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LEGENDARY VOCALIST DHARMADASA WALPOLA A DOYEN IN PLAYBACK SINGING IN SINHALA FILMS TO BE REMINISED ON HIS 39th DEATH ANNIVERSARY – by Sunil Thenabadu Dharmadasa Walpola was born on 27 November 1927 in Deiyannawea,Kandy ,this future play-back singer displayed his innate talents of musical virtuosity with inherited music affiliations too from his childhood. His father Charles Appuhamy a dress maker by profession tailored costumes to the Tower Hall artistes   who also learnt his art from him though not much interested in studies. His mother was Karunawathie a housewife. Young Dharmadasa for a period had made masks for the Sri Lankan Army to contribute to the family expenses.  His father’s close association with artistes had paved way for him to know the leading artistes on stage.Before he sang in a Sinhalese film in year 1952 there was a public poll to elect the ‘most popular vocalist” initiated by cinema newspaper titled ‘cinemawa’ of ...

Nov 16, 2022 Posted by In Articles, Sunil Thenabadu Tagged , , , , , , ,
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Sawasangeetha – We Are Sri Lanka And We Stand Together by Oscar E V Fernando Sawasangeetha (SS) was a musical program initiated by the then Chairman of Sri Lanka Foundation (SLF)-H W Jayewardene QC, in 1982 continuing monthly and on occasions bi-monthly-until mid-nineties. Being a Queen’s Counsel with a penchant for many a British practice, Mr Jayewardene discussed with me what he described as ‘an initiative by SLF. I as Director Finance and a Board Member of this institute was very eager to find out more about the ‘Grand Initiative’ of this gentle giant, with whom I closely associated until his sudden demise whilst on an Indian tour. He said he was keen on introducing to our country the concept of Promenade Concerts of England-these concerts being musical performances in the 18th and 19th century pleasure Gardens of London, where the audience would stroll about while listening to the music. Realizing ...

Dec 18, 2021 Posted by In Articles, Oscar Fernando Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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