Istanbul's Cemil Topuzlu Open-Air Theater hosted the world-famous American band, Pink Martini, on Tuesday night.
As part of their European tour organized by Pasion Turca, the ensemble performed "Sympathique (Je ne veux pas travailler)," "Quizas, Quizas, Quizas," "Amado Mio" and "Ninna Nanna," as well as the Turkish pieces "Üsküdar'a Gider Iken" – which roughly translates to "on the way to Üsküdar" – and Yıldrım Gürses' "Aşkım Bahardı" ("My Love Was Spring Time").
“Üsküdar’a Gider Iken” is one of the most well-known Istanbul folk songs and it has many versions in different languages. According to some sources, the song emerged during the Crimean War during the reign of Abdülmecid I and its origin is a Scottish anthem. Other sources claim that it has to do with the girls who would run to the latticed windows to see clerk Aziz Bey who was headed to Üsküdar.
The band fronted by lead singer China Forbes was on stage for about two hours and all tickets to the concert sold out after attracting great interest from art lovers.
The behind a number of successful albums, including "Sympathique," "Get Happy," "A Retrospective," "Hey Eugene," "Splendor in the Grass" and "Je Dis Oui," has won gold and platinum records.
Pink Martini chooses to define themselves as "music archaeologists who bring together melodies and rhythms from different corners of the world and present them in a modern form." Their songs have been featured in many viral TV series and movies from "La Casa De Papel" to "The West Wing" and "Desperate Housewives."
