Journey through time on ballet stage
ANKARA
Seventeen artists, who danced in the 1995 performance of “The Lady of the Camellias” in Ankara reunited with art lovers on Feb. 22, 30 years after the original interpretation of the same production.
The Ankara State Opera and Ballet (ADOB) witnessed a rare event in the performing arts with the premiere of the production.
The ballet, which tells the passionate but impossible love story of Marguerite Gautier and Armand Duval, received great interest from the audience and was performed to a full house on its opening night.
The choreography and libretto have the signature of ADOB Deputy General Director Volkan Ersoy and Armağan Davran, while the orchestra is conducted by Tolga Atalay Ün and Deniz Oliveira Erdinç. Ayşe Fidanlık and Sanem Subaygil serve as choreographic assistants, and the musical arrangement is by Tolga Taviş.
The 9th-century Parisian atmosphere is brought to life by set designer Savaş Camgöz, costume designer Gazal Erten and lighting designer Bülent Arslan. The leading roles are performed by Sultan Erol and İlhan Durgut.
The production, which stands out with its music, choreography, sets and costumes, also featured a major surprise. Seventeen artists from ADOB's 1995 production of “The Lady of the Camellias” returned for the reimagined version, with some contributing behind the scenes and others once again taking the stage.
Volkan Ersoy, ADOB’s Deputy General Director and a former principal dancer in the 1995 production, now serves as the choreographer of this performance. Reflecting on his return to the stage, Ersoy said, “Being under these lights again is the most thrilling feeling.”
Originally written as a novel by Alexandre Dumas in 1848 at the age of 24, “The Lady of the Camellias” was later adapted into a ballet with music by Giuseppe Verdi. As one of the most beloved works of classical ballet, this two-act production returned to the Ankara State Opera and Ballet stage for the first time in 30 years, mesmerizing audiences with its grand costumes and stunning set design.
