Mohini: Layers of Illusions, By Ramya Thiyagarajan

The Hunter College Pocket Operas:
May 11, 2024 at 2PM
Hunter College Black Box Theater

Mohini: Layers of Illusions, By Ramya Thiyagarajan
The Mahabharata is famous Indian epic that depicts the turn of Time into Kali Yuga, a time rife with falsity and deception. I adapted the libretto of Mohini: Layers of Illusions, from a short episode that occurs within this epic, which gives a glimpse into the layers of illusions, deceptions and philosophies that unfold throughout the larger narrative. In the music, I incorporated ragas and rhythms from Indian classical music, along with orchestration techniques to enhance the dramatic elements.
Brahmasura craves the illusion of power- first by accumulating spiritual strength, then by demanding a destructive boon. In his pursuit, he deceives Lord Shiva and, perhaps, himself. Later, he falls for the illusion of sensuality crafted by Mohini, who, in an act of deception, ultimately saves the world. Perhaps Time itself is the greatest illusion of all, giving rise to Maaya, a Neptunian veil that appears almost real.
The story can be viewed as an allegory of the different facets of our psyche, prompting us to contemplate ourselves and the world around us. Who is the Brahmasura within us, craving power? Who is Lord Shiva, that represents and recognises the divine potential in all? And who or what is Mohini? Are illusions distinct from deception, and does intention play a role? Ultimately, is everything determined by Time?

Ramya Thiyagarajan is an emerging composer currently pursuing an MA in Composition and Ethnomusicology at Hunter College. She comes from a lineage that cherishes South Indian classical music, and her early years were dedicated to learning the violin within this tradition, eventually transitioning to vocal training. A chance encounter with Western choral music, led to a transformative decision to pursue an undergraduate degree in Western Classical music, focussing on vocal studies and composition. Concurrently, she continued to hone her Indian vocal techniques with the distinguished Kalaimamani Yogam Santhanam in Chennai, and performing solo concerts across India. She has also worked and performed with the Grammy- award winning Indian composer of film music, AR Rahman. Exploring these diverse and rich traditions of music has been a fascinating and thought provoking journey, and her compositional work often blends the emotive power of the ragas and the vibrant rhythmic elements of the tala system with Western music's rich harmonic language and orchestration, as they produce compelling soundscapes. She likes writing for voice and finding interesting ways to connect text and music, while also delighting in the abstract expressions of purely instrumental ensembles. As a vocalist, she delves into Indian voice with contemporary stylistic elements, composing her original works in both English and Indian languages, and has published an EP and Single under her artistic alias, Mukura.

Cast:
Mohini - Samantha Jones
Time - Manya Gaver
Brahmasura - Joseph Stroppel
Shiva - Kishawn Francis

Orchestra:
Ledah Finck, Violin
Sarah Thomas, Violin
Amy Tan, Viola
Irène Han, Cello
Tristan Kasten Krause, Double Bass Jacqueline Kerrod, Harp

This project is thanks to the Richard Burke Opera Made Possible by the Support of the P. Austin Family Foundation.