Comments on: Durga Puja 2007 http://nynjbengali.com/archives/110 Sudipta Bhawmik\'s Blog about Bengali life in New York, New Jersey Area Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:32:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: sudipta http://nynjbengali.com/archives/110#comment-390 sudipta Tue, 13 Nov 2007 17:03:42 +0000 http://ethnomediallc.com/wpress/index.php/archives/110#comment-390 Well, I did mention the events that were disappointing but the others were quite good. The good ones were good enough to make me enjoy the overall celebrations. After all, I do not expect to see best-in-class performances on a Puja stage where the performers have to accept to umpteen compromises. We need to realize that one cannot produce quality shows in a godown like hall with the worst acoustics and technical support. A Durga Puja cultural event is almost like a background entertainment that helps us to participate in our "adda" sessions as loud as possible. To watch and enjoy quality theater or music I would go to the proper venues. It is unfortunate that you found Subhomita's music lifeless and dull. She obviously did not sing the golden oldies and that may have been the reason why she failed to connect to many. When we hear something new, it deserves some extra attention, which again is not possible in a Durga Puja environment and at a venue where nothing can be heard after the fourth row. I still applaud the organizers for having the courage to bring in the new generation of musicians and making us aware of the kind of music being created now in India and Bengal. Well, I did mention the events that were disappointing but the others were quite good. The good ones were good enough to make me enjoy the overall celebrations. After all, I do not expect to see best-in-class performances on a Puja stage where the performers have to accept to umpteen compromises. We need to realize that one cannot produce quality shows in a godown like hall with the worst acoustics and technical support. A Durga Puja cultural event is almost like a background entertainment that helps us to participate in our “adda” sessions as loud as possible. To watch and enjoy quality theater or music I would go to the proper venues.

It is unfortunate that you found Subhomita’s music lifeless and dull. She obviously did not sing the golden oldies and that may have been the reason why she failed to connect to many. When we hear something new, it deserves some extra attention, which again is not possible in a Durga Puja environment and at a venue where nothing can be heard after the fourth row. I still applaud the organizers for having the courage to bring in the new generation of musicians and making us aware of the kind of music being created now in India and Bengal.

]]> By: amitavasen http://nynjbengali.com/archives/110#comment-388 amitavasen Tue, 13 Nov 2007 16:28:59 +0000 http://ethnomediallc.com/wpress/index.php/archives/110#comment-388 I got a little confused about what in the Kallol Pujo cultural program exactly met writer's expectation. Did he know something which we didn't to set his expectations on lowest common denominator? Admittedly, he argued; Friday was disappointing, Saturday was a disaster and Sunday had to be awkwardly stagemanged by a child; it still surpassed or met his expectations. Interesting observation. Even discounting the sound malfunction the play production was nothing to write home about. The selection of the play was ill-considered for the occasion. Moreover the director, the actors and stagehands, all seemed to have seen their prime. As a rule in this country the singers in their concerts perform only their published and already popular numbers and sometimes cover songs. The reason is obvious; live perfomance lets the audience participate and be involved. Selecting only her own songs might have given Suvomita a distinction and a point to make as she expressedly did in fact. Some of her song numbers may have been heard before by a handful of recent H1B's, but not by the the vast majority of the audience here. She overlooked that she was not performing on a Calcutta podium. Her performance was technically superb, but dull and lifeless. Not tuning to the audience is a failing on the part of the performer, greatest she may have been. The ultimate responsibility for the lapse of judgment of course rests on the shoulders of the program organizers. I got a little confused about what in the Kallol Pujo cultural program exactly met writer’s expectation. Did he know something which we didn’t to set his expectations on lowest common denominator? Admittedly, he argued; Friday was disappointing, Saturday was a disaster and Sunday had to be awkwardly stagemanged by a child; it still surpassed or met his expectations. Interesting observation.
Even discounting the sound malfunction the play production was nothing to write home about. The selection of the play was ill-considered for the occasion. Moreover the director, the actors and stagehands, all seemed to have seen their prime.
As a rule in this country the singers in their concerts perform only their published and already popular numbers and sometimes cover songs. The reason is obvious; live perfomance lets the audience participate and be involved. Selecting only her own songs might have given Suvomita a distinction and a point to make as she expressedly did in fact. Some of her song numbers may have been heard before by a handful of recent H1B’s, but not by the the vast majority of the audience here. She overlooked that she was not performing on a Calcutta podium. Her performance was technically superb, but dull and lifeless. Not tuning to the audience is a failing on the part of the performer, greatest she may have been. The ultimate responsibility for the lapse of judgment of course rests on the shoulders of the program organizers.

]]>