Hürrem Sultan ballet goes to festival in Germany

ISTANBUL

The Hürrem Sultan ballet will be staged in Germany.

The Istanbul State Opera and Ballet (IDOB) will bring the Hürrem Sultan ballet, which premiered on March 12, 2012, to the stage again in its third season.

The ballet will be performed today, tomorrow and April 26, May 24, 27, 29 and 31 at Kadıköy Süreyya Opera House.

The ballet has also received an invitation from Germany’s Bodenseefestival, which is organized in Friedrichshafen on the Lake Constance, and features music, theater, literature and ballet. This year the festival will be held between May 2 and 8. The Hürrem Sultan ballet will take the stage at Graf Zeppelin – Haus on May 11 and 12.

Late Oytun Turfanda directed the choreography for the ballet’s 1977 production. This time, Deniz Olgay Yamanus and Oktay Keresteci put the ballet on stage. The ballet tells the sad story of the Ottoman Empire and focuses on the love of Süleyman the Magnificent and Hürrem Sultan. Hürrem wants her son to be the emperor, but he kills him.

When it was first staged, Turfanda tried to put on a simple play that reflected the feelings of Süleymen and Hürrem. The folkloric characteristic are important. The choreography aims to reflect the spirit of the era.

The new production’s composer, Nevit Kodallı, is one of the best composers/choreographers in Turkish ballet. Kodallı has created another masterpiece with the present ballet.