The idea of the Vikram Sarabhai Festival was born a few years after his tragic and early death in 1971. He was the co-founder of Darpana with Mrinalini Sarabhai, and its main supporter. He was a great lover of the arts, and a connoisseur. It was felt that the best way to remember and pay homage to him would be to have a yearly multi- arts festival in his home town, Ahmedabad.
From a modest beginning in 1974 in the Tagore Hall, till 1994, the festival highlighted major national and international artists like Prabha Atre, Bhimsen Joshi, The Battery Dance Company, Gruppa from Sweden, Pratap Sharma and Aleque Padamsee and Darpana’s own new productions.
With the birth of Darpana’s own unique theatre, Natarani in 1994, the festival
shifted gear and became the Vikram Sarabhai International Arts Festival, with
a thrust towards highlighting and producing major new collaborative work.
These have included collaboration between countries, between artists of
different styles and between performing artists, painters, sculptors and installation artists.
This year, the Vikram Sarabhai International Arts Festival sees its 32nd year. With collaborations from both Europe and America, Darpana presents three events that promise something for everyone.
The festival will open with a Hindi adaptation of Jean Racine’s Phedre. Directed by internationally acclaimed French director Astrid Bas, Mallika Sarabhai stars as Phedra with supporting cast from the Darpana Performing Group.
The second night will be presenting The Journey Inward: Devi Mahatmya. A stunning multimedia performance on Devi, the Goddess, reflecting the deep Indian notion that creation and destruction constitute an ongoing cyclical process - With text by American author Suzanne Ironbiter, music by Indian rock duo Mark & Philipe Haydon and sets/costumes designed by Australian Jodie Fried.
Linda Wetherill, an internationall renowned Western flutist along with Darpana's Carnatic musicians will end the festival with this unique musical collaboration. The concert will blend the sounds of the East and the West to create new musical languages. She will also play world composer Joel Thome's piece 'Savitri - Flame Of the Future' based on the book of the same name by Sri Aurobindo.
The last night will also have a special treat for audiences by Jerry Snell and New Circus Asia.