Organisers have said acclaimed Indian violinist L Subramaniam and Astana State Philharmonic Symphony, a 58-member orchestra from Kazakhstan, will raise the curtain on the Bengal Classical Music Festival this year.
Amid tight security, the five-day event will start on Dec 26 at the Sheikh Kamal Abahani field in Dhaka’s Dhanmondi neighbourhood, Luva Nahid Choudhury, director general of the Bengal Foundation, said at a media briefing on Sunday.
The Bengal Foundation is dedicating this year’s fest, which will feature 33 celebrated musicians and dancers of the Indian subcontinent, to Emeritus Prof Anisuzzaman.
Finance Minister AMA Muhith will inaugurate the event while Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor is due to grace it as the special guest.
The sixth Bengal Classical Music Festival was scheduled to be held from Nov 23 to Nov 27. The Bengal Foundation cancelled the event after it failed to secure Dhaka’s Army Stadium as a venue.
The decision was made after taking into account the security of foreign performers, Bengal Foundation Chairman Abul Khair Litu said at a press conference in Dhaka on Oct 22.
On Nov 14, he said that the festival would be held at the Sheikh Kamal Abahani field in Dhanmondi.
Online registration for the event starts on Dec 18. Music lovers must sign up online and bring along the pass and a photo ID to the venue for entry.
No-one is allowed to enter the venue after 12am during the five days and parking is not allowed outside the venue. Children under the age of 12 are discouraged at the fest, says a bdnews24.com
Event planner Blues Communications would use a special software at the event to bar sounds from reaching outside the venue, Choudhury said. Preparations were ongoing to welcome the guests, she added.
