City turns into theater stage for festival
ISTANBUL- Hürriyet Daily News
The 18th Istanbul Theater Festival will examine human rights, migration, war and violence under the theme ‘Freedom - Questionings.’
The 18th Istanbul Theater Festival, organized by the Istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts (IKSV), is set to present a rich program between May 10 and June 5.The festival will address issues, states, and realities around the question of human life including human rights, migration, war and violence, under the theme “Freedom – Questionings.” Five foreign and nearly 40 theater and dance ensembles from Turkey will greet audiences with more than 100 performances.
The Istanbul Theater Festival will also host a very special project this year. World famous contemporary artist Kutluğ Ataman will invite everyone to complete their dream sky with his new project, especially created for the festival, “SILSEL, Letters to Turkey,” at the Galata Greek Primary School between May 12 and June 5.
The festival will also bring in a new state as co-producer of four local projects. Tiyatro Pera will present “My Beautiful Izmir,” Tilbe Saran-Cüneyt Türel with “Take My Hand in Mine,” Istanbul Municipal Theater Contemporary Performing Arts Center (ÇGSM) with their co-production “İçtima-i Hakiki” and Aydın Teker with “Three Phases.”
Furthermore, shows by nine young theater and dance ensembles under the title “New Wave” will meet the audience at their own venues, as well as at Salon and Sahne Beşiktaş.
Performances will take place at 22 different venues in the city, and will include panels and workshops with the participation of internationally known theater and dance ensembles, conferences and exhibitions.
The “Year of Chinese Culture in Turkey” events, which aim to reinforce cultural and political relations between Turkey and China, will herald the beginning of the Istanbul Theater Festival. After the shows by the Shanghai Song and Dance Ensemble and the Beijing Opera at Fulya Sanat Merkezi starting from May 5, a colorful street parade by the Beijing Dragon and Lion Street Theater on May 8 will take place on İstiklal Street, as part of the festival.
The problem of cultural and art venues in Istanbul
At a press conference held on March 20 to launch the program of the festival, İKSV Chairman Bülent Eczacıbaşı addressed the problem of the lack of cultural and arts venues in Istanbul: “We are sorry for having rejected a number of large-scale productions due to the lack of venues in Istanbul. We are eagerly looking forward to the days when we will have large-capacity performance halls such as AKM among the venues of the Istanbul Theater Festival.”
The opening ceremony of festival will be held on May 9. The festival’s honorary awards will be presented to two respected actors, Başar Sabuncu and Cüneyt Türel. The other honorary award will be presented to Thomas Ostermeier, Artistic Director of Schaubühne Berlin.
The festival’s venues include the Ali Paşa Han, Sahne Beşiktaş, the Caddebostan Culture Center, the Fulya Art Center, the Galata Greek Primary School, Garajistanbul, the Haldun Taner Theater, the Hamursuz Bakery, the Harbiye Muhsin Ertuğrul Theater, the Hasköy İplik Factory, İkinci Kat, the Kenter Theater, Kumbaracı50, Küçük Sahne, the Lütfi Congress and Exhibition Hall, Mekan Artı, Oyun Atölyesi, Salt Galata, Üsküdar Tekel Stage, Salon, Tiyatro Hal and Tiyatro Pera.
Tickets for the festival will be available from 10 a.m. on April 7 at Biletix and the İKSV Center. Each performance will have discounted tickets available for students.
Tulip Card members will also have a special discounts of up to 25% for their ticket purchases. The discounted pre-sale period for Tulip Card holders is between April 2 and 6.
