"The Noir Queen Kuweni" ballet

  •  "The Noir Queen Kuweni" ballet was created by the creator Chandana Wickramasinghe, a great figure in Sri Lankan dance. This ballet was based on the story of the ancient queen Kuweni.
  • This ballet was performed at the Nelum Pokuna Theatre, Colombo on January 3, 2025.

  • Professor Mudiyanse Dissanayake and Dr. Ravibhandu Vidyapathi were involved in the acting and dancing for this excellent ballet, and Dr. Peshala Manoj provided the music. Here, Professor Mudiyanse Dissanayake played the role of the King Malaya, and Dr. Ravi Bandhu Vidyapathi played the role of the King Panduvas Dev.   
  • Actress Niranjani Shammuka Raja contributed her meditative and excellent dance to the role of Kuveni in this ballet. She is also known by the nickname "black queen".
  • Nearly a hundred dancers participated in this ballet.
  • Another unique feature of this Kuveni ballet was that it incorporated the unique Sri Lankan dance form of Ves dance and also Indian Kathak dance.
  • Lighting was used exceptionally for this ballet in particular. It used to Establishing Mood and Atmosphere, symbolism and visual story telling. 

Example: Using red light to show Kuveni's fierceness.

  • The use of digital projection technology created a magnificent visual backdrop on stage. For example, creating a Nandana uyana.

Using projection technology to depict the eyes of a leopard to show the curse of Kuveniya.

  • Costumes contribute to the overall atmosphere of the production, and it help in the audience feel like they are truly entering in the world of the play, to define characters, adding symbolism and well-designed costume can help actors fully inhabit their characters.
  • "The Noir Queen Kuweni" Ballet ended with the arrival of the Kandyan dancers on stage, showcasing Sri Lankan identity. That moment filled me with a humble respect and pride for our traditional dance art and for being such a Kandyan dancer.
  • I am very happy that I was fortunate enough to see this beautiful dance performance live, created with the contributions of such excellent dancers.

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