Nâzım Hikmet honored on his birthday

ISTANBUL

Cihan photo

Bosphorus University Alumni Choir will provide a special concert on Jan. 17 to honor Nâzım Hikmet, arguably Turkey’s most recognized and beloved poet, on the 112th anniversary of his birthday. The choir will perform songs composed on the basis of his poems at the Albert Long Hall.

Works by Mesut Cemil, Cemal Reşit Rey, Cem Karaca, Timur Selçuk, Zülfü Livaneli, Vedat Sakman, Fazıl Say, Hasan Yükselir and Mahmut Abra will be performed during the concert.

Melihat Gülses, Tuncay Kurtoğlu, Ünüşan Kuloğlu, Bora Ebeoğlu and Ezgi Köker will all perform as soloists at the concert, accompanied by Hakan A. Toker, Cengiz Onural and Murat Aydemir on instruments.

Elsewhere, a sculpture honoring Nâzım made by famous sculptor Mehmet Aksoy – who created Kars’ Statue to Humanity until it was destroyed on the order of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on the grounds that it was “freakish – will be unveiled today at Sanatçılar Park in Istanbul’s Akatlar neighborhood. The poet, who died in exile in the Soviet Union, will also be commemorated at an event tonight to be held at the Mustafa Kemal Culture Center.