‘Carmina Burana’ echoes through ancient theater of Hierapolis

DENİZLİ

Amid the ruins of the ancient theater of Hierapolis in the western province of Denizli’s Pamukkale, the timeless notes of Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana” echo under the night sky, captivating thousands of art lovers.

Organized by the State Opera and Ballet Directorate and local authorities, the performance was presented by artists of the state opera and ballet from the neighboring city of İzmir.

The 75-minute, single-act stage cantata brought together 212 performers, whose voices and music echoed through the centuries-old stone seats of the ancient theater.

Hierapolis Ancient Theater is known as one of the most successful baroque-style works from the Roman era. The ancient theater, which has a history of 1,800 years, is located within the borders of Hierapolis, which means “Holy City” in Greek.

In the ancient theater, which is almost an open-air museum with its architectural features, decoration and reliefs, many important works, such as the reliefs of Roman Emperor Septimius Severus and his wife Julia, who played a major role in the construction of the theater, attract great attention.

The production in this glorious landmark captivated the audience and concluded with prolonged standing ovations. The orchestra was conducted by Vladimir Lungu, with Orhan Öner Özcan leading the choir and Başar Ünal directing the children’s choir.

According to organizers, more than 10,000 people attended the open-air event, filling the historic venue to capacity.

State Opera and Ballet General Director and Artistic Director Tan Sağtürk expressed his pride in the strong turnout, stating, “We aim to reach every town and city in Anatolia through permanent productions, tours and international festivals. The overwhelming interest of art lovers is a great honor for us.”

Denizli Mayor Bülent Nuri Çavuşoğlu said the city was moving step by step toward its vision of becoming a “city of art.”

The performance was staged as part of the city’s inaugural opera and ballet days. The program will conclude on Nov. 29 with a performance of Swan Lake by the Ankara State Opera and Ballet.