India Is Now A Space Power
Hurling the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle into orbit from Sriharikota marks the maturing of India's space faring capabilities. Besides saving on the costs of launching its own satellites, the country has entered the billion-dollar space launch market.

Moment Of Reckoning
The polls are likely to be milestones for the political parties. In Tamil Nadu, Karunanidhi is poised to hand over the mantle of the DMK to his son Stalin. And in West Bengal, Mamata may find it takes more than aggression to win a mandate.

Breaking Trust
UTI's dealing in Ketan Parekh's favourite shares has been under a cloud and SEBI's report on the stock-rigging scandal reaffirms suspicions. Bogged down with chunks of worthless shares, UTI's credibility has taken a nose dive.

Cold-Blooded Gamble
Sudden, violent skirmishes along the India-Bangladesh border leaves many dead and raises worrisome questions about peace and security in the North-east as a "friendly" neighbour's problems spill over.

Blue Sari Mystery
A dead polo player, a beautiful woman, an unclaimed garment. The Rajasthan High Court orders the police to look into the case.

METROSCAPE

Operation Opera

By S. Kalidas

If he can pull it off, it might well be the highpoint in India's cultural and tourism calendar for 2002. After restoring heritage properties and turning them into highly successful resorts, Francis Wacziarg-Polish by descent, French by birth and Indian by choice-is now turning to producing a full scale opera in Delhi. He would like it to be performed-"like Puccini's Turandot performed at the Forbidden City in Beijing"-at a heritage site like Hauz Khas or Purana Quila.

MUSIC MAKERS: Ligier conducts the opera orchestra

So last week when the Delhi Symphony Orchestra and some musicians specially flown from France teamed up at Delhi's Kamani Auditorium to jointly perform an eclectic repertoire under the baton of Frederic Ligier there was a palpable undercurrent of excitement. Not because the programme was anything extraordinary-Mozart's 40th is all too ubiquitous in India (remember Salil Chowdhury's popular Hindi film song Itna na mujh se tu pyar barha?). The reason: the last part of the evening was to be a curtain raiser for the forthcoming opera, The Fakir Of Benares.

Written by Leo Manuel in1922 and produced at the Theatre Mogador in Paris The Fakir Of Benares was promptly forgotten after its first production. It tells the tale of an ugly but pure girl finding a handsome blind lover whose woes are magically righted by the blessing of a Benarasi fakir. Two years ago Wacziarg's 28-year-old daughter Aude-Priya chanced upon the libretto in a music shop in Paris and was fascinated by it. Aude-Priya who has been training as an opera singer for over six years was looking to find "ways of creating a space for western classical music in India" and this forgotten libretto fitted the bill perfectly. She was lucky in finding another India lover in Ligier, a French conductor and composer, who has taken the charge of writing the lost music for the opera and conducting it. Also participating in the project is Situ Singh Buehler, who might be Indian by birth but is as European as one can get in her devotion to opera singing. The dramatisation and the sets are to be conceived by MuzaffarAli.

So if things go according to Wacziarg's meticulous plans the European festival season of 2002-2003 might well be importing an opera from India. Sounds quixotic? It well might be.

MetroScape

Operation Opera
If he can pull it off, it might well be the highpoint in India's cultural and tourism calendar for 2002. After restoring heritage properties and turning them into highly successful resorts, Francis Wacziarg is now turning to producing a full scale opera in Delhi.
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Looking Glass

Calcutta Restaurant: The Hub

Delhi Film Club:
Habitat Film Club

Delhi Bar: Golf Bar

Mashobra Resort: Wildflower Hall