Rendez-Vous of the East and West

This Friday the music lovers in Kolkata will experience Rabindra Sangeet presented in French and Bengali during an event titled 'Rendez- Vous' of the East and the West. It will be held at Satyajit Ray Auditorium, ICCR, 7:30 pm onward.

Madhchanda Dutta, Professor of French Calcutta University will present Rabindrasangeet in French at ICCR auditorium.

The Bengali version of the songs will be performed by Anindya Narayan Biswas, an IAS officer. Before the Rabindrasangeet recital there will be another programme where Pandit Tarun Bhattacharya will present Santoor.

Dutta had studied French from Iowa University in USA and London. His CD in Rabindrasangeet Rendez- Vous with Rupankar came out some months ago.

Tagore was a popular poet in France during his lifetime and Gitanjali was translated in French. He was quite close to the French intellectuals of his time.

He had visited France in 1921.

Many of the Western tunes have been blended in Rabindrasangeet.

Dutta said the original tunes used in the musical scores will be maintained. Tagore songs that will be presented on August 23 have been translated by Moinak Ganguly, a French scholar.

The songs in Bengali will be sung by Anindya Narayan Biswas whose unique rendition has made him a popular Rabindrasangeet exponent.

Ami Chini o Chini Tomare will be presented in two languages along with Oi madhabilata dole, Chander Hanshi bandh bhegeche, Tomar khola haoa among others.