Malalasekara Hall

Malalasekara Hall
මලලසේකර රඟහල
General information
TypeTheatre
LocationColombo, Sri Lanka
AddressNalanda College, Colombo
Coordinates6°55′20″N 79°52′29″E / 6.92216°N 79.87471°E / 6.92216; 79.87471
Inaugurated23 June 1990 (1990-06-23)
Renovated2019
OwnerNalanda College
ManagementNalanda College
Technical details
Floor area2,000 m2 (22,000 sq ft)
Design and construction
Architect(s)Royle Senaratne
Other information
Seating capacity550

Malalasekara Hall (Sinhala: මලලසේකර රඟහල) (also called Malalasekara Memorial Hall Nalanda College, Malalasekara Theatre or Malalasekara Theatre Hall), is the performance theatre at Nalanda College, located in Colombo, Sri Lanka. It is named in honour of professor Gunapala Malalasekera, the school's first registered principal (1925-1927) following its establishment.[1][2][3]

History

It was during the tenure of Sugunadasa Athukorala, the school principal (1962-1982), that he initiated the plan for building a performance theatre at the school.[4]

The theatre was opened on 23 June 1990 by the Minister of Education, Lalith Athulathmudali. Prominent Sinhalese vocalist, violinist and composer, W. D. Amaradeva, was the guest of honour at the opening. The first performance was Vindana, which comprised three stage dramas, Agni Jala, by Mahesh Kotuwella, Kadatura by Niroshan Illeperuma, and Ekasiya Panaha by Sanka Amarajith.

On 6 April 2006, Malalasekara Hall was gutted by fire due to an electricity shortage and completely destroyed leaving only the building's concrete shell.[5] The Department of Civil Engineering of University of Moratuwa undertook structural investigations (rebound hammer testing and visual inspection) of the fire damaged building.[6] The school's principal, Hemantha Prematilake, initiated a fundraiser to gather donations to re-build the theatre. Former student and architect, Royle Senaratne, volunteered to redesign the theatre. The cost of the renovation/reconstruction was Rs. 24 million and took thirteen years to complete, using labour supplied by the Sri Lankan air force.

It was officially reopened on 28 February 2019 by the Minister of Education, Akila Viraj Kariyawasam. The first concert that was held after the reopening was Geethma, the annual musical performance of the Nalanda College orchestra.[7]

Since then, while catering for Nalanda student needs the theatre hall had become so popular with the general public. It has hosted Khemadasa anniversary concert,[8] Institute of Chemistry Ceylon annual talent show,[9] stage plays like "Aphrodite Mal Kollaya",[10] PickMe International Womens' Day celebration ceremonies,[11] saxophone and pan flute performances events[12] and so many other public events.

References

  1. ^ Gunapala Malalasekera - the Illustrious Professor (1899-1973):A True Guide, Philosopher and Leader
  2. ^ Nalanda’s First Principal -Dr. Gunapala Malalsekera Dr Gunapala Malalasekera’s 50th death anniversary falls on 23rd April 2023
  3. ^ "Dr. G. P. Malalasekera - Let's remember him with gratitude". archives.sundayobserver.lk. 2 August 2009. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
  4. ^ Jayasekera, Athula (3 November 2011). "The Principal par excellence". The Daily Mirror. Retrieved 23 June 2025.
  5. ^ "Nalanda Hall gutted". The Daily News. 8 April 2006. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
  6. ^ "Prof. W. P. S .Dias". University of Moratuwa - Department of Civil Engineering. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
  7. ^ Geethma 2019 : Young Nalandians showcase talent
  8. ^ "British conductor at Khemadasa anniversary concert on Jan. 25". The Island Online. 12 January 2025. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
  9. ^ "AURA XIII – The annual talent show of the Institute of Chemistry Ceylon". The Island Online. 5 December 2024. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
  10. ^ ""Aphrodite Mal Kollaya" final show for 2023 on 29 October at Lionel Wendt". www.ft.lk. 21 October 2023. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
  11. ^ "PickMe grows gig economy with women drivers in the lead". The Island Online. 17 March 2024. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
  12. ^ "News 'An Evening with Sudheera' at Nalanda College today". The Island Online. 18 May 2025. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.