Concert series to focus on Israeli and Turkish music

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

Berlin German Opera’s concert series consists of seven different chamber concerts featuring compositions from Turkish and Israeli composers.

A concert series launched in 2012 by Berlin German Opera (Deutsche Oper Berlin) is once again preparing to host Israel and Turkey as a part of its program titled “The sound of the world” (Klang der Welt).

The concert series consists of seven different chamber concerts; for the upcoming shows, the orchestra will play compositions from Turkish and Israeli composers. Set for Feb. 11, the latest in the series will showcase the concert titled “20th century Turkish classics.”

The music is set to shed light on contemporary Turkish classics with compositions from Turkish composers such as Gürer Aykal, Ferit Tüzün, İlteriş Sun, İlhan Usmanbaş and Fazıl Say, while also focusing on the cultural relations between Turkey and Israel. The concert will also host Say’s compositions from 2010 titled “Divorce.” Selim Aykal will play bassoon, Holger Simon is on violin, Thomas Kollikowski will perform the viola, while Manon Gerhardt will appear on marimba.

The works to be performed at the festival were all chosen by a jury.

The event is being organized under the patronage of André Schmitz of the Senate Chancellery - Cultural Affairs.

The Deutsche Oper Berlin is Germany’s second-largest opera house and also the home of the Berlin State Ballet.

Strained political relations

Despite the joint celebration of Israeli and Turkish music, political ties between the two eastern Mediterranean neighbors remain frosty.

Israeli forces raided a Gaza-bound flotilla in May 2010, killing nine Turkish activists on board. The incident precipitated a rapid deterioration in bilateral relations between the countries that was deepened by Israel’s refusal to issue a formal apology, pay compensation to the families and end the blockade on the Gaza Strip. In response, Turkey has blocked NATO initiatives to offer membership to Israel, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told reporters Feb. 5 during a flight to Budapest.

“We, as Turkey, will stop wrong steps [in NATO]. We saw such steps toward Israel’s inclusion in NATO. We prevented that,” Erdoğan said. “We have our own red lines. For us, to be involved in NATO with Israel can never be considered. To be with such a cruel [country] would contradict our structure, history and culture.”