TUESDAY 26 SEPTEMBER
SHAKUNTALA
by Kalidasa

Arranged by Nicolas Wimberger

“Shakuntala”, drama in seven acts, features as the major work of Indian poet and playwright Kalidasa, who lived and wrote at the Gupta court of Pataliputra during the 4th and 5th century AD. The story is based on a tale from the First Book of the Mahabharata: Shakuntala grows up in a hermitage as the foster-daughter of the chief sage. One day, she meets Dushyanta, the young king, hunting in her forest, and they fall in love. Besides their different descent, they marry and see a glimpse of hope to live together happily ever after. – Until fate deals them a blow: when the monarch is summoned back to court, Shakuntala unintentionally offends another sage, who curses her so that the king would lose all memory of her. Implored by Shakuntala’s friends to alleviate the curse, the sage declares that the king’s memory will return if ever Shakuntala can give him back his ring. The play is considered as one of the most precious texts of Sanskrit poetry and stands as an impressive monument of the Ancient World.

Roles: 6 F, 6 M