Pune: Imagine a cosy setting illuminated by hundreds of candles and a pianist playing a Beethoven sonata by the flickering light. Well, this not a dream sequence from a film but a new phenomenon in concerts that is all the rage these days, especially among music lovers looking for an immersive experience. Candlelight concerts , popular abroad, have now come to Pune, allowing people to enjoy live music performances in an intimate setting in the warm glow of over several LED candles, evoking the hallowed ambience of ancient churches and temples.
Deepa Bajaj, country manager, Live Your City, a brand under the US-based live-entertainment discovery platform Fever Labs Inc, said, "The main purpose of these concerts is to break down the barriers audiences have developed towards classical music. We are bringing classical music , be it Indian or western, to audiences in an immersive setting that is meant to be intimate, with only 300-400 members in the audience per concert that usually lasts for 65 minutes." Starting from 2019 in Spain with about 300 candles and a smaller audience, candlelight concerts have been held in over 35 countries, recognising the US, Germany, and France as major markets.
Their venture into India was encouraged by the rapid growth of the entertainment and technology industries in the country. Bajaj said, "The yellow glow of the candlelight is associated with warmth and a slower pace in which music was enjoyed in churches, temples, and so on, allowing audiences .