Celebrating the Year of Rama: Scenes from the Asian Ramayana Friday, November 8, 2024 7 p.m.-8 p.m.
Photograph by Lynn Lane, courtesy of Asia Society Texas Center
November 8, 2024
Bringing together music and dance from four countries, this original production guides the audience through selected scenes from the Ramayana, one of the greatest ancient epics of Indian literature. Conceptualized by Rathna Kumar, artistic director of Samskriti, the performance features leading artists from Indonesia, Thailand, India, and Sri Lanka, collaborating to realize a vibrant multicultural dance experience.
Joining in today's performance are dancers from the Anjali Center for Performing Arts, SaLaRu Sri Lankan Dance Academy, Wat Buddhavas Thai Cultural Center, and Sanggar Tari Citra Indonesia. They are accompanied by musicians Abhishek Balakrishnan on violin and Naga Srinidhi Kuruvada on percussion.
The performance is presented to complement the exhibition Living with the Gods: Art, Beliefs, and Peoples. Following the performance, enjoy a gallery tour of the exhibition led by Amy Poster, Consulting Curator of Asian Art, to follow the performance.
Plan Your Visit
- Free with Museum admission. The performance takes place in the Brown Auditorium Theater on the lower level of the Law Building. The exhibition is located on the upper level of the Law Building.
- Parking Information | Museum Hours | MFAH Campus Map
About Performers
Poised to celebrate its Golden Jubilee, Anjali Center for Performing Arts was established in 1975 by Rathna Kumar as the first Indian dance institute in Texas. Kumar is a professional dancer and choreographer specializing in two styles of Indian classical dance – Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi – by renowned gurus K.J. Sarasa and Vempati Chinna Satyam.
“Living with the Gods: Art, Beliefs, and Peoples” is organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and supported by a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc.
Lead foundation underwriting is provided by:
Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Foundation
Additional generous support is provided by:
Franci Neely
The Sushila and Dr. Durga D. Agrawal Family
Jerold B. Katz Foundation
Joan and Stanford Alexander Family
Nancy Pollok Guinee
Joy and Benjamin Warren
Levant Foundation
Bettie Cartwright
Anne Lamkin Kinder
Mr. and Mrs. Rodney H. Margolis
Milton D. Rosenau, Jr. and Dr. Ellen R. Gritz
All Learning and Interpretation programs at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, receive generous support from H-E-B; Institute of Museum and Library Services; Sempra Foundation; the Brown Foundation, Inc.; the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo; the Joe Barnhart Foundation; the Cockrell Family Fund; the CFP Foundation; Macey and Harry Reasoner; the Texas Commission on the Arts; and the Junior League of Houston, Inc.
Endowment funds are provided by the Louise Jarrett Moran Bequest; Caroline Wiess Law; Windgate Foundation; the William Randolph Hearst Foundation; Cyvia and Melvyn Wolff; the National Endowment for the Humanities; the Fondren Foundation; BMC Software, Inc.; the Wallace Foundation; the Neal Myers and Ken Black Children’s Art Fund; the Eleanor and Frank Freed Foundation; Medha and Shashank Karve; Virginia and Ira Jackson; Jesse H. Jones II; the CFP Foundation; the Favrot Fund; gifts in memory of John Wynne; Neiman Marcus Youth Arts Education; gifts in memory of Peter Lotz; and gifts in honor of Beth Schneider.