The 32nd International Aspendos Opera and Ballet Festival, organized by the General Directorate of State Opera and Ballet, will take place from Sept. 14 to Oct. 1 at the historic Aspendos Ancient Theater in Antalya's Serik.
First held in 1994 and gaining international recognition in 1998, the festival became a member of the European Festivals Association (EFA) in 2003. The ancient theater, renowned for its exceptional acoustics and two-thousand-year history, will once again host a rich program featuring three operas and three ballets, performed by distinguished local and international artists.
The festival will open on Sunday, Sept. 14, at 9 p.m. with a production of Giacomo Puccini’s beloved opera, "Turandot," co-produced by the Ankara and Antalya State Opera and Ballet Directorates. Directed by Italian Vincenzo Grisostomi Travaglini, the story unfolds in a mysterious Far Eastern atmosphere, telling the passionate and challenging tale of the Chinese princess Turandot.
Soprano Olga Maslova will take the role of the enigmatic princess, alongside tenor Riccardo Massi. The Antalya State Opera and Ballet Orchestra, conducted by Lorenzo Castriota Skanderberg, will perform alongside choirs led by Mahir Seyrek and Ivan Pekhov. Additionally, the Antalya State Opera and Ballet Children's Choir, directed by Sinem Ulusoy, will participate in the production.
On Sept. 17 at 9 p.m., the ballet "Zorba," inspired by Nikos Kazantzakis’ novel and set to the globally recognized music of Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis, will be performed by the Ankara State Opera and Ballet. The choreography and libretto are by Lorca Massine, with set and oriental costume design by Gürcan Kubilay, costume design by Tülay Şimşek and lighting by Fuat Gök.
Conducted by Sunay Muratov, the production will showcase Ankara ballet artists including Eren Keleş, İlhan Durgut, and Sultan Erol, alongside soloist Selva Erdener.
The festival program also includes the ballets "Swan Lake" and "Don Quixote," as well as the opera "Tosca," offering a diverse range of classical masterpieces to the audience.
The festival will conclude on Oct. 1 at 9:00 p.m. with a special performance of Giuseppe Verdi’s "La Traviata" by the State Academic Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theatre from Uzbekistan, named after the great poet Ali Shir Nava’i. The production is directed by Konstantin Kamynin and features the Antalya State Opera and Ballet Orchestra under the baton of Viacheslav Chernukho-Volich.
Uzbekistan’s Bolshoi Theatre, the only institution in Central Asia holding the prestigious “Bolshoi” title, will present a dramatic interpretation of Verdi’s masterpiece. Leading roles include Liatife Abiieva as Violetta, Ramiz Usmanov as Alfredo, and Rahim Mirzakamalov as Giorgio Germont, among others.
