The Prithvi Theatre and the NCPA have supported each other for over four decades. One such artistic partnership, an initiative centred around the Symphony Orchestra of India at the iconic Juhu-based arts venue, has continued to yield delightful results since 2014.
By Beverly Pereira
On a Monday evening in April, eight students of the SOI Music Academy left behind the familiarity of their NCPA campus to embrace something new in another locale of the city. The young, talented students were presenting a concert of piano compositions by Chopin, Beethoven and other classical greats at the iconic Prithvi Theatre in Juhu. The enchanting evening was one of many to have taken place under the SOI@Prithvi banner.
A month prior to this, in the week of their well received concerts at the NCPA, the incredible musical partnership between pianist Adam Heron and violinist Antal Zalai was given a standing ovation at the Prithvi Theatre. On every second Monday of the month, it is usually the NCPA’s Symphony Orchestra of India, in a pared-down chamber orchestra format, that is entrusted with sating the arts-loving audience at the beloved arts venue.
A long-standing association
The SOI@Prithvi initiative took shape in November 2014 when Mr. Kunal Kapoor, Managing Trustee of the Prithvi Theatre, visited NCPA Chairman Mr. Khushroo N. Suntook. “I landed up at Mr. Suntook’s office and told him that there was an audience in North Mumbai that wanted to hear his orchestra. He thought it was a great idea and immediately lent his support. A chamber orchestra, he thought, would be perfect for our space,” says Kapoor. A firm believer in artistic collaborations, Mr. Suntook says, “Persons of the fine attitude of Mr. Kapoor are not easily found and the devotion of his distinguished family to the promotion of the arts need not be described here. His contribution to the growth of Western classical music in the suburbs is indeed appreciated. Mr. Kapoor will always have our cooperation.”
Under the new initiative, SOI@Prithvi fast grew into a well-appreciated series. In its 11th year now, it continues to run uninterrupted with concert programming featuring the SOI Chamber Orchestra in its entirety and in smaller configurations, students of the SOI Music Academy and the NCPA’s roster of visiting international artistes.
Pre-concert discussions are another key aspect of this initiative. These monthly talks presented by Dr. Cavas Bilimoria are well-received by Prithvi audiences. A trained violinist and a repository of all things Western classical music, Dr. Bilimoria once served as a physician to musicians of the SOI and the NCPA at large for over a decade. His series of talks, peppered with examples from recorded music and intriguing stories, takes listeners through musical concepts and the lives of composers and their works. “The audience’s eagerness to absorb what I have to give and their appreciation of what I do is most gratifying,” he says. “What keeps me going is the desire or rather the enthusiasm to share with an appreciative audience what I have learned about music from various sources, chief among them being from my violin teacher Monsieur Jules Craen.”
A well-engaged audience
The audience at the Prithvi Theatre comprises a slightly different demographic from that of the NCPA. “Though we see people of all ages, we definitely see a lot of young people at SOI@Prithvi,” says Bianca Mendonca, General Manager, Symphony Orchestra of India and Western Classical Music, NCPA. Dr. Bilimoria has noticed that though the suburban audience may not be as “schooled” in Western classical music like the audience in South Mumbai, it is highly receptive to it.
Kapoor observes that the north of Mumbai has a varied audience comprising young music students, working executives and those from the older generation, and what binds them is their curiosity about this great tradition of music. SOI@Prithvi, then, saves them a long journey to the south of Mumbai and offers an intimate space with perfect acoustics to relish the music. “Almost every time, members of the audience come up and thank me for bringing the SOI to Prithvi. There are also some diehards who travel from South Mumbai to hear the SOI in our space,” says Kapoor, adding that SOI@Prithvi has become an integral part of the Prithvi Theatre calendar.
Indeed, this idea of a partnership between two of Mumbai’s long-standing arts institutions was waiting to be born. After all, meaningful collaborations with likeminded partners are crucial to furthering and ensuring a more sustainable future for the arts. By partnering with Prithvi, the SOI widens the reach of Western classical music in the city, says Mendonca. “Given the fast-paced life of the citizens of Mumbai, travelling to the NCPA regularly may not always be easy,” she says. SOI violinist Averell DeSouza has been performing at Prithvi on a regular basis ever since he was part of the first ensemble, a string quartet, to perform there in 2014. He says, “These concerts have fuelled a greater interest in classical music among new fans, prompting many to attend full-scale SOI concerts at the NCPA. There is never too much of a good thing, I believe.”
Besides the musical partnership, the NCPA and Prithvi Theatre have collaborated on other arts initiatives for the last four decades, making it mutually beneficial for both institutions. Prithvi has held festivals at the NCPA, while Literature Live! The Mumbai LitFest held year upon year at the NCPA has grown to include Prithvi as a key venue. The SOI also enjoys a presence at the annual Prithvi Festival, a much-loved gala event dating back to 1983, encompassing theatre, music concerts and stage talks. “Playing at Prithvi gives the performer a sense of connectedness with the listeners because of its size,” says DeSouza, adding that seeing the audience watch his every bow stroke is both exhilarating and intimidating. “But the highlights include the bonhomie with the artistic junta, and of course, feasting on the famous mutton biryani, kebabs and red wine at the festival finale. Additionally, Kunal Kapoor’s presence at every SOI concert is a welcome one,” says the violinist.
Orchestrated for adaptability
“Concerts planned outside the NCPA are executed differently. We plan according to the acoustics of the venue and the kind of audiences we anticipate. A chamber orchestra comprising four to twenty musicians is just perfect for the intimate nature of the Prithvi Theatre,” says Mendonca. “Fortunately, there’s plentiful music written for ensembles of such sizes. The great Serenade for Strings [composed independently] by Tchaikovsky, Elgar and Grieg and the divertimenti and symphonies by Mozart have all been played by the SOI Chamber Orchestra at Prithvi,” adds DeSouza.
Mendonca elaborates, “We try to present different sections of the orchestra, like wind instruments, to expose audiences to novel sounds. For the festival last year, we showcased one of our talented piano students, the ten-year-old prodigy Ayaan Deshpande, who played a concerto with the orchestra. The year prior to that saw works solely by Indian composers.”
The bountiful returns of interdependence and teamwork in the arts are evident in many parts of the world. Even then, theatres struggle to survive. “In post-independence India, support for the arts with virtually no grants and subsidies has continuously reduced with each decade, prompting many theatres to lend themselves to social, corporate and even political functions,” says Kapoor. “I do not see how and why theatres in Mumbai should be perceived as competitors—we need many more theatres. Partnering with each other is extremely important and can only have a positive result.” Mr. Suntook concurs. “We started with a vision that has now come to fruition and are delighted that we have been able to present concerts befitting both the fine organisations. Mr. Kapoor has been an ideal partner with his cooperative and elegant manner of presenting the orchestra. Our players and the audience look forward to their evenings at the Prithvi Theatre. I too look forward to working more closely than hitherto with Mr. Kapoor and his fine team,” he says. “I consider Prithvi Theatre’s relationship with the NCPA with great respect and appreciation. I’m so glad and thankful that Mr. Suntook had the foresight and generosity to support the idea. The rest, I guess, is history!” Kapoor concludes.
This article was originally published in the May 2025 issue of ON Stage.
