Meri Sakhi Ki Avaaz - I. Dō Kaliyaan / Two Flowers

(Starts at 4:30)

Program Note: "Meri Sakhi Ki Avaaz, at its core, is a piece about sisterhood. Each movement epitomizes one of the many facets of having and being a sister. It is also about what sisterhood looks like when expanded beyond a single family or a single culture— when two women, from two different musical cultures create space for one another’s voices to be heard.

The first movement is a modern take on Delibes’ famous Flower Duet from the opera Lakme. In the opera, Delibes depicts two Indian women singing by a river. In 1880s France, this orientalism was a point of entry into another culture far away. But today, that culture is easily accessible, and [my composition] is my attempt to show you what an ‘updated’ version of this duet might sound like with a Hindustani singer actually present to represent herself. 

So much of Western art music is about creating dialogue between the old and new, responding to our vast canon and musical tradition. And for the work I do, I couldn’t think of a better jumping-off point than this classic duet." - Reena Esmail

Ensemble: Western Classical Soprano, Hindustani Vocalist, and Orchestra

Arrangement / Duet / Live Instruments with Electronics: As written above, the electronics have a recording of the famous Flower Duet by Delibes, in which two Indian women are singing by a river. Esmail provides us with an updated version, allowing the Hindustani vocalist on stage to represent herself. 

Text:
Two flowers, one branch
(Ek daali, do kaliyaan)

In this garden of life
(Is zindagi ke bagh mein)

Bahine bane saheliyaan 
(sisters become soulmates)

My sister, my soul
(Meri sakhi, saheliyaan)

Other Movements:
-Movement II. Meri Sakhi ki Avaaz / Sweet is the Voice
-Movement III. Mirror | Opposite / Aks aur Saaya