Ballet on 1857 to remember Wajid Ali Shah

Lucknow: Come Sunday, a ballet to mark the seventh annual Wajid Ali Shah Festival in the city will be a befitting tribute to the nawab who was known as a great patron of music and dance. Directed by Muzaffar Ali and derived from the poems of Rahi Masoom Raza in the aftermath of India’s first war of independence, the hour-long ballet — Gomti 1857, Krant ka Pehla Sawan — will combine kathak and Sufi qawwal performances by 36 artistes from across Awadh to enthral the audience at Dilkusha Palace on February 23.
“Kaiserbagh was a cultural centre during the time of Wajid Ali Shah. Over the years, our efforts have been the same: to showcase the talent of the man who was so well-versed and also make people aware of places of heritage. Hence, Dilkusha Palace is the venue. It was shelled during the siege,” Ali said.