LAHORE: Performing arts festival

The Rafi Peer Theatre’s 10-day world performing arts festival, 2004, is being held at the Alhamra Cultural Complex from Nov 27.

As many as 600 artistes of over 33 countries, including India, will perform in various disciplines of performing arts like dance, theatre, music and puppetry.

Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi will inaugurate the festival. Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz will attend its premier show on Nov 26, a day ahead of its formal launch.

Rafi Peer Theatre directors Faizan Peerzada and Usman Peerzada told newsmen here at the Lahore Press Club on Friday that it was one of the biggest festivals in South Asia.

They said the festival would provide an opportunity for communication through arts, bridging distances and allowing the unified image of a global culture to emerge on a singular platform.

This time some 60 art, feature and documentary movies of 15 countries would be screened in the festival, adding that tickets would be available at nominal charges since it was not a commercial event.

The name of the groups taking part in puppet shows are; Trule of Portugal, Fliengendes Theatre of Germany, Apple Tree Group of Iran, Hands Puppet of USA, T’Magisch Theatre of the Netherlands, Anrupa Roy and Mansinh Zala of India, Republican Puppet Theatre of Uzbekistan.

THEATRE: Compagnie Drif of Switzerland, Euro and Wall Street of Germany, Markus Zohner of Switzerland and Ekjute, Saptak Culture Society, Nipa Rangmandi, Kirti Jain, Neeta Mohindara, Nissar Alan, Littete Dubey and Swarg of India.

DANCE: Shayma Saiyid of Canada, Tehreema Mitha of USA, Republican Dance Groups of Uzbekistan and Nevtej Johar, Debarata Banerjee, Prathiba Prahlad and Gunjan Khare of India.

MUSIC: Fathy Salama of Egypt, Algeria and France, Akim El Sikmeya of Morraco and Algeria, Abdel of Italy, Oriental Mood of Denmark, Turkey and Egypt, Sigi Finkel of Austria and Africa, Badila of Iran, France and India, Parvaaz, Anupriya, Avijit Ghosh, Ghulam Sabir and Gunmeet Bhawa of India, Transjoik Music Group, Solveig Slettahjel and the Real Thing of Norway, Iranian State Music Assembly of Iran, Lot Lorien of Bulgaria, Luigi Cinque of Italy, River Band of Serbia and 1001 Ways of Switzerland and Philippine.

CLASSICAL NIGHT: Ghulam Husian Shaggan, Mubarak Ali Khan, Sharafat Ali Khan, Shafqat Ali Khan, Asad Amanat Ali Khan, Naseeruddin Saami and Husain Bukhsh Gullo of Pakistan.

SUFI NIGHTS: Iqbal Bahoo, Shah Jo Raag Fakirs, Sain Zahoor, Akhtar Chinar Zahri, Taj Mastani, Goonga Sain & Mithu Sain Dholia and Latafat Ali Khan of Pakistan.

Qawwali: Sher Mian Dad, Nazir Ejaz Faridi, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Mehr Ali and Sher Ali.

FOLK: Rashma, Allah Ditta Loonay Wala, Mansoor Malangi, Krishan Lal Bheel and Arif Lohar of Pakistan.

POP & ROCK: Strings, Junoon and Under Ground Rock of Pakistan.