Robi & Rabbie

A musical celebration

Robi & Rabbie is an exciting and original musical celebration of West Bengal’s Nobel Laureate - Rabindranath Tagore, and Scotland’s treasured poet - Robert Burns (affectionately named by their countrypeople - Robi and Rabbie - respectfully).

The performance of Robi & Rabbie is a collaboration between Indian and Scottish musicians - merging Bengali and Scottish songs and poetry - to create an exciting and fresh new take on Rabindra Sangeet and the songs of Burns. Rabindranath Tagore had a deep connection with Scotland and an affinity for Burns’ songs. To this day there is a continuous interaction between the two nations - Burns’s songs pervaded 19th century British India, and are well known to many Indians: Rabindranath Tagore adapted at least three of them, most famously ‘Phule Phule, dhole dhole’ which is based on ‘Ye Banks and Braes o’ Bonny Doon’, set to a Bengali version of the original melody.

The "Robi and Rabbie" concert draws inspiration from Tagore’s musical connections to Scotland and includes songs by Burns and Tagore, stories about the music, and explanations regarding the relationships between these two great artists (in English and Bengali). This is an exciting opportunity to holistically witness Tagore's passion for Scottish folk music, and understand why the traditions from these two great nations communicate and intertwine so beautifully. The collaborating artists evolve innovative and exciting music based upon Rabindra Sangeet and Robert Burns.