Zorlu Psm hosts French opera screenings

The most distinguished works of the Aix-en-Provence Festival will be free of charge for viewers on the open-air screen at the Zorlu Performing Arts Center (PSM) Amphi in collaboration with the Istanbul French Cultural Center from July 19 to Aug.16.

The Aix-en-Provence Festival, which emerged as a result of the desire to add a musical aspect to artistic initiatives such as the Cannes Film Festival and the Avignon Theater Festival after World War II, is being held from July 3-22 this year in France. As part of the Aix-en-Provence Festival, which is one of the festivals that shaped world opera with its collection every year, "Pinocchio," "Carmen," "The Rake's Progress," "Don Giovanni" and "Erismena" will be presented to art lovers free of charge on the giant open-air screen at Zorlu PSM Amphi.

The Aix-en-Provence Festival, which began with the support of Countess Lily Pastré for French opera director Gabriel Dusserget, whose special admiration for art is very well-known, has become one of the best opera festivals in the world over the years, and even consolidated this position by winning the Best Opera Festival Award at the International Opera Awards in London in 2014.

The festival collection that includes "Pinocchio," one of the most iconic characters ever created by Carlo Collodi, will make its world premiere here and be taken to the opera stage by Philippe Boesmans with a libretto by Joël Pommerat. "Carmen," adapted from a short story by Prosper Mérimée, and performed for the first time at Opéra Comique't in Paris in March 1875 after being interpreted by Georges Bizet with a libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, is part of this exclusive program and will be presented in a new production for the first time. "The Rake's Progress," an Igor Stravinsky opera adapted from William Hogarth's work, with a libretto by Wystan Hugh Auden and Chester Simon Kallman, appeared for the first time at the Venice La Fenice stage on Sept. 11, 1951. Despite over 60 years of history, it is one of the youngest constituents of the program compared to the others and will be performed for the first time in a new production. After a journey that started on Oct. 29, 1787 at the State Theater of Prague with Lorenzo de Ponte's libretto in collaboration with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart classic "Don Giovanni," Opéra National de Lorraine, Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg and Teatro Comunale Di Bologna, will appear in a new production for the first time in the Aix-en-Provence Festival stage.

Another outstanding opera on the program is "Erismena," which bears the signature of Francesco Cavalli and is staged in cooperation with Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg. With a libretto by Aurelio Aureli, "Erismena" was first performed at the Theater San Apollinare in Venice in December 1655.

The Aix-en-Provence festival, where the most outstanding examples of opera are at the forefront, will be on display at the Zorlu PSM Amphi screen from July 19 to Aug. 16 with a playback projection of "Pinocchio," "Carmen," "The Rake's Progress," "Don Giovanni" and "Erismena" free of charge.