The Official Community Of Nitin Sawhney

I not only missed the Traf Square performance of Throw of Dice, but looking at the mailer I received I'm going to miss the October performances too!

Does anyone know if there are any plans yet for a subsequent DVD / CD release?

Thanks,

Prashant.
 

Prashant,

I wondered whether it might be available on the site - but it would appear not.

A CD is already available - I bought mine from the Barbican shop - but I had to ring up.  Unfortunately I have no record of the number.  I can't find the link - but I believe that the shop at The Symphony Orchestra in Birmingham may be selling on the night.  There are some online sites on www.throwofdice.com but they all appear to be in Italy!

I also found www.moviemail-online.co.uk/films/21556/A_Throw_of_Dice/ - which is selling a DVD from October 29th (after the performances).  It includes a 22 page booklet and an interview with Nitin.

I'm expecting to go to the Birmingham performance (still waiting for tickets in the post), if this is of any use to you.

Rosemary

Hi Rosemary,

You're a wealth of information - many thanks!

Prashant.

 

i went to the manchester performance on sunday, was excellent as ever. Nitin incorporated elements of namesake score, and the the rest was a beautiful, haunting soundtrack. great film too, enjoyed it a lot - but no sign of davinder singh, has he disappeared...?!

great performance, it was on sale on dvd at the concert venue prashant so presumably its available somewhere...!

I went to the Birmingham performance (and the after show talk).  I hadn't been to the Symphony Hall before - I'm originally from the West Midlands but it was built after I moved away.  I was amazed by the building - though disappointed to see that only about half the seats were taken.  I had to move seats because of the projector siting - sadly a few rows further back, but still a good seat.  The staff at the Symphony Hall were unfailing polite and helpful.

One very nice surprise the performance of The Conference and Breathing Light before the main concert.  The whole event was excellent - as I would expect.  I'd heard the music before, but not with the film itself.  But it was much better live with Nitin and supporting musicians as well as the orchestra.  The piece could have been written for Ashwin Shrinivasan as there was a lot of flute in it, and I've never seen Aref Durvesh work so fast on the tabla.

The film itself was a really interesting piece of social history - a disappearing way of life that seemed centuries ago - but only actually 80 years ago.  Without giving the plot away altogether (in case anyone has the chance to see it in the future) it is a tale of deception, murder and intrigue.  The fateful dice game is the climax of it.  I won't spoil it by telling the ending.

I have been puzzled for some time by Nitin's involvement with a film that was made by a Nazi.  The programme notes solved this for me.  Osten did not become a Nazi until later in the 1930's, and a lot of Germans were involved in the Indian film industry. In fact the establishment of an Indian film industry owes something to them.  Also Nitin's grandfather was a professor of European languages, including German.

As for the DVD, yes, it was on sale.  It is worth noting that the DVD contains a performance by the London Symphony Orchestra (from the two earlier concerts in London?).  The three perfomances last weekend were by the Northern Sinfonia - which is apparently based in Gateshead.

Rosemary

I went to the Manchester performance at Bridgewater Hall and found it absolutely compelling. The blend between the orchestra and flute/tabla players and vocalists was superb - what talented musicians! I wondered if I would be distracted from the film by the live music but it wasn't the case. Nitin Sawhney was so unassuming - difficult ,but so refreshing, for a guy with so much talent.

I was surprised that there were quite a few spare seats but the applause at the end of the performance must have made up for it.