site.btaTwo Thousand in Istanbul Applaud Sofia Opera’s Performance of "Elektra"

The staging of Richard Strauss's opera Elektra by the Sofia Opera and Ballet Company thrilled an audience of nearly 2,000 who attended the performance at the Ataturk Cultural Centre in Istanbul on Thursday evening.

"The magnificent performance of the artists and the orchestra showed that the art of opera is universal. Richard Strauss's Elektra is based on one of the greatest Greek tragedies, in which revenge, justice and family ties are interpreted with great dramatic power. It was important for us to bring together the music of Richard Strauss and the magnificent voices of the opera singers from Bulgaria. I would like to express special gratitude to Sofia Opera and Ballet head Plamen Kartaloff for directing this performance magnificently and for this visit. The stage version of Elektra, presented here in Istanbul for the first time in 18 years, by our guests from Bulgaria, impressed with its visual interpretation, magnificent set and breathtaking suspense from the beginning to the end of the performance,” Caner Akgun, artistic director of the 16th Istanbul International Opera Festival, told BTA.

The festival, organized by the Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry’s State Opera and Ballet Theatre, runs from May 10 to June 3 in Istanbul, featuring 11 productions across 20 performances.

Akgun added that the audience had the opportunity to see "a different style in terms of staging and performance, which will be remembered for a long time". In his words, the participation of the Sofia Opera and Ballet Company raised the level of the festival and added "colour to it".

“We are happy to have hosted the Sofia Opera and Ballet, a remarkable theatre. I believe that our meetings will continue," Akgun said.

The Ataturk Cultural Centre on Taksim Square, with its capacity of two thousand, was packed.

The performance of the guests from Sofia was attended by the Director General of the Turkish State Opera and Ballet Theatre, Tan Sagturk, public figures, politicians and journalists.