Shut since last March, NCPA reopens

The iconic national cultural institution the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) has thrown open its halls and theatres for live performances after downing the curtains late March last year due to the pandemic. Mumbai was the first major city to be shuttered due to the pandemic, a full fortnight before the national lockdown was imposed. Lead by the megapolis, Maharashtra leads in both COVID-19 infections at over 2.03 million as well as deaths of around 51,200. ''We are back with a fine array of live performances as the stage comes alive once again. We have opened our doors to the public from February 3,'' an NCPA statement said. Khushroo N Suntook, chairman of the NCPA, said, ''our programmes have always encouraged performances by the finest of international and local talents. This time our focus is solely on creating quality performances featuring local artistes and resident musicians of the SOI (the theatre's own Symphony Orchestra of India).'' ''We have reopened with a curated SOI Chamber Orchestra featuring a beautiful rendition of old classics. We have lined an array of events lined up for the whole month,'' Suntook added. The reopening night also had a digital broadcast of 'A Homage to Abbaji -- Ustad Allarakha', which was first presented at the NCPA in February 2019 to mark the tabla legend's 100th birth anniversary, with a percussive ensemble led by his son Zakir Hussain. The statement said its February calendar is packed with a mix of plays and live performances.

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