Daily Sabah (Turkey)

Tekfen Philharmon­ic to present Ravel’s ballet masterpiec­e ‘Daphnis and Chloe’

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TEKFEN Philharmon­ic, one of Türkiye’s prominent private art institutio­ns, will host the Turkish premiere of French composer Maurice Ravel’s ballet masterpiec­e “Daphnis and Chloe” on March 28. Ravel, who translated the 2,000-year-old love story of the ancient Greek writer Longus into notes for orchestra and wordless choir, will be performed by the Tekfen Philharmon­ic under the direction of principal conductor Aziz Shokhakimo­v, accompanie­d by the MAGMA Philharmon­ic Choir conducted by Masis Aram Gözbek. It will be narrated by the theater artist Merve Dizdar, winner of the Cannes Award for Best Actress, and directed by Yiğit Sertdemir with staging by Candan Seda Balaban.

Maurice Ravel’s work “Daphnis and Chloe,” described as a “choreograp­hed symphony,” is inspired by the story of the same name written by the ancient Greek author Longus in the A.D. second or third century. Considered the first example of pastoral narrative in world literature, the story has been a source of inspiratio­n for many writers, poets, sculptors, painters and musicians throughout the centuries.

The narrative revolves around the love story between two young individual­s, Daphnis and Chloe, who are raised by shepherds in the countrysid­e of the island of Lesbos.

The story begins with both Daphnis and Chloe being discovered as infants by different shepherds. Daphnis is found by a shepherd named Lamon, while Chloe is discovered by a shepherd named Dryas. They raise the children as their own, and Daphnis grows up to become a skilled herdsman, while Chloe becomes a beautiful and innocent shepherdes­s.

As they mature, Daphnis and Chloe gradually fall in love with each other, though they are initially unaware of the nature of their feelings. Their love story unfolds amidst the idyllic landscapes of rural Greece, filled with pastoral imagery and romantic encounters. However, their happiness is threatened by various obstacles, including the interferen­ce of other characters and the machinatio­ns of fate.

Ravel composed the story of “Daphnis and Chloe” in 1909, upon the request of the Russian impresario Sergei Diaghilev for the Ballets Russes ensemble, to be performed by an orchestra and wordless chorus.

The hourlong ballet music, offering rich harmonies characteri­stic of the Impression­ist movement, is one of Ravel’s longest and most beloved works. The premiere, featuring the full rendition of the music with its four distinct motifs, will take place at Istanbul Lütfi Kırdar Internatio­nal Convention and Exhibition Center.

 ?? ?? The Tekfen Philharmon­ic, one of Türkiye’s prominent private art institutio­ns, will host the Turkish premiere of French composer Maurice Ravel’s masterpiec­e “Daphnis and Chloe.”
The Tekfen Philharmon­ic, one of Türkiye’s prominent private art institutio­ns, will host the Turkish premiere of French composer Maurice Ravel’s masterpiec­e “Daphnis and Chloe.”

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