Renowned medical practitioner turned music maker – By Sunil Thenabadu
- Dr. Kanchanamala Ranasinghe presents ‘Sanda Pahan Re’
An evening of music, ‘Sanda Pahan Re’, a collection of new songs sung by Kanchanamala Ranasinghe will be performed at 7 pm on January 7, at Lionel Wendt Theatre, Colombo.
A medical practitioner by profession, Dr. Kanchanamala Ranasinghe, currently domiciled in Australia, will perform at ‘Sanda Pahan Re’ with her 16 new songs and guest performances will be by musician /guitarist Nalaka Anjana Kumara. He is scheduled to sing three songs in addition to his instrumental presentation.
‘Sanda Pahan Re’ musical show will be presented by award winning lyricist, renowned writer Narada Wijayasuriya and choreography by Geeth Premachnadra and Swarnamali.
All the original songs performed at ‘Sanda Pahan Re’ are penned by veteran lyricists Rathna Sri Wijesinghe, Lucian Bulathsinghala, Sunil R. Gamage, Yamuna Malini, Bandula Nanayakkarawasam, Narada Wijesuriya, Nayanasena Wanninayake and a number of budding new lyricists. Veteran and talented musicians Dr. Rohana Weerasinghe, Nalaka Anjana Kumara, Samantha Perera and Dharshana Wickramathunga are scheduled to direct the music at the concert.
‘Sanda Pahan Re’ is coordinated by veteran artiste Buddadhasa Galapaththi and organised by Jude Srimal. Visuals are handled by Sanjaya Hemasiri.
A multi-talent with special flair for music and drama Dr. Ranasinghe mastered singing and Sitar under Mrs. Sirima Warushakoon, Ashoka and Ananda Perera of MGP Music School, Kandy. She also studied singing and Sitar under Sangeeth Nipun Asith Athapaththu and Sangeeth Nipun Chandani Warushakoon.
Kanchanamala was artistically inclined from her school days and had the fortune to win the all island best actress award for her act in’ Samudra Devi as well as the rare opportunity to represent the country as Miss University Sri Lanka at an international University talent contest in Japan in 1996.
She was introduced to the Sri Lankan stage very early in her childhood as her parents were dedicated artistes. Mother Malini Ranasinghe and Father Terence Ranasinghe hold the most durable theatre performers of the world award to this date for their contribution of over 5000 performances in the stage play ‘Sinhabahu’ as Suppadevi and Pothegu
She graduated from the faculty of Medicine at University of Peradeniya and is currently working as a Specialist General Practitioner in Australia She holds 3 specialist fellowships as well as a PhD and also serves the school of Medicine at Griffith University, Australia as a senior lecturer.
Coming from a legendary artistic family, she came back to find her roots in 2019 and played the role of Suppadevi in Prof Ediriweera Sarachchandra’s epic drama ‘Sinhabahu’ with the blessings of Mrs. Lalitha Sarachchandra. This was a historic moment in the history of stage drama in Sri Lanka as the daughter stepped in to the role that her mother played for 31 consecutive years as Suppadevi.
She plans to continue playing the suppadevi role and contribute to the making of new classical Sinhala songs as much as she can within her medical carrier.
Tickets for ‘Sanda Pahan Re’ could be obtained by contacting Jude Sri Mal on 0777363633 or from the Lionel Wendt Office.
