Anatolian city supports art with Opera and Ballet Days

ESKİŞEHİR - Anatolia News Agency

‘Tale of 1001 Nights’ (L) transformed into a ballet is performed on March 17. ‘Snowing Lady’ and ’Tulip Madness’ are among the other ballets that will be staged as part of the Opera and Ballet Days until March 25.

Organized by the State Opera and Ballet, Culture and Tourism Ministry and Eskişehir Municipality, the third Eskişehir National Opera and Ballet Days has been continuing. The event hosts many ballet and opera shows in the Central Anatolian province of Eskişehir and gathers dancers from all over the world.

The State Opera and Ballet General Manager Rengim Gökmen and Eskişehir Municipality President Yılmaz Büyükerşen has organized the press conference in Eskişehir, in which the program was presented.

“The event is very important for Eskişehir because the city is the 2013 Turkish Capital of Culture,” said Büyükerşen, adding that the opera and ballet events are a part of what makes the city the culture capital.

Noting his agreement with the decision to make Eskişehir the culture capital of this year, Büyükerşen said the city is privileged to host the recent art and cultural events. He also stressed how cities that reach a certain population should have their own chamber orchestras.

The local government in Eskişehir is contributing to arts and culture and is one of the best examples among local governments that support the arts, according to Gökmen.

This year, one of the most important events of the Opera and Ballet Days is an opera titled “Özsoy,” Gökmen said. The opera was written by Adnan Saygun in 1934 and dedicated to Atatürk.

Program of the event

The classic “Tale of 1001 Nights” transformed into a ballet was performed in Eskişehir on March 17.
Staged by Samsun State Opera and Ballet dancers, the choreography was prepared by Nugzar Magalashvili. “We hope that our performance will be loved by everyone. Today we are here with a 25-person team and we are proud,” Magalashvili said ahead of the performance.

Noting that on the way to Eskişehir the dancers had some difficulties, Magalashvili said they are in the city to perform their best. “The best thing that we will receive is the appreciation of the audience.”

Orchestra conductor Tolga Taviş said this is the only opera event taking place in Turkey at this time. Noting that the “Tale of 1001 Nights” is an exclusive ballet, he said, “Turkish people do not know ballet. That’s why we need to add some traditional material into ballet shows.”

Noting that Turkish people consider ballet a European art, Taviş said choreographers have added traditional Turkish folkloric details to the ballet to better appeal to Turkish audiences.

The “Tale of 1001 Nights” destroys Turkish audience prejudices against ballet, Taviş said. “The composer of the work is Fikret Amirov and he is an Azeri. That’s why Turkish audiences can find folkloric details in the work.”

The third Eskişehir Opera and Ballet Days will be continuing with the İzmir State Ballet’s “Magnificent Süleyman” on March 20.

“Karyağdı Hatun” (Snowing Lady) and “Lale Çılgınlığı” (Tulip Madness) are among the other ballets that will be staged as part of the events, which will continue until March 25.