Mersin Music Fest to host 22 events

MERSİN - Anatolia News Agency

Mersin State Opera and Ballet readies to perform the ballet “Zorba” on May 3. DHA photo

The 11th annual Mersin International Music Festival, which kicked kick off yesterday, will be hosting a total of 1370 musicians in 22 different events.

The festival opened with a concert by the Artemisia Chamber Orchestra, known for their distinguished repertoire of famous musicians. Conducted by Alpaslan Ertüngealp, the performance was accompanied by violinist Cihat Aşkın and flutist Halit Turgay. According to the festival program, Mersin State Opera and Ballet will perform the ballet “Zorba” on May 3, while the Cenk Erdoğan Trio will take the stage on May 7 at the Mersin Cultural Center.

The MozART Group, a comedy string quartet, is also scheduled to perform at the Mersin Culture Center on May 8. The group takes on a classical composition as their canvas, analyzes its structure and themes, before surrounding it with musical associations. While listening to the final result, the listener is consistently surprised and amazed, moving from laughter to tears in a single note.

The same venue will also host the Voice of Anatolia, which will perform Turkish folk songs and classical music polyphonically on May 9.

The Arkas Trio, comprised of Tuncay Yılmaz on violin, Emre Elivar on piano and German cello soloist Gustav Rivinius, will perform on May 9 at the Italian Catholic Church of Mersin.

Cristina Branco, who is known as the princess of the traditional Portuguese music of fado, combines this music with the lyrics of famous poets to create new initiatives in the genre. Branco has previously arranged poems by Shakespeare and famous Dutch poet Slauerhoff with fado music. Contrary to the pain, longing and desperation found in traditional fado, Branco creates joyous songs. She will take the stage at the Mersin Culture Center on May 11.

The World Ballroom Dancing champions of Braunschweiger Tanz-Sport-Club will perform various dances on May 12. The team holds eight world championship titles, 10 European championship titles and 14 German championship titles. On May 14 Polish jazz master Artur Dutkiewicz will present contemporary jazz crossed with Polish folk dances of his own composition, which are taken from his latest album “Mazurkas.” The album combines the influence of Chopin and Polish folk music with modern jazz improvisation. The Turkish Tanini Trio and the Bilkent Symphony Orchestra will also perform at the festival on May 15 and 17, respectively.