Amitha Wedisinghe
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Amitha Wedisinghe | |
|---|---|
අමිතා වැදිසිංහ | |
| Born | 22 March 1942 |
| Died | 19 February 2025 (aged 82) Colombo, Sri Lanka |
| Education | Anula Vidyalaya |
| Occupations | Singer, Music teacher |
| Spouse | Victor Dalugama |
| Children | 3 |
| Relatives | Dayarathna Ranatunga Ananda Samarakoon Amara Ranatunga |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Instrument | Vocals, |
| Years active | 1954–2023 |
| Labels |
|
Amitha Wedisinghe (22 March 1942 – 19 February 2025), was a Sri Lankan singer and a music teacher.[1] Her most popular songs are Senkadagalapura Dalada Budures, Adara Charika, Anothaththa Wila and Ran Dorin Enna Adaren.[2][3]
Amitha Wedisinghe was born on 22 March[4] 1942 in Kirulapana, Colombo, Sri Lanka[5] as the third of the family with four siblings. Her father Harry Wedisinghe, worked at the Government Seal Office and her mother Arlina Cooray was a housewife.[2] She completed education from Sri Saddharmodaya Maha Vidyalaya, Kirulapana and Anula Vidyalaya, Nugegoda.[6] She had one elder brother, an elder sister and a younger sister.[7]
Musicians Dayarathna Ranatunga and Ananda Samarakoon were relatives from her mother's side.[6] A personnel on the radio, D.M. Kolambage was also a close relative.[7][2]
Wedisinghe was married to Victor Dalugama, who was a musician. The couple has two sons and one daughter.[7][2][8]
Career
During school times, she acted and sang in the stage dramas Ramayana, Sakunthala, Sirisangabo, directed by her school's dance teacher Premakumara Epitawala.[6] She also performed at the Sarabhumi Ballet concert conducted by Epitawala.[2] Meanwhile, she studied music as a subject under the music scholar W. F. Wimalasiri and obtained an excellent pass in the Gandharva examination.[7]
While performing in Ballet concert, her singing ability was identified by singer Rohitha Wijesuriya, who introduced Wedisinghe to maestro W. D. Amaradeva.[6] Under his guidance, she made debut film background singing in the chorus singing of the song "Buddha Diva Karayano" for the 1962 blockbuster Ranmuthu Duwa.[2] The other artists involved in the chorus singing are Narada Disasekara, Nanda Malini, Rohitha Wijesuriya and Nanda Jayatunga.[7]
Ananda Samarakoon's brother Bertie Samarakoon regularly took her to the Ceylon Radio and involved her in various programs.[6] Her maiden singing in radio came through the "Adhunika Peya" program in 1954.[2] Meanwhile, she joined "Lama Pitiya" produced by Sarath Wimalaweera and performed under the guidance of Karunaratne Abeysekera, Alfred Perera and Madawala Rathnayake.[7]
After completing education, she graduated with a diploma in singing and playing instruments from the Government Faculty of Fine Arts (currently called University of the Visual and Performing Arts).[6] In 1968, she graduated with a master's degree from Bhatkhande University, Lucknow, India.[2] While in India, she got the opportunity to present a half-hour music program in Indian radio, featuring only Sinhala songs with P. W. Jayaratne.[7] While studying in India, she returned to Sri Lanka and continued to work as an A-grade singer in SLBC. Her first radio song is Chandrā Bimba Māyāvayi Nuwan Purālā, which is written by Wimal Abeysundara and music composed by P. Dunstan de Silva.[7]
During this period, she released three cassettes: "Supipena Malakin", "Mal Wæssak" and "Buddha Divā Karayāṇō". Later she released her first CD, "Anothattha Vila Gee" Collection.[2] The cassette "Buddha Divā Karayāṇō" contained Buddhist songs, where the first tape was presented to the Balangoda Ananda Maitreya Thero.[7]
After returned to Sri Lanka, she started to work for 20 years as a music teacher in several schools island wide such as: Weeraketiya College, Asoka Vidyalaya Colombo 10, Bulathsinhala Pimbura College, Panadura Pinwanna College, Panadura Royal College and her alma mater Sri Saddharmodaya College, Kirulapana.[9] Later she became the Director of Education of Music Division for Kalutara Education Zone.[7][2]
Apart from that, she also performed two solo concerts titled "Amitha Gee" and a singe concert titled "Anothaththa Vila" in 2015.[10] As a background singer, she worked in the films: Abuddasa Kālē, Ranmuthu Duwa, Bāndurā Mal, Bakmaha Dīgē, Adarayayi Karuṇāvayi, Doctor Susanthā, Hariyanakoṭa Ohoma Thamayi, and Adaṭa Væḍiya Heṭa Hondayi.[2]
In 2022, Wedisinghe was honored with an award for the outstanding contribution to the Sinhala cinema and song at the Silver Screen Awards.[11]
Albums
Death
Wedisinghe died on 20 February 2025 at the age of 82. Her remains were kept at Jayaratne Restpect, Colombo 8 for public rites from 8:30am 24th February to 3:30pm 25th February.[15] The cremation took place at Kanatte Cemetery on 25 February 2025 at 5pm.[16]
Discography
- Adara Chārikā Jeevana Chārikā (with A.L.B. Kandepola)
- Adarayayi Karuṇāvayi
- Anōthathavila Nelum Neḷālā (with W. D. Amaradeva)
- Bædda Purā Sudu Redda Vageyi Ada (with Piyasiri Wijeratne)[17]
- Diya Goda Semathena[18]
- Eka Mohotak Oba Sevaṇē (with Mervin Perera)
- Galana Doḷē Peṇa Bubuḷayi Adarē
- Hiru Kumaruni
- Kanda Uḍin Handapāyana Leelā
- Kanden Kandaṭa Landen Landaṭa
- Maṭa Kumaṭa Da Sabanda
- Mē Udāra Lankā Bhūmiyayi
- Nisala Nisasala Ambiliyō
- Oba Anjalikaraṇīyayi
- Onna Babō Aethinniyā
- Pinna Malpīpi
- Pōyadāṭa Pāyana Sanda Kumak Væni
- Randorin Enna Adarē
- Ransanda Manḍalak Sē
- Senkaḍagalapura Saḷadā Buduræs
- Sugatha Thathāgatha Himiyani
- Thārakāvalin Liyū Namudu Ambarē
- Vilaka Nelum Mal (with Tudor Jayashantha)
