Çelebi Opera set to reawaken Turkish cultural masterpiece

The Ankara State Opera and Ballet (DOB) is preparing to unveil long-lost treasured of Turkish music history, with the premiere of “Çelebi Opera,” composed by the celebrated Turkish composer Cemal Reşit Rey, set to take place at Opera Stage on April 19.

The work, a culmination of decades of artistic effort, has been meticulously reconstructed and brought to life with exceptional care.

General Director of DOB, Tan Sağtürk, shared insights into this monumental production. Expressing great excitement about the upcoming premiere, Sağtürk emphasized the cultural significance of reviving handwritten scores and archival masterpieces.

“Handling these museum-worthy, handwritten scores required the precision of a jeweler. Each page is a diamond in itself. We are proud to bring these works into the repertoire of the Turkish State Opera and Ballet,” he said.

Reflecting on a 2023-2024 season filled with record-breaking performances and international acclaim, Sağtürk noted that the institution is entering the 2024-2025 season with the same ambition: To increase audience numbers through high-quality productions.

“The public’s interest and support are a responsibility we deeply value,” he added.

Sağtürk underlined that one of the core missions of the DOB is to breathe life into previously unperformed works by renowned Republican-era composers. Among them are Cemal Resit Rey’s “Çelebi Opera” and “Deli Dolu Operetta,” as well as Ahmet Adnan Saygun’s “Gilgamesh Epic.”

"Çelebi Opera" was first composed between 1942 and 1945 and completed with a piano-vocal score in 1975, making it a result of a 30-year creative journey. The libretto, written by Cemal Resit Rey’s brother, Ekrem Reşit Rey, complements the opera’s rich musical language and dramatic structure. 

Sağtürk praised Cemal Resit Rey’s ability to integrate traditional Turkish folk motifs with Western classical techniques, calling the composer’s style a powerful reflection of national identity.

“In Çelebi, we see a refined Ottoman aesthetic blended skillfully with Western orchestration. The character ‘Çelebi’ draws on Ottoman ideal of a cultured, sophisticated individual, and the opera itself becomes a cultural journey exploring East-West synthesis,” he noted.

“This is an act of preserving our heritage — a tribute to the legacy of [modern Türkiye founder Mustafa Kemal Atatürk]. Like its long road to completion, this production was also marked by immense dedication and teamwork,” Sağtürk added, praising the artistic and technical teams who contributed to the project.

The production is directed by Gürçil Çeliktaş, with musical direction shared by conductors Rustam Rahmedov, Deniz Erdinç and Can Okan. The creative team includes Ivan Pekhov (chorus master), Özgür Usta (set design), Gazal Erten (costume design), Ali Gökdemir (lighting design) and Nilgün Bilsel Demireller (choreography).

Soprano Seda Aracı Ayazlı, who performs the role of “Fatma,” expressed how uniquely emotional the project has been. “I’ve performed in many operas, but this one felt different.”

Aykut Çınar, portraying “Çelebi,” called the experience historic. “This opera is musically advanced — even for today. It was incredibly challenging, but we believe we’ve revived a truly valuable Turkish work.”