The Repertory Festival of the National Academy of Performing Arts (Napa) ended on Saturday with Napa alumnus Ahsan Bari’s powerful musical performance at Zia Mohyeddin Theatre.
The Sound of Kolachi star opened his performance with a Sheikh Ayaz version of Sindhi folk Tiri Pawanda, a rooted invocation opening the journey with rhythm, soil, and spiritual motion. Then he moved on to an original song Sakhi that has a longing and sweet pain as its theme.
The third item on his ensemble was a dark and intimate reinterpretation of despair, hope, and existential yearning as described by Mirza Ghalib in his Koi Umeed Ber Nahee Aati.
Then came a hard rock/metal composition called Wahshat. This was inspired by Raag Bhairon and Todi, a descent into chaos, rebellion, and transcendental madness.
Ahsan Bari then paid tribute to Amir Khusrau, the great Sufi master.
The evening then moved on to an original number, Dildar, inspired by the vocal intensity and spiritual ecstasy of Ustaad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan — merging devotion, virtuosity, and sonic elevation.
A select audience loved the performance and applauded it by giving the performer a standing ovation.
