On May 20, Fondazione Giorgio Cini hosts Pārvatīviraham, performed by Kapila Venu, internationally recognised for her interpretations of Naṅṅyār-kūttu and Kūṭiyāṭṭam, the classical performance tradition from Kerala inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2001.
Organised by the Intercultural Institute of Comparative Music Studies, the performance is part of the Italian tour of the research project TEXT_ACT. TEXTs living on stage: goddesses, queens and courtesans from Sanskrit theatre to the ACTresses of present day Kutiyattam, promoted by Sapienza Università di Roma. Alongside Venice, the tour includes Rome, Bergamo and Palermo.
Pārvatīviraham is one of the most iconic works in the Kūṭiyāṭṭam repertoire and was previously staged by Kapila Venu’s master Ammannūr Mādhava Cākyār. Traditionally performed by male actors, the female interpretation introduces a significant shift in perspective, bringing a different emotional nuance to the relationships between the characters.
Within Kerala’s performance traditions, the Naṅṅyār is not only a dancer but also an actress and storyteller, part of a rare lineage of women performers that has remained alive over centuries. Through her practice, Kapila Venu also reflects on the role of women in the transmission and transformation of classical performing arts today.
Free admission until capacity is reached.
