Int’l ballet festival in Bodrum

ISTANBUL

The 17th International Bodrum Ballet Festival will start on Aug. 3 at the Bodrum Castle.

According to a statement made by the Culture and Tourism Ministry, Turkey’s first and only ballet festival, organized by the State Opera and Ballet (DOB), will present a rich program until Aug. 21.

The foreign guests of the festival will be the Georgian Sukhishvili National Ballet Ensemble with its paced and rhythmic performances as well as the Spanish Aida Gomez Dance Ensemble, which will reflect the flamenco fire on stage.

The 17th International Bodrum Ballet Festival will kick off on Aug. 3 with “Frida,” an acclaimed work of the modern dance repertoire.

“Frida,” a two-act modern dance piece to be performed by the Mersin State Opera and Ballet under the direction and choreography of Özgür Adam İnanç, will be accompanied by the music of Arturo Marquez, Jose Pablo Moncayo and Can Aksel Akın. It tells the life of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, who tries to hold on to life by painting despite her severe health problems at an early age.

The Sukhishvili National Ballet Ensemble, which made the name of Georgian National Dance recognized worldwide, will take the stage on Aug. 6 and 7.

The famous ensemble, which has been performing since 1945 to more than 50 million viewers in more than 90 countries, will present the war, heroism and love stories of the Georgian people to the audience in Bodrum with their performances synthesizing folkloric themes with modern choreography.

Two important classical works of the State Opera and Ballet will be on the stage at the festival.

On Aug. 10, “Romeo and Juliet” will be performed by the İzmir State Opera and Ballet with Turkey’s award-winning choreographers Volkan Ersoy and Armağan Davran’s librettos and original choreography.

With Tchaikovsky’s music, this interpretation of “Romeo and Juliet” is the first in the world. Music of the two-act ballet was composed by Tolga Taviş. It tells the world-known tragic love story of Romeo and Juliet, the children of two hostile families. The show reflects all the elegance of a classical ballet.

The “Scheherazade” ballet, the Turkish premiere of which was made in Antalya, will be the second classical ballet work in the festival. The ballet will be performed by the Antalya State Opera and Ballet on Aug. 14 with Davran’s libretto and choreography.

With Bujor Hoinic’s musical arrangements, “Scheherazade” is one of the important works of the festival program with its impressive expression.

The two-act work tells the love between Sultan Shah Levend’s son Behram and the city’s famous merchant Mahmud’s daughter Zühre, and the vicious plans of Zahara, the beautiful daughter of Vezir Ebubekir, to prevent this love.

Flamenco fire at Bodrum nights

In the 17th International Bodrum Ballet Festival, the world-famous Aida Gomez and Dance Group will be burning the flamenco fire.

The Aida Gomez Dance Ensemble, founded and directed by Aida Aguda Gomez, one of the leading dancers of the Spanish National Ballet, a master of Flamenco and award-winning choreographer, will take stage with “Carmen” on Aug. 17 and 18.

The closing of the festival will be made by the Istanbul State Opera and Ballet’s young and dynamic Modern Dance Group Istanbul (MDTist), which will perform “Giselle” ballet.

Tickets for the festival are available at www.operabale.gov.tr.