Is the zing missing at sabhas this far?

Is there is a zing to the current December Season?

If one goes by the atmosphere, lobby buzz and attendance at sabhas across concerts of the day, then it appears that the zing is missing. That is the feel one gets as of today.

On two evenings, the lobby of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in Mylapore was empty even during the breaks between concerts.

Last week, on a Wednesday evening, there were only a handful of rasikas inside the main auditorium here. And in the smaller hall on the first floor some 20 people were listening to a vocal concert.

Does this indicate to the fact that scheduling dozens and dozens of concerts just for the Season is actually not serving any great purpose?

There is a big buzz at concerts where the well-known artistes perform. And this is the case at a few old-time sabhas and at The Music Academy.

But the zing isn't there at morning concerts which we have checked out.

We are told that rasikas from outside the city and some from abroad will land here on the Christmas weekend.

Most sabhas schedule the concerts of the big artistes then, those of star artistes who draw the maximum audience during the Christmas week, timing it for many rasikas who travel to this city to soak in the music of the Season.

The rush for tickets for such concerts continues.

But if one looks beyond these circles of music, the atmosphere and the buzz is certainly missing - as on date.