Falaknuma Palace

The Context

Music Curator was commissioned to illustrate musically the complex cultural warp and woof of this marquee destination, one of the ‘Jewels’ of the Taj Group.

Palace clientèle expect an immersive experience. Music Curator created the soundtrack of this luxurious world by connecting the eclectic cultural inspirations that were woven into the architecture and décor of the palace.

The music helps guests experience the nostalgia of a bygone era and feel a kinship with the lifestyle of Hyderabad’s rulers within this fabled display of Oriental extravaganza.

The Music

In the Venetian-esque Lobby and attached Museum, we staged the acoustic strains of an imaginary ‘composer in residence’, where graceful piano motifs are heard in the distance, exploring the works of Venetian composers like Claudio Monteverdi and Antonio Vivaldi who composed concertos for oriental lute with lyrical motifs in minor mode, revealing a Levantine influence.

The sunset at Gol Bungalow, an open-air lounge, is an invitation to an Istanbul-themed lounge in India. This is the sound of a new generation of composers who re-invent and re-orient the vibrant ancestral sound of their city. The playlist contextually matches the live performance of the Sufi musicians.

The evening at Gol Bungalow is a romantic love cocktail, where every night is Valentine for ever and for everyone in a number of languages such as English, Italian, Japanese… along with instrumental interludes of the deepest velvety smooth jazz. Each track is carefully ear-picked.

Adaa restaurant has a fine selection of classical and semi-classical instrumental Hindustani music, an anthology of beautiful bandishes from the last fifty years performed on a wide variety of instruments. It also includes the occasional Ottoman Court Music and Indian fusion.

In 2016, this fine dining Hyderabadi cuisine restaurant was included for the second year in a row among the ‘Top 100 Best Restaurants in the World’ by ‘Elite Traveler’, the only restaurant from South Asia in that list.