Internationally celebrated choreographer and dancer Aakash Odedra will return to Australia in 2026, bringing his acclaimed solo work Songs of the Bulbul to the Playhouse at Arts Centre Melbourne from 3-7 February. The production arrives with an impressive reputation, having won the Best Show Award at the Edinburgh International Festival and earning widespread praise across Europe.
Songs of the Bulbul weaves together Kathak dance and Sufi storytelling, forming a physical and spiritual conversation that unfolds across the stage. The work is inspired by the ancient Sufi myth of a bulbul, or nightingale, held in captivity.
Its song becomes both a metaphor for the fleeting nature of dance and a reflection on the impermanence of life. As the bird’s final moments approach, its melody grows even more beautiful, offering a final, devastating expression before its spirit is released.
Odedra delves into themes of confinement, transcendence and the search for divine love, tracing a path from Persia to the Indian subcontinent and from freedom to captivity. In doing so, he poses a universal question: are we bound to the material world or capable of finding liberation beyond it?
Developed with choreographer Rani Khanam and composer Rushil Ranjan, the work blends Ranjan’s new score with music, dance and poetry rooted in Sufi traditions. The result is an experience that is both visually ferocious and deeply introspective. Critics at Edinburgh described the performance as a mesmerising tour de force and a profound exploration of the human spirit.
Odedra’s company, founded in Leicester in 2011, is known for its innovative fusion of classical Indian dance with contemporary forms.
Melbourne audiences last saw Odedra in Samsara during Asia TOPA 2020, with the company returning in 2023 for Little Murmur. After its Melbourne season, Songs of the Bulbul will head to Perth Festival from February 13 to 15, presented by Far & Away Productions.
Tickets are available from artscentremelbourne.com.au
