Istanbul Opera and Ballet Festival closes with ‘Swan Lake’

The 17th Istanbul International Opera and Ballet Festival, organized by Türkiye’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the State Opera and Ballet Directorate, concluded with a performance of “Swan Lake” at the Atatürk Cultural Center’s (AKM) Turkish Telekom Opera Hall.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s iconic ballet was staged by the Istanbul State Opera and Ballet (İDOB) in a production by choreographer Ricardo Amarante. The work portrayed the dramatic journey of a cursed princess torn between fate and love, told through expressive choreography and classical staging.

In the lead roles, Büşra Ay performed Odette/Odile, while Doruk Demirdirek portrayed Prince Siegfried. Mehmet Nuri Arkan appeared as Rothbart and Yılmaz Berkay Günay as Benno.

The orchestra was conducted by Ibrahim Yazıcı. Production design included set design by Ferhat Karakaya, costume design by Serdar Başbuğ and lighting design by Ahmet Defne.

Over the course of the festival, audiences were presented with 13 productions across 22 performances at venues including the AKM and the Kadıköy Municipality Süreyya Opera Stage. The program ranged from opera and ballet to modern dance and concerts.

The festival opened with “Lucia di Lammermoor,” one of the most important works of Italian romantic opera, staged by IDOB in a production directed by Jean-Louis Grinda.

Among the standout productions was “Pinokyo.exe: A Puppet for Twisted Times,” performed by MDTIst. The reinterpretation of Carlo Collodi’s classic tale in a dystopian, technology-driven setting featured choreography by Erica Silgoner.

“La Traviata” was presented in collaboration between IDOB and the Azerbaijan State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater, with direction by Recep Ayyılmaz, bringing Giuseppe Verdi’s music to the stage with an international ensemble.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “The Abduction” from the Seraglio was also performed at the Süreyya Opera Stage under the direction of Caner Akın.

A world premiere of “The Little Prince” children’s opera brought younger audiences into the festival. Composed by Ahmet Sait Karabulut and directed by Şahan Gürkan, the production emphasized themes of friendship, responsibility and love.

The 7th Istanbul International Ballet Competition final night, awards ceremony and gala provided an international platform for emerging dancers.

Additional works included “Kız Doğdu / III” (“A Girl Is Born / III”) choreographed by Aslı Öztürk and “Hiç Kuş Yok” (“There Is No Bird”) choreographed by Ferhat Güneş.

The festival also featured performances by young soloists trained through the İDOB Opera Studio Istanbul project, run in collaboration with the Sedat-Güzin Gürel Foundation for Art and Science. The program concluded with the Opera Studio Season Finale concert.

The festival program included thematic concerts titled “Women of the Golden Age,” “Suleika Lied Evening” and “Aurora.”

DAILYSABAH