Pina Bausch in Calcutta

Pina Bausch and the Tanztheater Wuppertal are in Calcutta for their production Bamboo Blues, inspired by India.

I had the opportunity to see the dress rehearsal of the production yesterday evening, at the Rabindra Sadan.


Damiano Ottavio Bigi and Clementine Deluy.
Photo: © Gert Weigelt


Thusnelda Mercy and Pablo Aran Gimeno.
Photo: © Gert Weigelt

It was spectacular and exquisite, an uplifting aesthetic experience.

See pictures from the performance here.



After the performance, Pina and her troupe interacted with the staff and children of Talimi Haq School, Howrah where they had visited during their research trip in 2006.



I was moved to tears to see the warmth of the reception.

Also at the performance was Martin Waelde, who was the Director at the Max Mueller Bhavan (Goethe Institut) in Calcutta during 2004-07. Martin organised a major international conference (on "Does Culture Matter") in 2004. He also brought the German-Swiss theatre group Rimini Protokol to Calcutta, and Rimini's live / interactive production Call Cutta was played in Calcutta in 2005. Martin also brought Gunter Grass to Calcutta again, in 2005. And in 2006, he brought Pina Bausch and the Tanztheater Wuppertal to Calcutta. Martin's stint in Calcutta was completed last year. So it was great that he was able to be present here to see the spectacular result of his inititiave. Bravo!