Nartan Festival Talk: The Origins of Indian Performing Arts 2025

Dr. Maddalena Italia, Associate Lecturer at UCL, presents an engaging talk on natya—the ancient Indian art form blending theatre, dance, and music—exploring its origins through early Sanskrit texts that highlight performance as a medium to move, teach, and delight. The session will uncover myths, theories of emotion, and excerpts from the Sanskrit drama Shakuntala, read in both Sanskrit and English. Open to all with an interest in Indian cultural heritage, this event is part of the Nartan Festival curated by Nupur Arts, supported by Leicester City Council, funded by Arts Council England, and kindly backed by The Richard Bonney Literary Fund.