Mumbai, 19 th October 2026 — The National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) will present the world premiere of The Absence of PRESENCE, a new interdisciplinary work created in collaboration with the Symphony Orchestra of India (SOI) and acclaimed dancer and choreographer Aditi Mangaldas, on October 31 and November 1, 2026, at the Jamshed …
Mumbai, 19 th October 2026 — The National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) will present the world premiere of The Absence of PRESENCE, a new interdisciplinary work created in collaboration with the Symphony Orchestra of India (SOI) and acclaimed dancer and choreographer Aditi Mangaldas, on October 31 and November 1, 2026, at the Jamshed Bhabha Theatre. Commissioned by the NCPA, and produced by the Aditi Mangaldas Dance Company, the production brings together the SOI’s live symphonic music with contemporary dance based on Kathak, poetry and visual art to reflect on the suffering of children caught in conflict, the human tendency to look away and the enduring possibility of hope and resilience.
At the centre of The Absence of PRESENCE is a difficult question: what happens to our humanity when we become silent in the face of violence? The work stands in solidarity with children affected by conflict around the world, reflecting on the horror of targeted violence against children and the erosion of collective humanity. Rather than focusing on a single conflict or geopolitical context, the production seeks to engage with the universal human experience of witnessing suffering, questioning it and finding the courage not to avert one’s gaze.
The production brings together the orchestral forces of the Symphony Orchestra of India and the distinctive movement vocabulary of Aditi Mangaldas’ dance. The music is composed by Indian-origin British composer and multidisciplinary artist Rushil Ranjan, whose work spans concert music, film, dance and cultural storytelling and draws together symphonic craft with deep cultural understanding. For The Absence of PRESENCE, his original score bridges Hindustani and Western classical traditions, creating a musical landscape in which the SOI’s symphonic timbre meets the rich cultural heritage of Kathak.
The production also brings together musicians Faraz Ahmed and Ashish Gangani, who come from a traditional classical Indian musical dynasty spanning many generations, adding another layer of India’s musical heritage to the work. The result is conceived as a collective creative voice, bringing together artists from varying cultural backgrounds and artistic disciplines.
The visual language of the work extends beyond dance and music. Sculptor Manish Kansara contributes a response to the production, while poetry forms an important part of its conceptual landscape.
Speaking about The Absence of PRESENCE, Khushroo N. Suntook, Chairman, NCPA and Co-Founder, Symphony Orchestra of India, said:
“The Symphony Orchestra of India has spent the past twenty years interpreting the works of great composers. With The Absence of PRESENCE, it takes an important step forward — from interpreting existing repertoire to creating something original and contributing a new work to the world. In its collaboration with Aditi and her company, the Orchestra is not simply accompanying a dance performance; it is becoming part of it. Collaborations between different artistic traditions can be challenging, but when they are entrusted to great artists and approached with sincerity and excellence, they can produce something truly remarkable. Our collaborations with Zakir Hussain showed us the possibilities of such artistic encounters, and after his passing, we felt that the way forward was not to replicate what had already been done, but to create something new.
The Absence of PRESENCE is both emotionally challenging and artistically ambitious. It is not simply a dance production, nor merely a symphonic performance; it is a work of art that speaks to the world we live in today — a world capable of both compassion and cruelty. That is precisely what the NCPA should aspire to create: work that is original, ambitious and relevant to our own time. I hope this collaboration will open audiences to a new way of experiencing music, dance and storytelling, and that the work will remain with them long after the performance has ended.”
For the NCPA, the production represents a significant extension of its commitment to commissioning new work and creating dialogue between Indian and international artistic practices. The collaboration brings together the NCPA, Aditi Mangaldas’ dance ensemble and the SOI in the creation of a production that draws upon Indian artistic traditions while engaging with a universal contemporary subject.
Aditi Mangaldas, Choreographer and Dancer, said:
“The seed for this work was planted when I found myself asking some very difficult questions: Why would the world remain silent? What does our silence in the face of such brutality say about us? And where do we go from here? The Absence of PRESENCE has grown from that questioning. At its heart are children — their vulnerability, their suffering, but also their extraordinary resilience. I wanted to create a work that does not allow us to look away, but at the same time does not leave us only with despair.
Dance, music, poetry and visual art come together here because each speaks in a different way, and together they can perhaps create a space for reflection, empathy and hope.
Working with the Symphony Orchestra of India and Rushil Ranjan has opened up an entirely new creative vocabulary for me, allowing Kathak and contemporary movement to encounter the immense possibilities of symphonic music.”
The production is also conceived bearing in mind its possibility of touring, with the collaboration offering the possibility of presenting an Indian production on international stages and at festivals around the world. In this sense, The Absence of PRESENCE seeks to reflect the NCPA’s role not only as a presenter of the arts, but as a space for artistic creation, collaboration and exchange.
The work is currently envisioned as an approximately 75-minute production without an intermission. Its choreography, music, staging and structure continue to evolve through a process of experimentation and rehearsal. The world premiere will take place on October 31 and November 1, 2026, at the Jamshed Bhabha Theatre, NCPA, Mumbai.
Event Details:
The Absence of PRESENCE
Saturday, 31 October 2026 – Sunday, 1 November 2026 | 6:00 pm | Jamshed Bhabha Theatre, NCPA, Mumbai
Commissioned by: National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA)
Produced by: Aditi Mangaldas Dance Company & The Drishtikon Dance Foundation
Creative Team: Aditi Mangaldas, Rushil Ranjan, Manish Kansara, Ryan Stafford, Morag Deyes, Urvashi Kaur, Deepak Kurki Shivaswamy & Gaurav Bhatti
Music Conducted by: Melvin Tay
Technical Director: Christopher Flux
Sound & Recording Engineer: Andrea Gobbi
Performed by: Aditi Mangaldas Dance Company & Symphony Orchestra of India
Duration: Approximately 75 minutes, without intermission
Tickets: Available on BookmyShow and NCPA Box Office
About the NCPA:
The National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), Mumbai, is India’s premier cultural institution. Inaugurated in 1969, it was the first multi-venue, multi-genre cultural centre in South Asia. The NCPA is committed to preserving and promoting India’s rich and vibrant artistic heritage in the fields of music, dance, theatre, film, literature and photography, as well as presenting new and innovative work by Indian and international artistes from a diverse range of genres including drama, contemporary dance, orchestral concerts, opera, jazz and chamber music. Today, the NCPA hosts more than 700 events each year, making it India’s largest and most holistic performing arts centre.
About Aditi Mangaldas
Aditi Mangaldas is one of India’s leading Kathak dancers and choreographers, celebrated internationally for her powerful artistry, technical brilliance and innovative approach to dance. Trained under legendary gurus Kumudini Lakhia and Birju Maharaj, she seamlessly bridges classical Kathak and contemporary movement, creating path-breaking works that address both timeless and contemporary themes. Mangaldas has performed at major festivals across the world and is widely recognised for redefining Kathak for global audiences. She heads the Aditi Mangaldas Dance Company and The Drishtikon Dance Foundation.
About The Symphony Orchestra of India
The Symphony Orchestra of India (SOI), based at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), Mumbai, was founded in 2006 by NCPA Chairman Khushroo N. Suntook and internationally renowned violin virtuoso Marat Bisengaliev, who serves as the Orchestra’s Music Director. India’s first and only professional symphony orchestra, the SOI currently offers two series of concerts–in the spring and autumn–every year. Over the past eight years, the Orchestra has performed around India and internationally, as well.
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