Cemal Reşit Rey Concert Hall to open season with renovated building
ISTANBUL
The concert hall has been renovated with both architectural preservation and technical requirements taken into consideration.
Cemal Reşit Rey Concert Hall (CRR) will open its doors on Oct. 7, following renovation work carried out for more than a year, under the coordination of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality’s (İBB) Miras heritage program.
According to a statement from the municipality, the CRR Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Adrian Prabava, will accompany Spanish tenor Airam Hernandez at the opening concert of the 2026-2027 season.
More than 30 concerts and performances will be held between October and December as part of a program prepared by the CRR Artistic Advisory Board, ranging from classical music to jazz, traditional Turkish music to world music, children’s shows and contemporary performing arts.
Free events including “Listener’s School,” “Master Class,” “Foyer Talks,” “Five O’Clock Concerts” and the “Support Program for Young Musicians” will continue throughout the season. The “Alternative Sunday” events, which will begin with a concert by Kaan Tangöze, will also continue.
The Oct. 7 opening also coincides with the 41st anniversary of the death of composer, pianist and conductor Cemal Reşit Rey.
An exhibition titled “A Note Beyond Time: Cemal Reşit Rey,” which examines Rey’s international career, life and artistic journey through original documents, will be presented to visitors in the foyer. The exhibition features concert posters, music notebooks, magazines and various other documents.
The concert hall, which opened in March 1989 and underwent extensive renovation in summer 2025, was renovated with both architectural preservation and technical requirements taken into consideration.
As part of the work, the hall’s original architectural character and acoustic system were preserved, while its electrical, mechanical and plumbing infrastructure was renewed. Fire and disaster safety, climate control, lighting and automation systems were also upgraded.
The foyer was redesigned to host concerts, talks and exhibitions outside concert hours. The area also includes workspaces allocated for young musicians.
Spanish tenor Airam Hernandez to open season
The season’s opening concert will be held at 8 p.m. on Oct. 7. At the concert, CRR Symphony Orchestra will be conducted by Adrian Prabava, who assisted Kurt Masur during his work with the Orchestre National de France and was selected as the first recipient of the Bernard Haitink Young Talent Fund scholarship in 2007.
The orchestra will accompany tenor Airam Hernandez as he performs popular opera arias.
Hernandez performed the role of Assyrian King Sardanapalo in the 2018 world premiere of Ferenc Liszt’s unfinished opera “Sardanapalo” and has taken leading roles at institutions including Opernhaus Zürich, Teatro Real, Teatro La Fenice and Elbphilharmonie Hamburg.
In the first half of the concert, Hernandez will perform opera arias including “Una furtiva lagrima” from Gaetano Donizetti’s “L’elisir d’amore” and “E lucevan le stelle” from Giacomo Puccini’s “Tosca,” accompanied by the CRR Symphony Orchestra.
The Istanbul concert hall’s new season will feature more than 30 concerts and performances, while its renovated building preserves its original architectural character and acoustic system