Istanbul Music Festival to mark 100th year of Republic

ISTANBUL

Taking place between June 1 and 17, the 51st Istanbul Music Festival will host over 60 artists, featuring the world’s top orchestras and ensembles such as Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg, Tekfen Philharmonic, Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic, Camerata Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Munich Chamber Orchestra, Borusan Quartet and soloists such as Anne-Sophie Mutter, Barbara Hannigan, Fazıl Say, Arabella Steinbacher, Nicolas Altstaedt, Matthias Goerne and Avi Avital in 25 live performances.

The program will feature brand new projects developed for 2023, which marks the 100th anniversary of the Republic; some of them are commissioned works inspired by historical female figures in Anatolia, traditional Turkish Classical music, original tango pieces from the early period of the Republic, and interdisciplinary performances presenting top soloists of the contemporary classical world and internationally acclaimed orchestras.

The festival features eight world premieres and four Turkish premieres.

The festival starts with a magnificent collaboration between young Canadian piano virtuoso Jan Lisiecki and the Tekfen Philharmonic Orchestra, performing Hasan Uçarsu’s orchestral suite and Chopin’s first concerto, conducted by Aziz Shokhakimov at the Atatürk Cultural Center (AKM). This year’s Honorary Award will be presented to Uçarsu before the concert.

As one of the leading contemporary opera stars, Canadian soprano Barbara Hannigan will perform an unconventional repertoire of Ives, Haydn, Schoenberg and Gershwin in Istanbul for the first time with Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic.

Living legend of violin, Anne-Sophie Mutter and her most talented orchestra of young musicians, Mutter’s Virtuosi, will perform an intricate repertoire ranging from Bach, Vivaldi to the Turkish premiere of the late great André Previn’s Nonet for Two String Quartets and Double Bass at AKM.

This year’s Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Mutter before the concert.

Cellist Nicolas Altstaedt will be joined by the Munich Chamber Orchestra at a concert, featuring works of C.P.E. Bach, Veress, Azarashvili, and Bartók.

On a night entirely dedicated to Mozart, German violin virtuoso Arabella Steinbacher and Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg will perform three masterful compositions of the Austrian genius under the baton of Matthew Halls at AKM.

One of the most distinguished baritones in today’s classical world, Gramophone and ECHO Klassik Award winner Matthias Goerne will lead the Netherlands’ Camerata Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra with prime works of German Lied tradition by Schubert, Brahms, Schumann, Dvořák and Wolf at Cemal Reşit Rey Concert Hall (CRR).

Inspired by the works of Turkish female poets, the 51st Istanbul Music Festival will hold the world premiere of piano virtuoso Fazıl Say’s long-anticipated new project, featuring the acclaimed mezzo-soprano Serenad Bağcan. Accompanied by Volkan Hürsever on double bass and Ferit Odman on drums, the duo will perform at AKM and CRR on two nights.

Tango of the Republic this year celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Türkiye by paying homage to the legendary Turkish tango composers Necip Celal Andel, Fehmi Ege, Necdet Koyutürk and İbrahim Özgür of the Early Republic Period at the courtyard of Saint Benoît High School. Featuring the Milli Reasürans Chamber Orchestra, the concert will feature the world premiere of two tango pieces, arranged by the conductor and composer Hasan Niyazi Tura.

Known as the festival’s annual day trip, this year’s Music Route sets out to explore the historical neighborhood of Balat, home to some of the city’s awe-inspiring places of worship. Spectrum Saxophone Quartet, harpist Güneş Hızlılar, Duo Ciampa-Piccotti, and The Sárközy Trio featuring János Balázs will perform at Saint Stephen’s Bulgarian Orthodox Church (The Iron Church), Saint Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church and Private Fener Greek Orthodox School. The route will end with a free of charge concert at the park on Balat Waterfront.