The Istanbul State Opera and Ballet (IDOB) will open its 2026-27 artistic season on Sept. 19 with Beethoven’s "Symphony No. 9," launching a program featuring new opera, ballet and modern dance productions at Istanbul’s Atatürk Cultural Center (AKM) and Süreyya Opera House.
The new season will include premieres of two operas, two ballets, two modern dance works and a children’s ballet, according to Caner Akgün, the company’s general manager and artistic director.
The season-opening concert will feature the IDOB orchestra and chorus, conducted by music director Ibrahim Yazıcı.
Among the season’s major ballet productions will be Turgay Erdener’s “Afife,” one of the notable works of Turkish ballet, presented under the concept of choreographer Beyhan Murphy. Donizetti’s “Lucia di Lammermoor” will also return.
Akgün said the AKM has become an important platform for IDOB’s international development.
