For the past two decades, el Círculo acts as Casa Europa In Madrid: a space to think about, build, and debate Europe through culture, art, and contemporary thought. Driven by this commitment to international dialogue and openness to other cultural traditions, el Círculo This gala dedicated to the performing arts of India is being held, reaffirming its commitment to cultural exchange and to a program that connects Madrid with the great artistic currents of the world.

Within the framework of the Spain-India Dual Year of Culture, Tourism, and Artificial Intelligence, and as part of the India in Concert Festival, this outstanding gala is presented in Spain, bringing together renowned performers of Indian classical music and dance. A unique artistic experience that offers a journey through the rich cultural heritage of India, from the Hindustani musical traditions of the north to the ritual and devotional dances of the south.

Program

First part. Music

Pandit Shubhendra Rao & Maestro Saskia Rao-de Haas, with accompanying musicians

The internationally renowned musical duo of Pandit Shubhendra Rao and Maestro Saskia Rao-de Haas have assembled an extraordinary ensemble of performers to showcase the splendor of Indian classical music. Described as "an influential couple who are leading Indian music into a bold new era," they have performed at some of the world's leading festivals and concert halls, including a recent performance at the United Nations General Assembly in Geneva on the occasion of Human Rights Day.

The musicians invited for this tour in Spain are internationally renowned artists and acclaimed soloists.

Pandit Shubhendra Rao—sitar
Master Saskia Rao-de Haas — Indian cello

Next to:

Ashwini Shankar — shehnai
Hrishikesh Majumdar — flute

And accompanied by:

Jayachandra Rao — mridangam
Giridhar Udupa — ghatam
Debjit Patitundi — table

Second part. Dance

Rama Vaidyanathan and dance troupe

Dancer and choreographer Rama Vaidyanathan presents a collection of Bharatanatyam compositions, one of the great classical dance traditions of South India, from a contemporary and innovative perspective. Her work explores the expressive possibilities of this ancient choreographic language and transcends the limits of form to convey, through movement, the poetic and spiritual richness of diverse Indian languages ​​and traditions.

The group consists of five dancers and three musicians.

Rama Vaidyanathan — dancer and choreographer

Corps de ballet
Shubhamani Chandrashekar Shetty
Reshika Sivakumar
Vaishnavi Vitthal Dhore
Nilava Sen
Musicians
Vishwesh Swaminadhan — violin
Sannidhi Vaidyanathan—mridangam
Madan Mohan Nagendran — voice