Aakash Odedra: Songs of the Bulbul

Aakash Odedra returns to the Arts Center with his latest work, an hour of beautiful, engrossing virtuoso dance from a single dancer that unashamedly embodies emotions – mostly joy, some reflection, a tinge of sadness and pain – in a piece that ultimately describes a journey towards unity with the divine that is the core of Sufism. You don’t have to believe in the spiritual to feel the story, though; the dancing, the choreography, the music, the lighting are all that good.

In Persian tradition the bulbul is the bird we know as the nightingale, famous for its melodious song and symbolising beauty, love, and even springtime in many cultures. The beauty of the bulbul’s singing is supposed to increase as it nears the end of its life, mirroring the way physical boundaries can be transcended as we move towards enlightenment and the divine.

To extract the most powerful melody from the caged bird, a bulbul underwent a gruelling process of ‘training’. “It was first placed in a pitch-black room so that it would sing out of a desperate longing for light to touch its feathers once more. This was followed by several harsh stages of deprivation. Finally, in the last stage, the bird’s eyes were removed. Blinded and broken, the bird realised its only remaining option was to leave its mortal body by singing one final, powerful, and melancholic song – leaving its earthly cage behind to transcend to a higher realm where it could no longer be confined”.

Songs of the Bulbul shows us this progress from within a minimal but highly effective set designed by Emanuele Salamanca that includes a bank of (electric) candles and endless rose petals. It’s all set off by Fabiana Piccioli’s exquisite, atmospheric lighting; watch out for the dramatic blinding sequence …

The score is by Rushil Ranjan (from the Orchestral Qawwali Project) that weaves classical Indian rhythms with modern orchestral textures. It’s played (in a recording) by co-commissioners Manchester Camerata.  Principal choreography is by Rani Khanam, a distinguished kathak dancer with more three decades of professional experience and numerous accolades to her name.

Originally staged at the Edinburgh International Festival in 2024, Songs of the Bulbul has been touring in Britain to rave reviews (we saw it somewhat arbitrarily in Norwich). After Abu Dhabi it moves on to three dates in Australia and one in Florida.

The performance will be followed by a Q&A with Aakash Odedra and Dr Alka Bagri of the Bagri Foundation, co-presenter of Songs of the Bulbul.

Our feature on Songs of the Bulbul is here.