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Istanbul State Theater brought Aristophanes' Lysistrata to audiences in Kardzhali, a southeastern Bulgarian city with a large Turkish and Muslim population, in a cultural event aimed at keeping up ties with Turkish language and culture.
The play was staged free of charge under the auspices of Türkiye's Consulate General in Plovdiv, with support from Kardzhali Municipality and the Kardzhali Theater-Music Center.
Directed by Baris Erdenk, Lysistrata is a classical work by the ancient Greek playwright Aristophanes.
The play centers on the power struggle between Athens and Sparta, Greece's two major powers, following the Greek-Persian Wars of 490-478 B.C.
The performance drew interest from local theatergoers in Kardzhali, where Turkish cultural identity remains strong.
At the end of the play, the cast received a standing ovation before returning to the stage to greet the audience.
Before the performance, Türkiye's Consul General in Plovdiv, Emre Manav, said the aim was to contribute to preserving bonds with the Turkish language and Turkish culture.
Manav noted that Kardzhali has a strong Turkish cultural presence and said the State Theaters team had seen this closely during its visit.
He added that he hoped the performance would mark the beginning of a wider process.
"The team from the State Theaters also saw this closely and was very pleased to be here. We hope this will be a beginning," Manav said.
He also said Türkiye aims to bring more Turkish-language theater productions to Kardzhali with the support of the state theaters while also developing joint tours and festivals. Manav added that future cultural exchanges could include return visits in Ankara and Istanbul after performances in Bulgaria.
"Hopefully, with this beginning, we will open up a new path. After the plays we stage here, we will also come together in Ankara and Istanbul as part of return visits," he said.
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