A THROW OF DICE WITH NITIN SAWHNEY (UK)

THE CLASSIC 1929 INDIAN SILENT FILM

A THROW OF DICE

DIRECTED BY FRANZ OSTEN

WITH A NEW SCORE COMPOSED AND PERFORMED LIVE BY NITIN SAWHNEY (UK)

WITH ORCHESTRA AND SPECIAL GUEST SINGERS & MUSICIANS  FROM INDIA & UK

In London’s Trafalgar Square, thousands of people recently came to watch a long-lost 1929 silent film by a German director, set in India, with a new score by a world-renowned contemporary British-Asian composer, performed live by a symphony orchestra joined by musicians playing traditional Indian instruments. Perfectly capturing the spirit of Parramasala, this phenomenal event will be recreated for the first time in Australia, under the stars at The Crescent amphitheatre in Parramatta Park.

As the compelling drama unfolds on screen, one of Britain’s most influential and creative music talents Nitin Sawhney will perform live on stage on grand piano, accompanied by a full orchestra and his regular family of singers and musicians from India and the UK, including the superb vocalists Nicki Wells and Tina Grace.

A Throw of Diceis one of the few surviving films of its era, only recently re-discovered and restored by the British Film Institute. This acclaimed German-Indian co-production was directed by Franz Osten, with a story based on an episode from the ancient Hindu epic, The Mahabharata. Featuring beautiful cinematography, it tells the tale of two rival kings who share a passion for reckless wagers, and the same woman. Shot on location in the breathtaking mountains, forests and palaces of Rajasthan with over 10,000 extras, 1,000 horses and 50 elephants, the film was acclaimed for both its epic scale and groundbreaking intimacy.

As a classical and jazz pianist, guitarist, percussionist, music producer, composer and DJ with both western and classical Indian music influences, Sawhney has collaborated with the likes of Paul McCartney, Sting, Shakira, Akram Khan and Anoushka Shankar, and composed for Cirque du Soleil, Covent Garden’s Royal Opera House and Sony Playstation. Now he brings new life to a classic film with a brilliant score which switches from delicate Indian scat vocals to sweeping strings, and from stirring brass episodes into dreamy Celtic-sounding melodies.

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