15,000 students to view show of ’Troy’

Hurriyet Daily News with wires

refid:10777953 ilişkili resim dosyası

As part of an education project, "Journey through History and Art," initiated by the Fire of Anatolia dance company and Istanbul’s Şişli Municipality, 15,000 students will view a performance of "Troy" and learn about both art and history at the same time.

At a press conference held Tuesday, Fire of Anatolia general director and choreographer, Mustafa Erdoğan, and Şişli Mayor Mustafa Sarıgül signed the project protocol.

"Troy" was seen by 300,000 viewers in Turkey and abroad, and drew great acclaim, said Erdoğan. He said it was not an ordinary project but a very important one and was the result of seven years of theoretical and practical work.

"The significance of Troy in the history of literature and human existence is unquestionable. Homer is a poet from İzmir. Troy is our own cultural heritage. But unfortunately, it has never been paid enough attention, or introduced into the field of education and art. As the Fire of Anatolia, we have performed ’Troy’ and introduced it to the world. Our interpretation of Troy comes from the viewpoint of Anatolia. This interpretation has received great interest all over the world," he said.

Erdoğan said they would perform "Troy" in April on a special platform to be set up in front of the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt, and later they would go on a world tour that would include Beirut, Dubai, Damascus, Vienna, Zurich, Stuttgart, Cologne, Berlin, Hamburg, London, Rotterdam, Munich, Martinique Island, Paris, Lion, Lille, Brussels, Italy and the United States.

Scholarship and foreign travel for students
Erdoğan said Srıgül’s proposal foresaw 15,000 of 55,000 Şişli students at the Istanbul Gösteri Merkezi (Istanbul Show Center). "It will be like attending a class for students," he said, adding that archaeologist Associate Professor Rüstem Aslan would give a 15-minute lesson on the history of Troy, Homer and Illiad literature to students before the performance.

He said students would write a composition after viewing the performance. "The compositions will be evaluated by a jury including myself, Aslan, Sarıgül and five literature teachers. The first three students will be granted a scholarship by the Şişli Municipality and the Fire of Anatolia. Four students will be taken to a country they want to visit with the dance company."

Erdoğan said students who were interested in dance would be able to take lessons for free at the Fire of Anatolia Art Academy that will open in shortly. He said they hoped their project would be just the beginning. "Aside from school education, these kinds of social responsibility projects become unforgettable experiences for children. This is a significant responsibility. It is very important to be aware of Troy. And it is a significant education project to enable children to view a play such as this as if they were attending a history class."

Erdoğan said artists receive too little interest, particularly from state officials. "We are given great attention by municipalities and overseas state officials, but we are neglected in our own country. Support from politicians, such as Sarıgül, encourages us to create new projects."

’Journey through history’
Sarıgül said the Fire of Anatolia reveals Turkey’s traditions, history and cultural richness by making people think and laugh. "Troy takes us on a journey through history. It is very important for students to see it. The play also makes a great contribution to the promotion of Turkey to the world."

Sarıgül said lower-class families living in the district were often not able to go to theater performances. "So I asked Erdoğan to initiate this project. We will also enable other students, mukhtars and retired people to see Fire of Anatolia performances in coming years," he said.