National Centre for Performing Arts completes 55 years
Did you know that South East Asia’s first multi-venue, multi-genre cultural centre is in India? Developed under the grand vision of Bharat Ratna JRD Tata and Dr Jamshed Bhabha, National Centre for Performing Arts was developed to cater the nation’s need for a world-class centre to showcase India’s artistic heritage in the fields of music, dance, theatre, film, literature and photography. The centre was launched on December 29, 1969 and since then has become a hub for all cultural activities in India. Located at the scenic Nariman Point, facing the sea, the centre has five theatres, library, restaurant in the campus that present art forms ranging from drama to contemporary dance to orchestra to opera to jazz and Indian classical music. In the past half a century, the centre has developed a busy annual calendar with over 700 concerts happening. Indian icons like Yehudi Menuhin, and Satyajit Ray have been closely associated with the centre when it began in the 60’s.
The archives of the centre have over 6000 hours of music across the globe and has added Stuart Liff Collection 2009 making it an archival worth millions.
NCPA, as it's popularly known, is also an ideal venue for foreign productions to stage their work, given its technical finesse. The venue has been a venue partner for productions from SouthBank Centre, Carnegie Hall, Metropolitan Centre among many others. The centre has also featured the Israel Orchestra, Vienna Orchestra, Bavarian State orchestra to name a few.
In 2006, the centre conceptualized India’s first ever own Orchestra under the name ‘Symphony of India’ (SOI). They have announced plans for the upcoming year with Maestro Zubin Mehta and Sir Mark Elder. The Orchestra will run from January 25 to February 15, 2025 and will include symphonies by Haydn, Brahms and Mahler, everybody’s favourite Chopin Piano Concerto No 2, and an Opera Gala with a stellar cast of singers.
