By Radha Mohan Das
In 2005 Ranchor Prime was introduced to the celebrated British composer Sir John Tavener, who was developing an ambitious opera based on the life of Krishna.
Their discussions soon centred on the emotional heart of the opera: the love duet between Radha and Krishna. When Tavener asked for a mantra, Ranchor suggested the Hare Krishna mantra, describing it as a divine exchange of love between Radha and Krishna. Tavener immediately recognised its power and incorporated it into the composition.
Months later, Ranchor returned to find the completed score of Krishna Lila: A Mystical Pantomime spread across Tavener’s study. What began as a conversation about sacred sound had become the emotional core of a major work—one that Tavener later described as containing “the most ecstatic music I have ever written.”
That vision now continues through the 2026 world première of Love, Devotion and the Cosmos: Krishna’s Eternal Dance.
(all images from the performance in this article are attributed to Grange Park Opera House)
To read the complete article please click here: https://www.krishnatemple.com/love-devotion-and-the-cosmos-krishnas-eternal-dance/
