Indian classical music legends Pandit Jasraj and Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia will perform in a joint set on March 23 in Dubai, a concert that is expected to last nearly 150 minutes.
Kicking off the new season of Emirates NBD Classics, this concert will be followed by an April 27 show with headliners Ustad Shujaat Hussain Khan and Ajay Prasanna, featuring Azaan Khan. Later, in October, Shubha Mudgal and Bombay Jayashri will also perform a single set, followed by Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt and Bickram Ghosh in November.
For classical music connoisseurs, the Dubai performance will see a rare collaboration between vocalist Jasraj and renowned flautist Chaurasia. A recipient of India’s Padma Vibhushan, the country’s second-highest civilian honour, 87-year-old Jasraj belongs to the Mewati gharana (House of Mewati) of classical music. His musical collaborations include featuring on the soundtrack of the Oscar-winning film, Life of Pi.
Meanwhile, Chaurasia — another recipient of the Padma Vibhushan — has won several accolades across his career, along with composing music for Bollywood films and featuring on a single by The Beatles, The Inner Light.
“This year, we decided to do something different with the season and decided to host a jugalbandi [duet performance] as opposed to two solo acts on one day,” said Amit Pateria, CEO of organisers Repertoire Consulting and Production. “In the past, Panit Jasraj and Hariprasad Chaurasia have performed together overseas, but we have never seen such a performance in Dubai before. For lovers of classical music, this will be a treat.”
Tickets for the March 23 concert are already on sale at the venue and will be available online from next week, starting from Dh150. Doors open at 7.30pm and the concert starts at 8pm.
