KARACHI: The cultural troupe of the Walled City of Lahore Authority enthralled a packed hall here on Thursday with their mesmerizing performances. Staged at National Academy of Performing Arts – NAPA’s Zia Mohyeddin Theater, the performances covered our culture’s classical and folk traditions.
Titled ‘Renewing Glory,’ the program was preceded by a bustling Red Carpet with many dignitaries and celebrities present. The show began with a welcome address by former senator and member of the board of directors of NAPA, Javed Jabbar, who stated, “NAPA is committed to preserving the performing arts in every form, and bringing the WCLA troupe to Karachi is a testament to that.” He also introduced the program that was to follow.
A spell-binding presentation by the Director-General of the WCLA, Kamran Lashari, on the restoration of the Walled City of Lahore by his organization was up next. After the presentation, NAPA chairman Syed Jawaid Iqbal presented Kamran Lashari with the NAPA memento.
After a short break, the performances began with a riveting kathak piece by the father-daughter duo, Zikria and Jessica Iqbal. Then Jessica presented a solo piece. Then Raja Mughal and his team presented a breathtaking bharat natyam piece. He later performed a solo piece as well. This was followed by highly entertaining folk songs, storytelling, and dances by Fazal Jutt and his group. The show’s last performance featured the inimitable Saain Abbas and his dhol and shunk players. Throughout the show, one could see the audience erupting in applause, demonstrating their enjoyment and pleasure. The evening ended with dinner for the audience and the performers.
