Minister Ersoy said, “We are chasing new records with the support we provide to the arts! We will continue to achieve greater success in every branch of art.” Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy announced the successes achieved by the General Directorate of State Opera and Ballet in recent years on his social media account. In his message, Minister Ersoy emphasized the growth in the field of arts and drew attention to the records reached by the State Opera and Ballet and its new season works.
Minister Ersoy's post is as follows:
“We are chasing new records with the support we give to art!
The General Directorate of State Opera and Ballet is breaking new records in art!
In the 2023-2024 season:
– 44 new works were staged and we met with 1.009 thousand 613 art lovers in 276 performances.
– There was a 27 percent increase in the number of audiences and a 44 percent increase in the number of performances.
– In the Culture Road Festival, 15 performances were staged in 94 cities and watched by 134 thousand 844 art lovers.
– 246 events were organized for children and 75 thousand little art lovers were introduced to opera and ballet.
The art scene is getting bigger in the new season!
Our local production, the Gilgamesh opera, will make its world premiere.
Swan Lake, which will fascinate art lovers, will be staged with world-famous dancers. Turkey-Uzbekistan cultural cooperation will stage a historic meeting in Aspendos. We will also discover the stars of the future through talent screenings. We will continue to achieve greater success in every branch of art!”
A Season Full of Records Has Come to an End
The General Directorate of State Opera and Ballet reached a wide audience with the works it staged and the events it organized in the 2023-2024 season. There was an increase in the number of new works staged by the General Directorate and the number of audiences. In the previous art season, 44 new works were staged and a total of 1.009 performances were performed and introduced to 613 art lovers. During this period, there was a 276 percent increase in the number of audiences and a 27 percent increase in the number of performances. In the events for children, 44 programs were organized and 246 thousand art lovers met opera and ballet. Within the scope of the Culture Road Festival, 75 performances were held in 15 cities and 94 art lovers watched these events.
Wider Audiences Will Be Reached in the New Season
In the new art season, the State Opera and Ballet aims to diversify its artistic activities and reach wider audiences. In this context, world premieres of local works, international collaborations, new stage projects and support programs for young artists will be implemented. Ahmet Adnan Saygun's Gilgamesh opera will be staged for the first time and its world premiere will be held within the scope of the 16th International Istanbul Opera and Ballet Festival. Swan Lake, one of the important works of the classical ballet repertoire, will meet art lovers with the participation of world-famous dancers Iana Salenko and Daniil Simkin. Within the scope of cultural cooperation between Turkey and Uzbekistan, the Uzbekistan Ali Sher Navoi Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater will present a special show in Aspendos. Thus, it will contribute to the development of cultural relations between the two countries. Efforts to support young artists will also be expanded in the new season. Young artists will be brought to the stage through auditions to be held within the scope of talent screenings. Special performances will be held especially for young artists within the scope of the 16th International Istanbul Opera and Ballet Festival. Within the scope of educational projects for fine arts high school students, various educational trips will be organized by the Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir, Mersin, Antalya and Samsun State Opera and Ballet Directorates. Students will be introduced to performing arts more closely, contributing to the training of future artists. Talent screenings will be expanded within the scope of the first Anatolian Opera and Ballet Festival. Following the talent screenings conducted in six provinces in 2024, new screenings will be organized in the provinces of Afyonkarahisar, Karabük, Tekirdağ, Edirne, Bilecik, Kütahya, Niğde, Osmaniye, Isparta, Uşak, Kars and Amasya in 2025. The goal is to reach 360 students and discover young talents. In addition, 2025 works will be staged in 19 cities within the scope of the 54 Culture Road Festivals and a total of 101 performances will be held. It is planned to reach approximately 145 thousand art lovers with these events.
