he played with Rahman on his home ground.

Matt Dunkley shared his thoughts on the project: 
“I think for myself and the orchestra this tour will be a journey in more than one way. Everybody tells me that your first visit to India is a life-changing event, so I'm looking forward to experiencing all that India has to offer. It will be fascinating too to see the reaction of an Indian audience exposed, some for the first time, to the glorious sound of a full symphony orchestra and classical choir performing some of maestro Rahman's beautiful orchestral film music. I feel very honoured to be part of this historic project.”