Agni (opera)

Agni (Fire) is an opera in Sinhalese composed by Premasiri Khemadasa with a libretto by Eric Illayapparachchi. It premiered on 26 May 2007 at the Lionel Wendt Theater in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Seventeen singers trained by Premasiri Khemadasa at his musical academy located at the suburban Folk Art Center, Palawaththa, Battaramulla, performed with an orchestra consisting of two keyboards, flutes, an esraj, guitars, drums, a timpani, a gong and strings. Khemadasa conducted the orchestra.

The opera was the culmination of a period of one year strenuous training undergone by young talents selected by Khemadasa. Although Maestro Khemadasa was energetic enough to inspire them with his philosophy of music, he had been subject to several surgeries, one a kidney transplant. Sometimes he ignored medical advice and rehearsed his players from morning to evening. On rehearsing of the opera, a journalist from the Daily News (Sri Lanka) wrote:

In Tune (an art column) met the master composer Khemadasa at Janakala Kendraya (Folk Art Center) last Tuesday (17th May 2007) for an interview on his new opera. In fact I was expecting to meet a fatigued composer since he had been subject to a couple of surgeries recently, one a kidney surgery, and the other a heart surgery. On the other hand he has been training the students for months but there appeared a much relaxed Khemadasa with a gleaming smile. He asked me to wait at the hall where the girls were still rehearsing till he got back quickly. The fanciful flights of the composer's pen was there to be experienced live with singing and dancing of the girls. Khemadasa arrived with his usual swiftness and sat on the plastic chair which was behind his keyboard in the room "These girls have been practicing from 8.00 a.m. and their dedication has been unbelievable for the opera .″ he said in admiration. I asked him, what I had just seen and heard. "You have just experienced the power of their voices and bodily movements harmonizing with the musical texture. This was no recording" he went on.

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