Organized by the General Directorate of State Opera and Ballet, the 12th International Istanbul Opera Festival will be held between July 1 and July 11 in the garden of the Istanbul Archaeological Museums this year.
The festival, which will be held in a safe environment in accordance with the mask, social distance and hygiene rules determined by the Ministry of Health within the scope of the COVID-19 pandemic measures, will open with the gala concert of the Istanbul State Opera and Ballet (IDOB) Orchestra on July 1. In the concert, 15 soloists will share the stage in accompaniment with IDOB Orchestra, conducted by Can Okan.
Outstanding examples of the works of famous composers such as Richard Wagner, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Gioachino Antonio Rossini, Charles Gounod, Charles-Camille Saint-Saens, Giuseppe Verdi and Giacomo Puccini will be performed for music lovers.
The festival will continue with the "Baroque Concert," where outstanding ancient arias and duets from the Baroque period will be performed on July 4. In the concert under the baton of Paolo Villa, soprano soloist Otilia Ipek, mezzo-soprano soloist Elif Tugba Tekışık, countertenor Kaan Bullar, baritone Kevork Tavityan and bass Suat Arıkan will accompany IDOB Orchestra. In addition, Oleksandr Samoylenko will provide colorful violin solos and Hande Cangökçe will play solos on the ancient baroque instrument "lavta" in the concert.
As a classical tradition, the Istanbul Opera Festival will close with the performance of Mozart’s "Abduction from the Seraglio" opera on July 8, 10 and 11. The opera, prepared by Caner Akın for the stage, will be presented to the audience with a different directorial understanding, in which references are made to the latest pandemic while remaining faithful to its classical form. The choreography of the opera was prepared by Tan Sağtürk.
The State Opera and Ballet modified the types of performances given over the last year due to coronavirus measures. Therefore, the 11th edition of the International Istanbul Opera Festival was held with concerts that replaced opera and ballet performances.