Musical Duo Brings Voices of the World to Mineola Library

The welcomed a lesson in culture on the afternoon of June 18 with the worldly musical talents of singers Prianga and Eranga.

The jovial duo introduced the audience to music from around the world, including Greece, Israel and Italy in their concert entitled “One World, Many Voices.”

The couple, originally from Sri Lanka, has been singing together for 30 years and travels the world to learn about new cultures and their music.

“We don’t stay a week like tourists,” Eranga said of the couple’s trips, “we stay and learn about the culture. We sing music from all around the world. Although we don’t speak the language, we find someone authentic to teach us so we can capture the emotion of each song.”

The musical duo is especially adept at dropping any accent so the music sounds completely native. “Some people can’t believe I’m not Spanish when I sing in the language,” Eranga said.

The engaged audience clapped and even sang along with some of the more popular tunes, including “Never on a Sunday,” the title song of the classic Greek film. The love ballad “Eku’u Morning Dew” and the Calypso Medley by Harry Belafonte were also crowd favorites.

“They are very natural,” Pat Lackner, the library’s adult program coordinator, said of the duo, who were recommended by Shelter Rock Library where they performed 3 years ago. “They totally involved the audience.”

“I suppose it’s our forte or calling,” Estranga said of their performance. “We love singing so much.”

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