The iconic ballet "Swan Lake," a timeless symbol of grace and love, captivated audiences at the 32nd International Aspendos Opera and Ballet Festival in a performance by artists of the Istanbul State Opera and Ballet.
Organized by the General Directorate of State Opera and Ballet under the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the performance was brought to life by the Antalya State Opera and Ballet Orchestra under the baton of conductor Ibrahim Yazıcı.
The production featured some of the most prominent figures in Turkish ballet. Former General Director of the State Opera and Ballet and a celebrated name in the art world, Meriç Sümen portrayed the role of the Queen. Berfu Elmas gave a compelling performance as Odette-Odile, while Batur Büklü took the stage as Prince Siegfried. Supporting roles included Nuri Arkan as Von Rothbart and Berkay Günay as Benno.
Reimagined with choreography by Ricardo Amarante, the production offered a visual feast with set design by Ferhat Karakaya and costumes by Serdar Başbuğ. The anticipation for the performance led to long lines of eager attendees.
Tan Sağtürk, general director and artistic director of the State Opera and Ballet, shared his thoughts with Anadolu Agency (AA) before the performance. He noted their commitment to curating a season of high-caliber works, highlighting the recent productions of Turandot and Zorba, followed now by "Swan Lake."
"The ballet 'Swan Lake' is one of Tchaikovsky’s most famous and cherished works. We believed it would be a perfect fit for Aspendos," said Sağtürk. “Of course, since it’s the premiere, there's a lot of excitement. The final rehearsal went very well. Tonight is a sold-out performance. Aspendos is completely full. The festival will continue with "Don Quixote," "Tosca" and "La Traviata.”
Among the distinguished attendees of the performance were Antalya Governor Hulusi Şahin, North Macedonia’s Minister of Culture and Tourism Zoran Lyutkov, Istanbul State Opera and Ballet Director Caner Akgün, Antalya State Opera and Ballet Director Özgür Aslan and a large audience of art enthusiasts.
