Turkic sounds at 21st Türksoy Opera Days
OPERATIC sounds of Turkic culture resonated from Bellapais Abbey at the 21st Türksoy Opera Days. Artistes from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey and the TRNC performed at the event last Thursday, which marked the 25th anniversary of the International Organisation of Turkic Culture (Türksoy). Opera music fans packed out the historic venue alongside VIP guests included National Education Minister Cemal Özyiğit, parliamentary Deputy Speaker Zorlu Töre, Culture Department director Şehbal Hamzaoğulları and Türksoy deputy general secretary Fırat Purtaş. In an opening speech, Mr Purtaş said the mission of Türksoy was to provide an opportunity and platform for Turkish speaking communities to share their culture and art. “The Opera Days are one of the most established events,” he said. Mr Özyiğit, whose National Education and Culture Ministry had organised the concert with the Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry, said Turkic ethnicity was found across a wide geographical area and despite their different backgrounds “Turkic people have collectively protected their culture”. He said the TRNC had played a part in Türksoy “bring[ing] together the Turkic world within the framework of culture and art”. Mr Özyiğit presented a commemorative plaque to Mr Purtaş, and in return was gifted a ceramic plate.
First to sing was Kazakh soprano Nazym Sagyntay, who performed Italian composer Giulio Romolo Caccini’s Ave Maria. Representing the TRNC, baritone Tuğrul Enver Töre, an artist also of Turkey’s Samsun State Opera and Ballet, performed an aria from Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’Amore, while soprano Sermin Dikmen Töre delivered an aria from Rossini’s Barber of Seville. In a duet, they then performed Kamran Aziz’s Cypriot folk song Al Yemeni Mor Yemeni, which was well received by the audience.
The other acts performing classic works and those from national operas in their countries were pianist Iulia Babich and soprano Aziza Mamatnazar from Kyrgyzstan, soloists Nazym Sagyntay and Yerlan Zhandarbay from Kazakhstan, soprano Eleonora Mustafayeva from Azerbaijan, and soprano Leilia Gurtueva from the Russian Caucasus KabardinoBalkar Republic. For the finale, all of the singers took the stage together for the famous “brindisi” duet, Libiamo ne’ Lieti Caliciaria, from Verdi’s La Traviata.