Opera Ballet to take center stage in Anatolian districts

ISTANBUL

‘We will try to reach districts we have never visited before,’ says DOB General Director and General Artistic Director Barış Salcan.

The State Opera and Ballet (DOB) General Directorate under the Culture and Tourism Ministry will bring opera and ballet to Turkish districts, including Midyat, Divriği, Akhisar and Kadirli, as part of the third edition of the Anatolian Opera and Ballet Festival.

The festival aims to take opera and ballet to different parts of the country, particularly districts that have not previously hosted such performances, DOB General Director and General Artistic Director Barış Salcan told state-run Anadolu Agency.

Salcan said the 2025-2026 artistic season had been a busy one, with the institution increasing the number of performances.

Recalling that the DOB launched the Anatolian Opera and Ballet Festival in 2024 and has now held its second edition, Salcan said the festival aims to bring opera and ballet to different cities and remote parts of Anatolia.

He noted that all festival performances are free and open to audiences of all ages. The initiative not only helps expand access to the arts across Anatolia but also provides an opportunity to discover young talent, he added.

“We will choose districts like Çemişgezek, which we visited last year, for the upcoming third Anatolian Opera and Ballet Festival. We will try to reach districts we have never visited before. Hopefully, we want to cover districts just as we have covered provinces,” Salcan said.

The third festival is scheduled to begin in November, with performances planned in districts including Midyat in Mardin, Divriği in Sivas, Akhisar in Manisa and Kadirli in Osmaniye.

Talent scouting for students

The first edition of the Anatolian Opera and Ballet Festival began in Şırnak, where a concert was attended by around 1,200 people, Salcan said.

He added that the festival had received greater-than-expected interest in every location it visited.
“At every place we visit, we conduct talent screenings among students at fine arts high schools. We observe them and try to help whenever there are areas where we can offer support. We try to introduce them to opera, symphonic music, theater and the arts,” Salcan said.

He added that the institution would continue expanding these efforts and said art lovers could look forward to an exciting new season.