The curtain rises in Aspendos

ANTALYA

The 32nd International Aspendos Opera and Ballet Festival, organized by the General Directorate of State Opera and Ballet, opened on Sept. 14 with the opera “Turandot” by the Ankara and Antalya State Opera and Ballet directorates.

A rich program of three operas and three ballets will be staged until Oct. 1, featuring foreign guest artists and ensembles alongside Turkish performers in the Aspendos Ancient Theater in Antalya’s Serik district.

The festival will continue on Sept. 17 with the ballet “Zorba,” staged by the Ankara State Opera and Ballet. It will be followed by Tchaikovsky’s timeless “Swan Lake” on Sept. 20.

On Sept. 24, “Don Quixote,” adapted from Miguel de Cervantes’ novel and composed by Ludwig Minkus, will be staged by the Antalya State Opera and Ballet under the baton of conductor Hakan Kalkan.

On Sept. 27, Puccini’s “Tosca,” one of the most striking productions of the festival, will be staged by the Antalya State Opera and Ballet. Conducted by Lorenzo Castriota Skanderberg, with chorus master Mahir Seyrek, the performance will feature world-renowned soloists Nurdan Küçükekmekçi and guest artist Ivan Magri.

The festival will close on Oct. 1 with Giuseppe Verdi’s “La Traviata,” performed by the Uzbek State Academic Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater named after Alisher Navoi. The two-act opera tells the story of Violetta, a celebrated beauty of Paris’ nightlife, and her tragic love.

General Director and Artistic Director of the State Opera and Ballet Tan Sağtürk stated that taking on the responsibility of organizing a festival in an ancient theater in Türkiye is very exciting.

“As a dancer, I have performed in ancient theaters in many parts of the world. Anatolia also has truly significant ancient monuments,” Sağtürk said.

He noted that they had recently launched the 1st Denizli Opera and Ballet Festival, which drew great interest, saying, “Aspendos is a deeply rooted festival. We receive excellent feedback for the productions staged there. Most of our audience members are newcomers, and that is very valuable for us. If the right steps are not taken, a first-time viewer may struggle and choose another art form instead. I think we are fortunate in that regard. With the right programming, we ensure audiences return. When we gather in ancient theaters like this, the experience becomes even richer.”

Free shuttle services are provided for those who wish to attend the festival. The departure points and timings can be followed on the State Opera and Ballet’s social media accounts.