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Ankara State Opera and Ballet

By safseykes

  • Turkish Music and Compositions

    It goes back a long way that Turkish Music and compositions about Turkish people is popular in Europe. The Ottoman Empire, worldwide powerful politically and militarily, also substantially affect the West cultural sphere.

  • Kemal Atatürk

    In the period of the Ottoman Empire, Mustafa Kemal, after seeing Carmen in Bulgarian national opera, told Şakir Zümre, Turkish Parliamentarian of Varna; "I got to understand better now why we were defeated in war of Balkan Peninsula. I knew of these people were farmers. However, they even have operas. They have vocal artists, musicians, decorators. They are all educated. They have built an Opera-house. Will we see the days we have opera?"

  • Cultural Reflection

    State Opera and Ballet is the cultural reflection of new modern Turkish nation coming in to life in 1923 as a totally new idea.

  • Background

    Beginning from the first years of the Republic, polyphonic music activities gathered momentum. Mızıka-i Hümayun, the imperial band/orchestra (of the Ottoman Empire), with approximately 100 years background, was transferred to Ankara in 1924, was turned into Riyaset-i Cumhur Musiki Heyeti [Presidential Symphony Orchestra]

  • Music Teaching School in Ankara

    In the academic field, foundation of Music Teaching School in Ankara in 1924 and sending The Republic's “The Turkish Five" abroad for education were the groundbreaking developments in the area of polyphonic music.

  • Conservatory

    Music Teaching School was converted to Conservatory in 1936.

  • First alumni

    First alumni of conservatory school were between 1941-1942 and first opera performances took place in Ankara in Tatbikat Stage [Practice Stage].

  • Establishment

    The State Theaters, which had theater, opera and ballet arts branches, were established in 1949 with the law no. 5441 and the State Opera and Ballet was a part of the State Theater until 1970 and was managed under the same management until 1958.

  • The Institution Name

    In 1970, according to State Opera and Ballet 'Law of Establishment', it is attributed as 'Subsidiary' of Culture and Tourism Ministry and is named as State Opera and Ballet Directorate General.