Tickets for Notre Dame sold out for Ankara show

ANKARA - Anatolia News Agency

The character Quasimodo is played by the actor Serhat Güdül. AA photo

The Ankara State Opera and Ballet opened the curtain for a new season with Victor Hugo’s legendary work “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” with tickets selling out within 15 minutes.

The lead character of the play is a bell ringer named Quasimodo, played by Serhat Güdül. He gives life to the character with heavy makeup, artificial teeth and a huge hunchback.

Abandoned as a baby, Quasimodo is adopted by Claude Frollo, living his life within the confines of the cathedral, his only two outlets: ringing the bells and his love and devotion for Frollo. He ventures outside the cathedral rarely, since people despise and shun him for his appearance. The notable occasions when he does leave are to take part in the festival of fools, during which he is elected the pope of fools due to his perfect hideousness; his subsequent attempt to kidnap Esmeralda; his rescue of Esmeralda from the gallows; his attempt to bring Phoebus to Esmeralda; and his final abandonment of the cathedral. It is revealed in the story that as a baby, Quasimodo was left by gypsies in place of Esmeralda, whom they abducted.

Armağan Davran, Ankara State Opera and Ballet’s head choreographer, said the company was on stage during the Ayvalık Culture and Art Days before opening the new season.

“Since we received great interest, we have chosen ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’ as the first play of the season,” he said. “Tickets were sold out in the first 15 minutes. The audience likes this work very much.”

“Zorba” is another notable play that will be staged this season, Davran said. The Greek play is choreographed with the music of Mikis Theodorakis and Lorca Massine’s dances. The orchestra is conducted by Bujor Hoinic, while the chorus is managed by Mustafa Erdoğan.

The play is about an American called John who comes to a small Greek village. He falls in love with a widow, Marina, and takes a fancy to the traditions of the village. Villagers warn Marina not to fall love with a stranger, and think she is foolish to ignore the love of a young, handsome man from the village. The only friend of John is Zorba, who has no relatives, but he is a powerful and free man.