MASTER SIR

Date, Sunday 25th September 2011……..place, Camden Centre in London……..occasion, nightingale of Sri Lankan music Neela Wickramasinghe’s “MASTER SIR” concert……..

For over 40 years Neela Wickramasinghe has been healing the hearts of Sri Lankan music lovers worldwide with her scintillating voice and perfectly organized melodies. On Sunday 25th September at the Camden Centre it was the opportunity for us living in the UK to witness this super woman adding her golden voice to some of the best melodies we have heard over the years.

Supporting a new look hair style and two beautiful attires, for over 4 hours Neela sang over 40 of her best hits including such everlasting numbers like Yaluwe Sithin, Siling Biling, Bodiye Viharaye, Viyo Gee Gayena, Ingi Bingi Karana, Suseta Baranin, Pem Slilare, Paramee Dam, Master Sir and many many more.

Making a solo performing is no mean task for any singer, particularly when you have to sing over 40 (43 to be exact) songs in over 4 hours. However, what was special about this performance of Neela’s was that during the whole performance she did not tire, her trade mark smile did not disappear from her face nor did her personality stutter. Neela not only mesmerized the audience with her gracious singing, but she also left the audience wondering how she could remember every single word, song writer, composer of all 43 songs without referring to any pieces of paper, as is commonly seen these days. It was an exemplary example of someone’s dedication of a respectable career spanning over 40 years.

Supporting Neela Wickramasinghe with the duets was her husband Kapila Herath and Manjula Munasinghe from London. Of course, to compliment Neela’s beautiful voice there was a fabulous orchestra especially flown from Sri Lanka, The orchestra comprised of Kalani Perera (Violin), Priyantha Dassanayake (Flute), Sampath Sri Chaminda (Tabla), Chathura Prasad (Key boards) and from the UK Chameera Dondeenu (Bass Guitar) and Chaminda Munasinghe (Drums). This orchestra was directed by that legendary guitarist, Mahinda Bandara.

During the concert, the audience also had the unusual experience of seeing some of the scenes from those hit films such as Deweni Gamana, Chanchala Rekha & Ethin Ethata as Neela sang Chamara Salunawe, Keena Dam Mitak, Hasa Kelum Udawewa and Bodiye Viharaye in the back ground.

A the end of the performance Neela made it known to the audience that her new look was due to the treatments she took for a deadly cancer she had recently suffered from. As a result of this she lost her full flock of long beautiful hair that we are all used to seeing over the years. This was the first time she has made a public announcement of this and for that she received a long standing ovation!

Everything about this concert was just perfect, whether it be probably the best seen stage decoration in a Sri Lankan musical concert in the UK or the order of songs which left the audience completely tireless over the 4½ hour concert.

This show was another fabulous production of Palinda Samarasinghe, the man who brought us “Gee Tharu” in 2008 & 2010, unarguably the best Sri Lankan musical concerts ever to have held in the UK. Palinda was ably supported by his wife Asha Samarasinghe.

 ( Photos by Sisira Maddumage )