Devendra Sharma Nautanki Folk Opera Ensemble and Devendra Sharma

“Princess Nautanki,” the largest Indian Nautanki folk opera ever staged in the U.S.

Devendra Sharma Nautanki Folk Opera Ensemble will partner with CounterPulse to commission seventh-generation Nautanki opera performer, writer, director, and guru Devendra Sharma to create a contemporaneously interpreted, woman-centered production. Nautanki is an Indian folk opera, often produced with modest resources these days. For this reason, the lead artist and his collaborators are excited to use the Hewlett 50 Arts Commission to present a Nautanki opera at a scale never before seen in the United States. The title of the project is “Princess Nautanki,” and it will premiere in 2024.