Tara has collaborated with performers and visual
artists to create original works. She has worked with artists of
Indian, Brazilian, Japanese, Greek, Balinese, Nepalese and American
traditions. Tara has enjoyed projects which involve choreographing
and performing contemporary pieces with both folk and classical
artists.

Chitra
Photo:
Portia Brockway
"CHITRA" is
a fully-staged dance opera based on an episode from the Hindu epic
The Mahabharata, as interpreted by the Indian writer Rabindranath
Tagore. It is the story of the daughter of the king of Manipur who
is brought up as a boy, and who falls in love with the demi-god
Arjuna. The standard Boston Musica Viva ensemble of flute, clarinet,
piano, percussion, violin and cello was combined with the work of
Indian classical dancer Tara Ahmed (Chitra), Balinese singer/dancer/puppeteer
I Nyoman Catra (Arjuna), soprano Elizabeth Keusch, (Sutradar) and
tabla virtuoso Samir Chatterjee. Chitra draws on Indian ragas, tabla
drumming, and dance rhythms of India, as well as Balinese vocal
styles.

Chitra
Photo:
Portia Brockway
"Chitra" originated when BMV conductor Richard Pittman
saw a Shirish Korde opera, Rasa, in which Tara danced a role alongside
actors and classical European/American singers. BMV commissioned
Mr. Korde to write a piece featuring Tara in a unique collaboration.
This work premiered in 2000 to sold-out audiences, and was presented
in 2003 by the FleetBoston Celebrity Series.

Chitra
Photo:
John Buckingham
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