Name: Songs of the Bulbul
Start: 2026-02-03T07:00:00+11:00
End: 2026-02-07T10:00:00+11:00
Location: Playhouse | Arts Centre Melbourne

Birdsong is fleeting – like dance, it exists only in the present, vanishing as soon as it is sung.
Songs of the Bulbul is a powerful new dance work by award-winning UK choreographer and dancer Aakash Odedra – a moving meditation on freedom, love and the soul’s search for the divine.
Inspired by an ancient Sufi myth, the work tells the story of a bulbul trapped in captivity – a bird longing for spiritual enlightenment. As its final moments draw near, sorrow gives way to serenity; its last song becomes its sweetest. This poetic tale of beauty and sacrifice reveals freedom found only in ultimate release.
Songs of the Bulbul intertwines the graceful yet powerful art of Kathak dance with Sufi storytelling, creating a dialogue between the intense physicality of Kathak and the spiritual journey of Sufism. Through a seamless blend of classical Indian music, Sufi poetry and orchestral composition, the work invites audiences into a transformative experience that transcends both physical and emotional boundaries.
From Persia to the Indian subcontinent, from freedom to captivity, Songs of the Bulbul traces the soul’s journey towards divine love and enlightenment. Odedra’s performance poses a universal question: will we remain confined to the material world like the caged bird, or will we soar toward liberation and unity with the divine?