Some here may find it interesting to note news of an opera production,
Padmavati (French, originally composed 1914-18 by Albert Roussel), now
enjoying a revival at the Spoleto Festival in Italy. It's not Indian
classical music, but it's an opera spectacle with diverse Indian
elements (notably including dance, not to mention an elephant); and a
story with an olden Indian setting.

Here's the New York Times review:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/28/arts/music/28fest.html?hp

And an excerpt:
<< . . . “Padmavati” was an effort to remain true to what the festival
has prided itself on: presenting the unexpected, the unusual, the new.

“It’s a piece that everybody’s always talking about but nobody’s ever
doing,” said Emmanuel Villaume, the conductor. “I can’t figure out why
people don’t want to program it.”

Mr. Villaume, a native of France, speculated that presenters might be
intimidated by its half-man, half-beast quality — it’s as much a
ballet as an opera — and that the French are “bad at defending their
own repertoire.”

TABLA WORKSHOP
with
Dr. MRINAL PAL

Edison, New Jersey, July 12, 13 and 19, 20, 12 - 5 PM

In the workshop the participants will learn how anyone, with minimal
musical sense, with or without prior knowledge of tabla, can come up
with all types of compositions from all gharanas (schools) from the
past, present and future, in just a few days, by applying simple rules
and logic. The technique is all encompassing, and does not rely on the
traditional system of learning, and hence one can easily experiment
with multiple interpretations of a given composition, generating
separate musical expressions. The participants can be assured of an
enlightening and entertaining experience.