Brands: Check your cultural, diversity and inclusive blind spots

Both concerts will feature songstress-actress Pratibha Singh Baghel, one of India’s most versatile and popular singers today.

Symphony of Love, which will be staged at the Artscape Opera House in Cape Town, features Pratibha, live in concert with Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra (CPO) and backed by a 10-member international band featuring some of India’s current leading musicians.

This is a world premiere event, marking Pratibha’s first visit to South Africa, and is a confluence of the rich musical traditions of India with western classical music. The concert will present audiences with a curated collection of popular old film classics, current Bollywood hits, and ghazals, with music directed by Indian flautist Ashwin Srinivasan and the CPO conducted by Brandon Phillips.

Blessed with the ability to effortlessly sing a broad range of genres, including hits of the greats, such as Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Jagjit Singh, Mehdi Hassan, and Ghulam Ali, Pratibha will appeal to all ages and anyone who appreciates exquisite, uplifting music.

“The Cape Town Philharmonic is ‘the orchestra for all’ and we pride ourselves that we are pioneers in adapting to different genres, crossing over effortlessly to accommodate all cultures and broadening our musical horizons. This is not our first venture into Indian music, and we are looking forward to adding the music of a superstar like Pratibha Singh Baghel to our oeuvre,” said Louis Heyneman, CEO of Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra.

Dr Marlene Le Roux, CEO of Artscape Theatre Centre, said, “Artscape has the pleasure of hosting Inner Circle Entertainment again – it stretches our boundaries and expands the experience of our audiences immensely.

In another unique creation, Pratibha and her musicians will wing their way to Johannesburg to the Lyric Theatre, for a once-off very special performance on 29 January.

Unplugged and acoustic, this intimate and cathartic experience will bring fans closer to the star, as Singh Baghel’s spellbinding vocals embrace and offer them an escape from the rigours of everyday life.

Pangarker said, “From the very first moment I saw Pratibha perform, I was mesmerised and knew that one day I would bring her to South Africa so she could share her talent with appreciative audiences here. Being such a multitalented and entertaining performer, her skills deserve to be showcased to their fullest extent, so we decided to craft two different shows.”

“Both performances, however, demonstrate how the universal language of music can truly connect us to our higher selves and to each other. It is an absolute pleasure to produce these shows, which I look forward to sharing with South African audiences – those who are already fans of what we do, as well as those looking to explore new experiences. I am confident that this will be the finest presentation of this genre of music that local audiences will experience. They will not be disappointed,” Pangarker concluded.

The band comprises Akhlak Hussain – harmonium; Arshad Khan – esraj; Ashwin Srinivasan – bamboo flute; Darshan Doshi – drums; Manoj Kumar – dholak; Ojas Adhiya – tabla; Sangeet Haldipur – piano; Sanjoy Das – guitar and Sheldon D’Silva – bass.

South African multi-percussionist, John Hassan will join the band for the Cape Town performance only.

Symphony of Love will take place on 27 January at Artscape Opera House, Cape Town at 8.30pm while Inner Circle Sessions will take place on 29 January at The Lyric Theatre, Gold Reef City, Johannesburg at 5pm.

Tickets for the Cape Town show can be purchased here, and tickets for the Johannesburg show can be purchased here.