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The Anatolia Opera and Ballet Festival, launched with the vision of taking the healing power of art to every corner of Türkiye, will continue its cultural journey this year in Bayburt. Organized by the State Opera and Ballet (DOB) General Directorate, the second edition will bring opera, ballet, musical, concert and children’s theatre performances to audiences in 23 cities and districts, entirely free of charge.
DOB General Director and Artistic Director Tan Sagturk said that the festival, which began in 2024 under the motto “Opera and ballet everywhere,” became more than just an event, evolving into a cultural movement that echoed in the hearts of thousands.
He noted that the festival began in Sirnak and reached 24 cities and districts through 51 performances, attracting around 30,000 spectators. He added that their fundamental motivation was shaped by the belief in the healing power of art and by the long-held dream of meeting audiences in Anatolia.
Sagturk underlined that the festival helped discover hundreds of young talents through nationwide screenings, six of whom took part in a special concert titled “My Entire Hope Is in the Youth” during the 16th International Istanbul Opera and Ballet Festival. He said that seeing the young performers share the stage gave the team pride and joy, as it showed how hopeful steps could grow into light.
The State Opera and Ballet operates from six main centers, including Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir. Sagturk explained that many cities across Anatolia had been overlooked in the past. This year, the festival aims to visit 23 provinces, creating a new cycle that will gradually cover all of Anatolia over four years.
Sagturk said that the interest shown by audiences was both great and heartwarming. He recalled witnessing long queues for opera and ballet performances in cities such as Sirnak and Kars, where audiences arrived dressed elegantly to attend the shows. He emphasized that meeting audiences in Anatolia had been their dream since early childhood.
Defining the event as a “cultural mobilization,” Sagturk highlighted that this festival represents a collective success, carried out not only by the performers on stage but also by the technical teams and administrative staff working behind the scenes. He stressed that such a large-scale event would not have been possible without the support of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the strong cooperation built with local institutions.
The festival will begin in Bayburt on Nov. 22. Samsun State Opera and Ballet soloists will perform a “Museum Concert” at Bayburt Baksi Museum at 1:00 p.m., followed by the “Anadolu Ezgileri” concert at Bayburt University Fuat Sezgin Conference Hall at 7:00 p.m.
Over the following weeks, performances will travel to cities and districts including Bayburt, Cemisgezek Tunceli, Rize, Corum, Artvin, Aydin, Batman, Ceylanpinar Sanliurfa, Dogubayazit Agri, Elbistan Kahramanmaras, Ezine Canakkale, Giresun, Gumushane, Isparta, Karaman, Osmaniye, Sarikamis Kars, Siirt, Sinop, Sarkoy Tekirdag, Tire Aydin, Tosya Kastamonu, and Uzunkopru Edirne.
The program will include operas, ballets, musicals, concerts, and children’s theatre, aiming to introduce universal art forms to local audiences and help discover young talents in each region. All performances will remain free and open to spectators of all ages.
As part of this artistic journey, young talent screenings will be held in each visited city to discover children and young performers and support their future careers.
These screenings aim to offer participants a chance to meet universal art forms and build a foundation for their artistic growth.
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