Anoushka Shankar

Sitting on a plush red seat in the midst of a horde of silver-haired season holders I'm wondering whether this might not be what I'd been expecting. But I spot a few familiar hippies to my right and, with a sigh of relief, begin to melt into the whirling, mystic beauty of a traditional Indian raga.

Anoushka Shankar is sitting resplendent in a white flowing dress, her fingers delicately dancing from one end of the sitar to the other, accompanied by drums and shahnai. This night is part of her 'Traveller' tour and is billed as a fusion of Indian classical music with flamenco. The mix couldn't be more tantalising as Shankar brings flamenco back to its birthplace.

The daughter of Ravi Shankar, who taught George Harrison to play sitar, is living up to all expectations. The flamenco artists join the stage, a cajon player, traditional guitarist, and singer, adding a whole new element to the Indian ragas. Each song is greeted with roaring applause, and my usual unease at being forced to sit during a musical performance is blown away by the sheer genius of what lies before me. Marrying the often-furious, upbeat rhythms of flamenco with the spontaneous, floating Indian melodies produces an enchanting sound, timeless in its song.

The beauty of it all is near hysteria inducing: the passion of the musicians on stage spilling out into the hall is so apparent that it is transporting each and every one of the audience back to the roots of this Indian style.

Shankar, only recently having become a mother, leaves halfway through a song to be sick. The rest of the musicians take it in their stride, improvising on the spot. When she returns to the stage, picking up the sitar and merging seamlessly back in, her attempt at an apology is silenced by cheers of encouragement.

Leaving the concert I feel reassured that the spirit of the ageing Ravi Shankar, and the whole story of India, shall continue to be enjoyed for generations through the musical mastery of Anoushka Shankar.