one of indias prestigious cultural institutions the national centre for the performing arts ncpa launched its most awaited festival the ncpa add art festival in mumbai the opening night witnessed a gala concert by the symphony orchestra of india soi featuring choirs from around india and dancers from the abay kazakh state academic theatre of opera and balletthe first day of the multifaceted cultural extravaganza witnessed noteworthy performances by revered artistes such as mallika sarabhai astad deboo arturo sandoval and standup comedians zakir khan and amit tandon the audience further enjoyed a special live chat show tellis like it is hosted by brian tellis featuring lara dutta and mahesh bhupathi the day also featured various film screenings along with a kathak workshop by uma dogra and bharatanatyam workshop by sanddhya pureccha with an enthralling list of performances and exclusively curated culinary and culturally rich experiences the festival kicked off with a marvellous start to what looks like a promising weekend audiences also get a chance to indulge in unique and free events on all three daysquick connections over cocktails the perfect networking session to get in the mood for the festival by breaking the ice and meeting people whose area of expertise lies in the artsmovie under the stars a movieviewing experience that offers festivalgoers the opportunity to gather under a gorgeous starlit sky and enjoy a delightful shared experience with friends and familyinstrument petting zoo set up by the symphony orchestra of india soi that will give children of all ages the opportunity to see hear and play several different instruments that one sees on stage at soi concertspromenade theatre ncpa has collaborated with the theatre program thespo run by qtp productions to curate 11 promenade pieces between 15 to 40 minutes in length across alternate spaces such as venue foyers and the openair plazaphotography exhibition on ncpas 50year journey to mark the prodigious milestone of 50 years the ncpa has displayed a photography exhibition tracing its 50year long journey at the piramal art galleryapart from the stellar performances audiences can also enjoy a soulful culinary experience at the campus the experience entails homage to great food legacies and exquisite traditions from around the world