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December is here. It is that clip of the twelvemonth erstwhile sweaters and monkey caps marque an quality to conflict chilly Chennai evenings.
It is besides that clip of the twelvemonth erstwhile Carnatic music and classical creation play retired successful assorted sabhas (performing spaces). But the sabha tin beryllium intimidating for some, and a small excessively ceremonial for others.
At Kutty Kutchery Festival 2025, which kickstarts successful the metropolis this Saturday (December 13), the code is intentionally informal and conversational — ensuring proximity, dialogue, and transportation betwixt artiste and audience.
The existent 3rd variation of the 10-day festival volition beryllium a solemnisation of Indian performing arts, including 10 performative conversations crossed classical, folk, modern dance, music, and theatre. “From Carnatic euphony to classical Portuguese traditions, from accepted and experimental natyam — spanning classical, folk, and modern storytelling — to philharmonic shadiness puppetry, from past instrumentality ensembles to modern classical works and vibrant tribal music, this variation gathers creator voices that are reflective, fearless, and reshaping the contours of originative expression,” says Laasya Narasimhachari, founder-director, Rasoham, a nationalist charitable spot and multi-venture arts organisation, which curates the festival.
Laasya Narasimhachari, founder-director of Rasoham | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Each curated 75-minute performative speech volition see a show segment, idiosyncratic creator stories that person contextual references to the past and improvement of the creation form, too an enactment with the audience. “It is simply a quiescent taste displacement — an creation gyration during Margazhi — 1 that is accessible, inclusive, and transformative,” she adds.
Among the artistes featured successful this year’s variation are Vyjayanthi Kashi (Kuchipudi), Funky Bodhi and the Irular Ensemble (tribal people music), OS Arun (Carnatic) and Anil Srinivasan, Sikkil Gurucharan and Madhan Karky (contemporary Carnatic music). Audiences volition besides person a glimpse into immoderate shadiness puppetry (The Open House), Fado (featuring Sonia Shirsat) and Harikatha (Vishaka Hari), among different performances.
Over the years, this festival has played retired astatine terraces, creation galleries, cafes and yoga studios. This twelvemonth volition beryllium nary antithetic – with venues including Narthaki Studio, Vinyl and Brew, House of Kavyam and Hanu Reddy Residences, among others. “We judge that abstraction becomes an experience,” explains Laasya, adding, “The festival seeks to beryllium a spot wherever arts instrumentality to what they person ever been: a shared quality celebration.”
Kutty Kutchery Festival 2025 volition beryllium held from December 13 to 22, 2025. Entry is free, but registration is mandatory. To register, sojourn rasoham.org
