The 17th Istanbul International Opera and Ballet Festival, organized by Türkiye’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the State Opera and Ballet Directorate, concluded with a performance of "Swan Lake" at the Atatürk Cultural Center’s (AKM) Turkish Telekom Opera Hall.
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s iconic ballet was staged by the Istanbul State Opera and Ballet (İDOB) in a production by choreographer Ricardo Amarante. The work portrayed the dramatic journey of a cursed princess torn between fate and love, told through expressive choreography and classical staging.
In the lead roles, Büşra Ay performed Odette/Odile, while Doruk Demirdirek portrayed Prince Siegfried. Mehmet Nuri Arkan appeared as Rothbart and Yılmaz Berkay Günay as Benno.
The orchestra was conducted by Ibrahim Yazıcı. Production design included set design by Ferhat Karakaya, costume design by Serdar Başbuğ and lighting design by Ahmet Defne.
Over the course of the festival, audiences were presented with 13 productions across 22 performances at venues including the AKM and the Kadıköy Municipality Süreyya Opera Stage. The program ranged from opera and ballet to modern dance and concerts.
